Greek Festival underway

Had lunch today at the Wilmington Greek Festival - plenty of open outdoor tables - but inside the church, tables, covered with blue plastic tableclothes the same color as the Greek flag, were pretty full by about 12:30 p.m.

Lunch service starts at 11 a.m.

A few outdoor stands at the back of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church looked like they were selling food, but most of it could be found in the church basement. (Outdoor stands with gyros and souvlaki open around 4 p.m.)

Greek music blares through the speakers to get you in the mood. (Gotta wait until the evening for the dancers.) There's a mobile ATM machine from Wilmington Trust parked out front of the entrance on North Broom Street, just in case you forget to tap MAC. Parking on street was pretty easy at lunchtime, but there is a shuttle bus available.


In the church basement, you grab a tray and then go cafeteria-style through one of two lines where the church ladies will very generously load your plate. (I had to ask one very sweet grandmother type to ease up on the orzo after she spooned up two heaping helpings and was about to go for a third.)

A bar tended by the church guys includes Miller Lite draft ($4), Heineken and Greek beer (each $5), ouzo ($6) and Greek wine ($6.) And, yes, I did see a few people belly up to the bar at noontime for beers. (I have a feeling they weren't returning to work.)

Prices are more than reasonable - orzo ($2); Greek salad ($3) - my pal got it just to eat the hunks of feta; keftedes or little meatballs in tomato sauce, (3 for $3) are very good; dolamades, or stuffed grapes, had a nice lemony flavor and and were filled with beef and rice (3 for $3).

A square of spanakopita, or spinach pie, was very flaky ($2.50.) I only wish the top was a little more brown. There's also moussaka, pastitio, lamb, string beans and rolls and butter.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the basement food court will be serving stuffed peppers for $9 and on Friday, the special is baked fish with string beans for $9.

My lunch plate below, which included a 20-ounce bottle of water, was only $9. Good deal. Didn't see much in the way of dessert at lunchtime other than rice pudding, which I try to avoid at all costs. It's one of the few foods I never developed a taste for.