St. George's

[serpentine]

Why am I having a first course of loukomades before foraging in my kitchen for dinner tonight?

Because I walked home down 8th Street and was lured into the parking lot of St. George's. Yep, Greek Festival is this weekend. Platters are $10 and look to be substantial and tasty. Anyone been by this year? Any recommendations for choice of entree?

[Andrew Fenton]

Ha! I walked by this evening and thought, "ooh! Greek church lady cookin' this weekend! How many times can I eat there before Monday?" Unfortunately, I was still full-- six hours later-- from the lima bean hoagie, so no Greek delicacies tonight. And then I thought, "gotta post to eGullet when I get home! I wonder if anybody will want to have lunch there on Sunday?" But you beat me to it.

Anyway, in past years, I've found the lamb shanks to be a consistent winner. Here's a post from a couple of years back and Holly's description of the doin's.

[Holly Moore]

Anybody know if St. George's is still doing their Greek Lunch of Fridays? I drove buy today and didn't see a sign.

Any other similar chruch lunches - Greek, Polish or whatever?

[katbert]

Anybody know if St. George's is still doing their Greek Lunch of Fridays?  I drove buy today and didn't see a sign.

←

It was still in place earlier this summer, one of my friends went before the weekend festival.

[Andrew Fenton]

It's baaack!

This weekend, in fact: I'll have to check the dates, but I think the festival is running from Thursday to Sunday.

[Bluehensfan]

It's baaack! 

This weekend, in fact: I'll have to check the dates, but I think the festival is running from Thursday to Sunday.

←

Here's the scoop... http://stgeorgecathedralfestival.com/index.htm

[KatieLoeb]

St. Georges Festival in full swing. I had a gyro and some dolmades for lunch and then picked up some moussaka, orzo and string beans along with a small Greek salad for dinner. Picked at it and am saving the rest for lunch tomorrow.

St. Georges is very conveniently half a block from me at M, so it's easy to stop by on my way to/from work to pick something up. Sadly, they'd already sold out of spanikopita and tiropitas this evening, so I'll just have to have those sometime over the next three days. I'll undoubtedly be there at least once per day until the festival is over.

[Holly Moore]

Stopped by this afternoon. Looks like barbecued lamb (goat?) (ET?) ala Lecter is on the menu this evening.

Edited June 1, 2007 by Holly Moore (log)

[Bluehensfan]

Stopped by this afternoon.  Looks like barbecued lamb (goat?) (ET?) ala Lecter is on the menu this evening.

←

Wow...never seen anything that looks remotely like that (except for the side of the road!) Cool post...I hope they have that tomorrow!

[Andrew Fenton]

Be careful. I hear those things will try to eat your brains...

[KatieLoeb]

OK - so I didn't make it over the St. Georges every day of the festival. I missed Friday because they were already closing up shop when by the time I'd gotten out of work. I still ate Greek food every day for the last four days! I did manage to have gyros twice (Thursday and today), the Moussaka platter (Thursday night and leftovers for lunch Friday) and the Salmon platter (lunch on Saturday). I even braved the pouring rain today for my gyro. It was definitely meant to be. The parking gods smiled upon me and I got the rock star spot at the meter right next to the entrance at the height of the storm. Once I was under the tent it was fine. They were closing up and there wasn't a lot left, but the gyro with extra tzatziki sauce was just perfect. I really wanted to try the lamb shanks, but they looked a little dried out yesterday and were gone today. I can hardly wait for the next festival so I can get to try those.

I think the Friday lunches will be back in force soon. I'm told by co-workers that frequent the Friday lunch that the platters are slightly less expensive then, like $8 instead of $10. I'm also told that getting there early is crucial because the good stuff is all gone by 1PM. Maybe I can try the elusive lamb shanks on a Friday instead.

[Bluehensfan]

Stopped by Saturday for Soulvaki, Gryo and Baklava, and (curiosity killed the cat) also tried the roast lamb. It was much better than it looked...kind of reminiscent of the pig at the Italian Market Festival. The only concern was the fact that I was the first in line for the lamb, as we got there at noon, and the gentleman doing the roasting lopped off the head and handed it to the woman behind the counter who put it in a styrofoam container. I was feeling a little worried that this may be for...me? I will eat just about anything, but that may have been taking it a step to far, so I asked her if anyone eats "those things." She replied by saying that some people like the heads, but that she won't eat them, especially the brains (or fish heads for that matter). Fortunately it was destined for someone else (maybe some Lecteresque character requested it ahead of time) and I was relegated to a few tasty hunks of sub-cranium meat.

[Bluehensfan]

Stopped by this afternoon.  Looks like barbecued lamb (goat?) (ET?) ala Lecter is on the menu this evening.

←

Ladies and gentlemen, it is time...I just hope they have the lamb (as expertly photographed by Holly) again this go-round!

http://stgeorgecathedralfestival.com/fallfest.htm

Fall Festival

Thursday Sept. 27 11AM – till

Friday Sept. 28 11AM – till

Saturday Sept. 29 11AM – till

Featuring:

• Delicious Greek Food

• Greek Pastries

• Greek Music, DJ & Dancing Friday & Saturday

• Jewelry, Souvenirs & Gifts

• Greek CDs & Videos

• Fun for All Ages

• Saturday from 8 – 10 PM all Entrees are 50% off

Edited September 24, 2007 by Bluehensfan (log)

[Andrew Fenton]

The St. George's festival is back! This weekend: Thursday through Sunday, if I'm not mistaken. Normally I'd skip work on Friday and get lunch, but I've got jury duty. Stupid civic obligations! Ah well: that leaves more than a few other times for me to stuff myself silly with loukoumades...

[Bluehensfan]

The St. George's festival is back!  This weekend: Thursday through Sunday, if I'm not mistaken.  Normally I'd skip work on Friday and get lunch, but I've got jury duty.  Stupid civic obligations!  Ah well: that leaves more than a few other times for me to stuff myself silly with loukoumades...

←

We're gonna hit it again this year. I hope they do the goat this year. It was pretty darned good last year (albeit a bit sick to look at).

[KatieLoeb]

I know where I'm getting dinner tomorrow on the way into work....

I sorta scratched the Greek-food-made-by-church-ladies itch last weekend at the Opa Festival at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Elkins Park. Never too soon to have it again, though.

[JanMcBaker]

The St. George's festival is back!  This weekend: Thursday through Sunday, if I'm not mistaken.  Normally I'd skip work on Friday and get lunch, but I've got jury duty.  Stupid civic obligations!  Ah well: that leaves more than a few other times for me to stuff myself silly with loukoumades...

←

Is Friday your day to report, Andrew? Don't forget to call the night before-- you might not be needed after all and you can still hit the festival. Failing that, maybe you'll be released at lunchtime if you haven't been chosen by then for a panel.

[KatieLoeb]

I made it over to the St. George's festival every day this week, except for today. I had the spanikopitas (the regular and the one with the handmade phyllo dough - both delicious), cheese pie, roasted lamb shank with orzo, roast chicken with roast potatoes and string beans, gyros, dolmades, Greek salad and baklava. All was as delicious and filling as ever. Damn, I love this festival! I need to make a more concerted effort to get over there for the Friday lunches.

Them church ladies can COOK!

[Andrew Fenton]

I need to make a more concerted effort to get over there for the Friday lunches.

Ditto. There's really no excuse for me not to be there all the time!

Anyway, I made two trips-- roast lamb (yum), moussaka (good, but cold-ish. that's the one problem with the festival: insufficient heating), spinach pies, loukoumades a-plenty, gyro, dolmades, and lots of cheap retsina. Opa!

[mrbigjas]

I need to make a more concerted effort to get over there for the Friday lunches.

Ditto. There's really no excuse for me not to be there all the time!

there is for me: we spent like fifty bucks on thursday night between the roast lamb and the souvlaki and the pastitsio and the sides and the beers and the ouzo and like ten different pastries.

i never thought i'd say this, but i can't afford the greek church too often.

[KatieLoeb]

I need to make a more concerted effort to get over there for the Friday lunches.

Ditto. There's really no excuse for me not to be there all the time!

there is for me: we spent like fifty bucks on thursday night between the roast lamb and the souvlaki and the pastitsio and the sides and the beers and the ouzo and like ten different pastries.

i never thought i'd say this, but i can't afford the greek church too often.

←

Could it be all the drinking? They totally overcharge for the beer/wine/liquor, but remember, all the money benefits the church and they only do this event twice per year. Maybe you should drink at home and show up half shot in the ass instead?

[mrbigjas]

haha -- no, we only had a beer each and an ouzo.

don't get the wrong impression; it's certainly not the church's fault that i gorge myself every time i go.

p.s. this year the lamb was better than last year.

[Bluehensfan]

haha -- no, we only had a beer each and an ouzo.

don't get the wrong impression; it's certainly not the church's fault that i gorge myself every time i go. 

p.s. this year the lamb was better than last year.

←

The lamb was like $17 a shot. Well worth it though. The soulvaki was a steal at $6 though so it all evens out! Too bad they don't do it more often.

[KatieLoeb]

I had the $6 gyros twice. They're awesome. One time I shared the "Combination Platter #2" with a coworker. For $14 you get half a roast chicken, two sides, a small Greek salad and a gyro. Best $7 I spent that day and we both had leftovers. The $2 spanikopitas and tiropitas are awesome too. And 5 dolmades for $3 isn't bad either. It was all so good. I can't wait until they do it again.

[Bluehensfan]

Time for the annual reminder (as in it's starting tomorrow)...

http://stgeorgecathedralfestival.com/index.htm