Dining festivals are as disposable as a paper plate.
But we do have one dining festival that has lasted 30 years.
Taste of Arlington, our oldest and biggest, is back Tuesday.
New dishes this year include Crawdaddy's Shack étouffée and jambalaya and Eddie Deen's Crossroads BBQ's ribs.
But the longest line in the Arlington Convention Center is always for Cacharel's chocolate souffle.
Other dishes include Olenjack's Grille's shrimp-and-grits, CityHouse at the Sheraton's shellfish escabeche and Marquez Bakery and Tortilla Factory's tamales.
The Black-eyed Pea Restaurant chain, an original guest from the event's 1983 beginning, will toast the anniversary with "Broadway" bellinis.
The Chili's chain and locally owned Spring Creek Barbecue are also back for their 30th.
The $40 ticket includes craft beers and wine; $65 buys a reserved seat and a preview with wines from WineStyles in Mansfield.
If you're a Star-Telegram Press Pass home subscriber, you can buy tickets for $35 in advance at any YMCA of Arlington or at Theatre Arlington, 316 W. Main St.; tasteofarlington.info.
Whether or not you go see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit in Fort Worth -- go try Hedary's Mediterranean Restaurant's weekend lunches there.
Hedary's is serving its Lebanese dishes 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Jan. 12 in the lobby of the beautiful new MacGorman Performing Arts Center, 4616 Stanley Ave.
Also coming up: The Fort Worth Greek Festival is Nov. 9-11 (fortworthgreekfestival.com).
Taste of Northeast is Nov. 15 in Hurst (artscouncilnortheast.org).
Alert: It's time to start booking Thanksgiving dinner reservations.
Cast Iron at the Omni, Lucile's, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Silver Fox Steakhouse and Vance Godbey's are among Fort Worth restaurants open.
In Southlake, choose from Buca di Beppo or Copeland's of New Orleans, along with Next Wood Fired Bistro in Colleyville or Silver Fox Steakhouse in Grapevine.
Bud Kennedy's Eats Beat appears Wednesdays in Life & Arts and Fridays in DFW.com Weekend. 817-390-7538
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Twitter: @eatsbeat
