Wurst Haus brings Oktoberfest vibe to West Hartford Center with German beer and food
Wurst Haus is the newest restaurant in West Hartford Center, a German beer-and-food palace that opened March 31 at 37 LaSalle Road, where McLadden’s Irish pub used to be. It is a sister restaurant to The Student Prince, the 87-year-old German restaurant in Springfield, Mass.
Wurst Haus was inspired by a trip to Oktoberfest by Andy Yee, president of Bean Restaurant Group. The festival of eating, drinking and German culture, held annually in Munich, left a big impression on him.
“It’s the eighth wonder of the world, The Big E times 20, thousands of people having a swashbuckling good time,” he said. “There is so much excitement. People come from all over the world.”
Yee was aiming for that vibe at Wurst Haus, which has a menu of wurst, schnitzel, Bavarian pretzels and other treats. Some of the wursts are classics, such as bratwurst, frankfurters and duckwurst. Others have a contemporary American spin courtesy chef Zach Shuman, with jalapeno cheddar flavors or Beyond Sausage meatless options.
Schuman takes other recipes and brings them up to contemporary tastes. “People are used to goulash with beef, but I make it with short ribs to make it a little trendier, a little cooler,” Shuman said.
Oktoberfest-style boot-shaped beer glasses are offered to take home. (Be careful how you position them when you drink or you could end up with a sudden nose full of beer.) The bar features primarily German and other European beers, including Maibock, a high-alcohol variety that is available only in smaller glasses. The bar is dominated by a vintage tap from Munich’s Paulaner brewery.
Beer garden-style long tables are on the way soon, according to General Manager Joshua Battista. Now, a variety of steins line the walls, alongside antler chandeliers and artworks depicting Germany or derived from German folklore and iconography.
Yee said German food “can seem a little daunting” at first, considering its general unfamiliarity.
“You can go get pizza, Mediterranean food, sushi, a good salad anywhere,” he said. “Until you’ve tried German food, you don’t know how to embrace it.” (The only other prominent German restaurant in the Hartford area is East Side in New Britain.)
Yee said he is confident the restaurant will succeed, considering the decades-long success of The Student Prince, the success of his Northampton Wurst Haus, which opened in 2019, and the popularity of Bean’s annual Wurst Haus booths at The Big E.
Yee, a native of Springfield, has spent a lifetime in the restaurant industry. His parents opened the Hu Ke Lau in Chicopee, Massachusetts, in 1965. At its peak, the Yee family owned 12 Hu Ke Laus. All are closed now; the flagship Chicopee location closed in 2018.
Today, Yee owns and runs Bean Restaurant Group with business partner Pete Picknelly, a childhood friend who is now chairman of the board and CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines. McLadden’s, the Irish pub that used to be in the 37 LaSalle St. location, was a Bean property.
Bean Restaurant Group locations include The Student Prince; the two Wurst Hauses; Johnny’s Tavern in Amherst, Mass.; Johnny’s Bar & Grille, The Boathouse, the Halfway House Lounge, Johnny’s Tap Room and Iya Sushi and Noodle Kitchen in South Hadley, Mass.; Johnny’s Roadside in Hadley, Mass; White Hut in West Springfield, Mass.; and Union Kitchen, next door to Wurst Haus on LaSalle Road.
The “Johnny” restaurants are named after Yee’s father, who died in 2003. Yee’s mother, Linda, attended the opening party of the Wurst Haus.
Bean also owns McLadden’s in Simsbury, which is currently being “rebranded,” Yee said, with a new name and theme to be announced later.
Bean restaurants have a wide variety of themes — German, burgers, fish, Japanese, contemporary American — but all have the same motto. “Make ‘em smile one plate at a time,” Yee said.
Find more at wurst-haus.com.
Susan Dunne can be reached at sdunne@courant.com.
