• El Pulgarcito

Last Thursday, the Levine Museum of the New South kicked off the 2013 New South for the New Southerner series to a packed house of Queen City foodies. The event focused on the topic of "Eating Out: Past and Present." Charlotte Restaurant Week founder Bruce Hensley opened up the evening with a spirited account of Charlotte's restaurant history.

Staff historian Dr. Tom Hanchett led the evening with a discussion of the explosion of Latin American eateries (namely in the Eastway neighborhood) in Charlotte, where you can find some of the best and most authentic dishes in town. Denise Botello-Coleman of Latina 102.3 FM and Levine staffer and Latino New South Project Coordinator Melina Monita-Pacheco shared favorites from the vast and varied scene. All you need is your car and an appetite.

MEXICO

Cocina Latina is serving up some of the best Hidalgo style barbacoa in town right here in East Charlotte. Owner and cook Fausta Salvatierra will take you on a pleasurable trip. Enjoy tortas, a type of Mexican sandwich and authentic pastes, a savory pastry stuffed with meat and cheese.5135 Albemarle Road. 704-531-5757

Las Delicias Bakery is known for its freshly baked authentic pastries, cakes and homemade bread. Head in between 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon for a chance at snagging some goods fresh out of the oven. 4405 Central Ave. 704-568-2121

Lupita Tortilleria y Carniceria This is the spot for carnitas, the deliciously tender and flavorful pulled pork of your dreams. Lupita's makes carnitas on the weekend and folks begin lining up on Sundays around 7:30 a.m. for theirs. I am so down for some pork with my morning coffee. 5210 N. Tryon St. 704-910-4872

Stepping into Crispy Crepe on South Boulevard, you're first struck by the wafting sweet aromas coming from the kitchen.

• Kelly Davis
• Crispy Crepe

The enormous jar of Nutella behind the counter has you salivating for chocolate, even if it is only 9 a.m. And although sweet dessert-like crepes are the first thing to come to mind when you walk into the South End restaurant, you'll be pleased to know that you can order a crepe stuffed with shrimp, chicken or eggs, to go along with your more decadent crepe.

The extensive menu at Crispy Crepe offers 19 different crepe choices, including nine savory and 10 sweet. The choices can be a bit overwhelming, but If you want to know what they think is the creme de la creme of their menu, chocolate-covered strawberries mark the Crispy Crepe "specialties." For savory crepes, they recommend the Chipotle Chicken, which includes cumin-crusted chicken slices topped with pico de gallo, jack cheese, sliced avocado and chipotle cream). As for sweet crepes, one of the two specialties is the Maple Creme Crepe, filled with pure organic maple cream (100 percent reduction of pure organic maple syrup) and served with pure maple syrup.

The restaurant is very casual. Patrons order from the counter where they're given a number, grab a drink from a self-serve soda fountain, and seat themselves at one of the inside or outside tables. Waiters bring out the food to the customers. During my visit, the waiters refilled our drinks, which was very nice, but made it a bit confusing whether we were supposed to tip and how much when it was time to leave.

• Kelly Davis
• Egg, Cheese, and Turkey Bacon Crepe

Many of the savory crepes seem more appropriate for lunch (open for lunch and dinner), like the Gyro Crepe, but there are three different egg crepes, for those of you who like more traditional breakfast fare. These are served with a fresh fruit, cilantro hummus, side salad, or kettle chips.

At long last Matthew and Mary marry. But the fortune of the Crawley family has taken an uncertain trajectory and the specter of bankruptcy - how 2009 - hangs before the family. Will Lord Grantham and his Ladies have to downsize or be saved to continue living their lavish aristocratic lifestyle? More than 7 million American viewers tuned in to watch the Downton Abbey season 3 premiere on Sunday, and food is a dominant player in the storyline.

The glimpse into the workings of a large estate kitchen circa 1920 has many fans searching for the gleaming cooper pots that line the kitchen shelves and the Edwardian recipes that fill the plates of the Crawley family.

What's on the nightly 12-course menu? Shimmering aspics; roasted fowl, including pheasants shot on the estate; soups; salads; vegetables; fruits and wines poured for each course. Much like the pre-bubble-burst, free-spirited 1990s in the U.S., the Edwardians consumed conspicuously.

• A dozen oysters at McCormick & Schmick - yes, please

Looking to eat like an Edwardian? Bring the plastic and a healthy appetite. A dozen oysters on the half shell at McCormick & Schmick's (200 S. Tryon St.) begin at 20 bucks - and that's just a starter. Add to this the $16 foie gras with pumpkin seed baklava, tangerine and pickled sugar pumpkin appetizer at Barrington's Restaurant - and I'll bet on Chef Moffet over Mrs. Patmore any day - (7822 Fairview Road); the $8 roasted beet and apple salad at Bistro la Bon (1322 Central Ave.); the $7 French onion soup at Café Monte (6700 Fairview Rd); the pan-seared Scottish salmon ($24) at Carpe Diem (1535 Elizabeth Ave.); and $24 fire-roasted chicken at Halcyon (500 S. Tryon St.). Your bill now hugs a c-note, and that's only half the courses and without the cost of cellared wine.

Too much? Downstairs, the staff enjoy shepherd's pie. You can find this dish for $16, less on Thursdays, at Big Ben British Pub & Restaurant (2000 South Blvd.). Cheers.

Watch Downton Abbey Season 3 Preview on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.