Kirker's Inn, which seems to have occupied its Hawthorne storefront as long as anyone can remember, looks from the outside like a neighborhood pub. And in many ways, that's what it is, as the regulars at the bar can surely attest. But it is also, particularly during the month of October, a place to indulge a craving for good German food.

If the first crisp days of fall inspire a hankering for wursts, schnitzel and sauerbraten, then the Oktoberfest menu at Kirker's will surely satisfy. The special menu offered this month features a variety of fun-to-say dishes like Rindersrouladen, but many of the german specialties are included in the restaurant's regular menu year-round.

But while you can expect well-prepared food at Kirker's, the atmosphere leaves a good deal to be desired. The interior is uninspired, with green Naugahyde booths, beer posters and a large plastic shark adorning one wall of the small dining room. Although the area away from the bar is dubbed non-smoking, there is nothing to keep the cloud of smoke that hangs above the bar from drifting over. It's as if the air in the place hasn't been changed in 20 years.

But on our recent visit, our waitress was cheery and bluntly matter of fact, steering us through the unfamiliar items on the menu with an assurance that everything we ordered was "a good choice." She was right. An appetizer order of Kartoffelptankuchen - Potato Pancakes - were crispy around the edges and luscious, rather than leaden. The German Sausage Appy of knockwurst and bratwurst, sliced into circles and browned, made us wish we had ordered more. The sausage had just the right of smoky richness and was nearly grease-free, perfectly accompanied by piquant kraut.

Our dinners began with what our waitress described as portobello mushroom soup. It was obviously homemade, rich and satisfying, though slightly grainy, quite possibly due to what seemed like a potato base.

Sauerbraten, "the house specialty," is often described as "German pot roast." Kirker's version features thin slices of meltingly tender beef and just the right amount of zip in the sauce, which is thickened with gingersnaps.

The veal cutlet in Weiner Schnitzel ala Kirker's was just as tender, although any delicate veal flavor was lost under the Black Forest ham, onions, tomatoes, peppers and brown gravy.

The overall taste of the dish was quite good, however, as was the Jagar Schnitzel, in which the cutlet was bathed in a mushroom sauce. Most of the German entrees are served with a mound of delicious braised red cabbage and a potato pancake - great for soaking up extra sauce.

When it came time for dessert, the waitress simply proclaimed - "strudel" - so that's what we had. It was almost certainly homemade, warm and wonderful, the molten apple and buttery pastry perfectly complimented by vanilla ice cream.

Kirker's Oktoberfest menu also features German beer - including yeasty Weiss Beer, Spaten and Yuengling on tap and a crisp white wine- Zeller Swartz a Katz - by the glass or carafe. While the beers are tasty, we found the wine to be an ideal partner for the hearty food.