In Germany, Oktoberfest kicks off in September, as the Vancouver Alpen Club (4875 Victoria Drive) well knows. It’ll be hosting a party this Saturday (September 19) with beer, live bands, sing-alongs, and more. (For $25 tickets, see www.vancouveralpenclub.ca/.) But at the club’s Deutsches Haus restaurant, you can feast like a German all year long. Gather your friends and order the festplatte, for four people. The gargantuan $80 platter—which includes a pork hock, smoked pork loin, bratwurst, schnitzel, and leberkí¤se meatloaf—has more meat than most foursomes can handle, plus dumplings, potatoes, red cabbage, and sauerkraut. Raise a stein, and rise to the challenge.