Restaurant Forty Six, Kannapolis, North Carolina

A short drive northeast of Charlotte along Interstate 85 will take you to the towns of Concord and Kannapolis, North Carolina. Kannapolis was home to the former Cannon Mill Village, which has now been refurbished into a mixed use development adjacent to the North Carolina Research Campus. I recently dined at Restaurant Forty Six, which is located within Cannon Village. The atmosphere is upscale and, although the menu isn't enormous, the food is delicious. I had a wonderful three course dinner consisting of the warm goat cheese salad (field greens, diced beet, tomato and pancetta with granny smith apple slices and dressed with bacon-balsamic vinaigrette, topped with warm goat cheese); Chicken Santorini (sauteed chicken with garden vegetables in a light tomato sauce with kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese topped with parmesan shavings); and, for dessert, the lemon berry mascarpone cake.

Warm goat cheese salad

Chicken Santorini

Lemon berry mascarpone cake

For More Information: Restaurant Forty Six, 101 West Avenue, Kannapolis, NC 28081

Cafe Sienna, Charlotte, North Carolina

At Cafe Sienna, in Uptown (City Center) Charlotte, North Carolina, diners enjoy a pleasant atmosphere and upscale cuisine touted as "Mediterranean Fusion." I dined at Cafe Sienna recently during Charlotte's restaurant week. My three course meal included French onion soup to start things off; filet mignon with asparagus, polenta, and shrimp; and creme brûlée for dessert.

Filet mignon with asparagus, polenta, and shrimp

Creme Brûlée

For More Information: Cafe Sienna Trattoria E Barra

Killington's Restaurant and Pub, Huntersville, North Carolina

In the northern Charlotte suburb of Huntersville, North Carolina, Killington's Restaurant and Pub, a gastropub, offers a wide variety of creative, well-presented and delicious entrées. The three food photos below show the Rosedale chicken, pretzel encrusted pork tenderloin, and coconut chicken.

Rosedale Chicken (with mozzarella, roasted peppers, tomatoes, garlic, balsamic, and served with sauteed spinach and mashed potatoes)

Pretzel encrusted pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes and asparagus

Coconut chicken with rice and mango

For More Information: Killington's Restaurant and Pub

Plaza Fiesta Carolinas, Fort Mill, South Carolina

Plaza Fiesta Carolinas is an indoor mall with retail and restaurants built around a Latin American town "plaza". Plaza Fiesta is next to the Carowinds theme park along the South Carolina/North Carolina border in suburban Charlotte. The food court area in and around the main central plaza has a wide variety of restaurants representing many countries throughout Latin America. The food photo below shows "Lomo Saltado", a traditional Peruvian dish of marinated beef, onions, tomatoes, peppers, spices, sauce, and fried potatoes and rice.

Lomo Saltado, a typical dish from Peru

For More Information: Plaza Fiesta Carolinas

Pupuseria, Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte's eastland area along Central Avenue is an international corridor containing restaurants, retail, and other business representative from many places around the world - particularly Latin America and Asia. At the corner of Central Avenue and Rosehaven Drive, there is a restaurant selling traditional Salvadoran and Mexican cuisine, with a sign out front along the road that says Pupuseria". The pupusas (traditional Salvadoran thick corn tortilla filled with a blend of cheese, pork meat ground to a paste, squash, or refried beans) are excellent, and the tacos are very similar to what you will find in many areas of Mexico. The tacos al pastor (traditional in many areas of central Mexico, typically prepared with marinated pork, onion, pineapple, cilantro, lime juice, and salsa) are wonderful. The food photo below showcases the pupusa and tacos al pastor.

Pupusa (left) and tacos al pastor (right)

Cocina Latina, Charlotte, North Carolina

Cocina Latina is a great family-owned Mexican restaurant in the international corridor area of Charlotte's eastside, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The menu offers a variety of inexpensive traditional Mexican cuisine, enchiladas, tacos, tortas (sandwiches), and seafood dishes. The food photo below is of chicken enchiladas rojas with rice and beans.

Enchiladas rojas con arroz y frijoles

Villa Francesca, Charlotte, North Carolina

Villa Francesca Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria is a great family-owned restaurant located on the corner of Caldwell and Seventh Streets in the First Ward neighborhood of Uptown Charlotte. The extensive menu at Villa Francesca offers a wide array of appetizers, salads, pizzas, calzones, heroes, pasta dishes, entrées, and desserts. The food photo below is the Chicken Francese entrée, fresh chicken sautéed in lemon, white wine, and butter.

Chicken Francese, fresh chicken sautéed in lemon, white wine, and butter

For More Information: Villa Francesca Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria

Dandelion Market, Charlotte, North Carolina

The Dandelion Market is a great restaurant and gastropub in Uptown (Center City) Charlotte, North Carolina, on Fifth Street between Church and Tryon Streets. The creative and unique menu at the Dandelion Market offers a wide selection of "small plate" tapas-style dishes and excellent desserts. Check out the food photos below for a preview of several delicious items available at Dandelion Market.

Fried sage leaves with sea salt, balsamic, and garlic sauce; aged cheddar and ale fondue; fried artichoke hearts; ale simmered sausage bites with hot sweet mustard sauce; pommes frites with currey sauce

Rhubarb Cobbler with vanilla ice cream

For More Information: The Dandelion Market