restaurant

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 16 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to the Park Road Shopping Center in Charlotte, North Carolina and to Cantina 1511. This upscale casual restaurant offers a unique variety of Mexican fares.

Cantina 1511 Excited about EAting Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Dora here. What a gorgeous day! Too nice to sit inside and what a comfortable, relaxing outdoor space! They certainly live up to their creed, “A tapestry of flavor, color, aromas and textures happening in a joyous and friendly atmosphere.” As usual, we arrived super early, but this patio was jammed by the time we left.

Cantina 1511 Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Too nice to sit inside and what a relaxing, comfortable outdoor space!

For my meal, I ordered the Antojitos, an assortment of foods one might find on the streets of Mexico City, and the selection changes daily. Today, it included Nachos, Tlayudas (sometimes referred to as Mexican Pizza), Pig Wings Carnitas, and Salmon wraps. All four of these items were great, but my favorite was the Pig Wings Carnitas, pork shanks flash fried and tossed in an orange caramel sauce. As you can probably tell, they were crispy on the outside and full of favor. The salmon wrap was packed with fish, very tasty, and my second favorite.

Cantina 1511 Excited about Eating Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Antojitos. My favorite was the Carnitas!

Dora here. I don’t usually choose to eat Mexican food because I tend to overeat. Shocker, I know, but those chips, y’all!! I could eat an entire basket by myself, especially here, where both the chips and salsa were soooo good. Just a little kick in the salsa and tomatoey thick. Yum! The Chicken Chimichanga was plump with chicken, black beans, and rice and a smattering of corn and cheese. Delicious, one of the best I’ve ever eaten, with all my favorite ingredients, and the slaw was a perfect accompaniment to add depth and crunch. I did not finish it, but I didn’t leave the table feeling stuffed, either. What I really enjoyed about this dish was the fresh flavor.

Cantina 1511 Excited about Eating Ernie & Dora Hiers Fiction Faith & Foodies

Chicken Chimichanga was packed with all my favorite ingredients, but what I really enjoyed about this dish was the fresh flavor.

What’s your favorite Mexican dish?

We rate this restaurant 4.5 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food. (Dora’s rating, 5; Ernie’s, 4)

Cantina 1511 Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 9 Comments

This edition of Exciting about Eating takes us to the High Country and to BBQ-Burgers & Brews Restaurant & Tavern in Boone, NC. This restaurant offers all of the BBQ regulars, cooked “low and slow” plus many unique burgers and a salad bar.

Spacious, rustic interior

For my meal, I chose the B3 Sampler Plate which included baby back ribs and brisket with rosemary fries, creamed corn and a yeast roll. Whenever I visit a BBQ restaurant for the first time, I always like to try a sampler so that I can get an overall taste of all of their food. The star of this plate was the baby back ribs, tender, sweet, and smoked to perfection. The only issue I had with them was I wished there were more. The next highlight? Those fries, fried crispy and infused with rosemary. I should have doubled my order since my wife liked them too. The brisket was moist and tasty, and the cream corn sweet and delicious. Dora here. Those rosemary fries were addictive!

BBQ Burgers & Brews Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Sampler Platter

Dora here. So many great sounding burgers and BBQ dishes, but the pork nachos were calling my name. When they came out, I was a bit surprised at the small-ish dish. In other restaurants, they’re usually piled high on a platter. But, really, this appetizer was the perfect size for one person to consume for lunch. And I did. lol. The chips were light and fresh, the pork tender, and the queso drizzled with a light hand. And the best part? Every bite had something on it. 🙂

BBQ Burgers & Brews Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Pork Nachos, just the right amount of goodies for every chip!

What about you? What new place did you try this week?

We rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food.

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 12 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to downtown Salisbury, North Carolina, and to Mambo Grill & Tapas, a restaurant serving Cuban cuisine. Living in Tampa, FL for most of my life, I have had the opportunity to taste and enjoy both Spanish and Cuban food since I was a little guy, and this place ranks right up there with the best.

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They don’t open until noon on the weekends, but they fill up fast!

Dora here. We discovered this place shortly after we moved to North Carolina. It started in a tiny spot in a strip store, moved to a larger space on Fulton Street, and now they’ve expanded into this beautiful two-story historic building in downtown Salisbury. With so many businesses downsizing or disappearing entirely over the last few years, it’s heartening to see a restaurant flourish.

For an appetizer, we ordered Yuca Frita served with a garlic and cilantro dipping sauce. The Yuca, a starchy tubular root, was cubed and fried to perfection. Outstanding! Crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside, kind of like a fried potato.

Mambo Grill and Tapas Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Fried Yuca

I chose my favorite Cuban dish, Masitas. Large pork chunks flash fried, topped with garlic and onions, and served with yellow rice, black beans, and plantains. This dish was great! The pork so flavorful and tender that you could cut it with a fork and the rice and beans cooked flawlessly, just like I remembered them from Tampa.

Mambo Grill and Tapas Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Masitas

Dora here. Y’all, this was such a hard choice! We love, love, LOVE, Cuban cuisine and rarely get a chance to head thirty minutes up the road to Salisbury, so I couldn’t make up my mind between the Piccadillo, Ropa Vieja, and Palomilla Steak. I finally decided on the Piccadillo. Piccadillo is ground beef with tiny chunks of potatoes and bits of olives in a light tomato base. So subtle, if you’re not an olive fan, you might not even know they’re in there. But, oh my, so warm and comforting and exactly as I remembered! YUM! And the veggies? Al dente and screaming with flavor! Where were these when I was growing up? lol. Note to self: MUST make it a priority to come here more often!

Mambo Grill and Tapas Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Piccadillo, so warm and comforting and exactly as I remembered! YUM!

What about you? How do you like your veggies? What’s your favorite veggie?

We rate this restaurant 5 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.

Mambo Grill & Tapas Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato