Taste of Arlington, May 18 dinner

Though Taste of Arlington’s official end time was 7:30, I wasn’t surprised to find slim pickings when I arrived at half past six. My targets—Talulla, Willow, and Hank’s Oyster Bar—were long departed. In fact, so little remained that the longest line was at the Sunrise Assisted Living Center Dining Room tent. They were serving Sunrise Santa Fe Chicken Wraps and Parmesan Tuscan Chicken Wraps. One ticket got you two (tickets were $2 each)…what a deal! I still decided to hold off on Sunrise until I visit Grandma next month at the Mt. Vernon NY Sunrise facility. I’m always enticed by the daily dessert special posted on the menu by the entrance. One day the special will be “brownies.” The next? “Peaches in syrup.” Such innovations! Ah, I digress.

So I passed on the Sunrise wraps and headed for Carlyle, starting my evening off with a breaded, tasty crab cake sandwich. Hard Times Café dished me up a bowl of sweet Cincinnati Chili with a spoonful of cheese and chopped onions on top. Two ways, Ohioans? Rockland’s BBQ piled their pulled pork sandwich high, perhaps compensating for the fact that they ran out of buns by providing extra meat. Good deal!

I finished things off at Sangam. The independent Indian restaurant played well the part of Best of the Best of the festival, a prize they had been awarded that day for the third year running. Perhaps the fare they had since run out of was more noteworthy, because the timid channa masala I sampled at the end of the festival was far from award winning. Or perhaps they win the hearts of festival goers with charm before food. Their owner stood by their tent, microphone in hand, decked out in suit and tie, waving his award, and giving his thanks to everyone for choosing his restaurant as the winner…over and over again.

But the proud papa was barely audible, partly due to the accent and mumbling, and partly due to the amped up music on the festival stage, which made his speech all the more futile, and amusing. Local cover band Gonzo’s Nose was rocking out for an eclectic end of the day crowd. A cute trio of 30-somethings grooved at the front of the stage. A tattoo chested rico suave worked in to dance with them, as did a long bearded gentleman, delighted for the chance to take one by the hand and turn them under his arm. Another guy was content to play his air guitar through every song…strumming with his left hand. Very unique style! The dancing was entertaining. Then I noticed the sign announcing that the festival benefits Community Residences, a non-profit that “enables individuals with a wide range of disabilities to live as independently as possible.” Then I felt touched. Own that inverted air guitar!

La Tasca took second place. I didn’t see what they were serving, but it was probably the garlic shrimp on a tortilla chip they can’t seem to show up without. Caribbean Breeze, purveyor of Nuevo Latin cuisine, took third with a crispy suckling pig dish. Carlyle was the proud People’s Choice winner. That’ll happen when you serve $2 crab cakes in these parts.