Dish of the Week
Whole Roasted Lamb
For many Washingtonians, the bloom of the cherry blossoms signals the changing of the seasons. But for outdoor food fans, nothing says spring quite like a weekend full of outdoor food festivals. The whiff of grilled pork, charcoal, and butane filling the air, styrofoam plates piled high with pad thai, pupusas, and eggplant parmesan; you can walk, eat, and drink your way clear into next week.

Taste of Arlington expects to see 12,000 people descend on Ballston this Sunday to sample dishes from 45 restaurants. Advance ticket sales ended today, but you can buy tickets for $2 a pop at the festival. Chains and corporate eateries will abound, but be sure to catch local gems like Willow, Tallula, the new Alexandria outpost of Hank’s Oyster Bar, and last year’s “Best of the Best” winner, Sangam Restaurant.

Also Sunday, Taste of Wheaton promises a more likely venue to get your meat on a stick fix. The festival celebrates the bounty of bargain ethnic joints that have found a home in Wheaton, where the portion sizes are generous and cost a mere $1 each. Salvadoran restaurants dominate the landscape, with a healthy amount of Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian, American, and Thai spots peppered in. Start off in Wheaton, where the festival runs from 11-5 p.m., then roll yourself down to Arlington where a 7:30 p.m. end time gives your eyes and stomach plenty of time to recover and find dinner.

And if you’re not such a fan of meat on a stick, how about lamb on a spit? The annual Greek Festival at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral runs from noon – 9 p.m. all weekend. You can get your fill of souvlaki, feta burgers, loukoumades, baklava, and more starting today. But whole roasted lamb is Saturday and Sunday only.

Photo by dklimke