Cantina 1511 Review

Owner Frank Scibelli is well-known in Charlotte as the owner of the successful homestyle Italian restaurant Mama Ricotta's in Midtown, but when he decided to open the first Cantina with business partner Dennis Thompson, he was catapulted into Charlotte's culinary hall of fame. The Dilworth location opened in the late summer of 2004 right on East Boulevard where restaurants come and go with far too much frequency. But, the restaurant succeeded and Scibelli and Thompson opened a second location in 2006 in the Stonecrest shopping center in South Charlotte.

Scibelli's many trips to Oaxaca, Mexico were the inspiration for the flavors used on the Cantina menu, which includes smoked meats, fresh chilies, home-made salsas and mole that are full of flavor without the heavy feeling that of some traditional Mexican dishes. My personal favorite is the guacamole starter which is made fresh at your table upon ordering. Order a round of the house margaritas to start your evening or Happy Hour off right! I'm also a fan of the Tacos al Pastor, which feature slow-cooked pork with shredded cabbage, roasted pineapple, habanero crema and fresh cilantro in your choice of a taco shell. All the taco entrees can be prepared with one, two or three tacos of your choosing (and there are six varieties to choose from) so you can eat light with one taco or mix and match to sample a variety of flavors.