• Azteca offers both classic regional Mexican favorites and more modulated Mexican dishes for American tastes. Azteca will offer live music after 6 p.m., and a free Cinco de Mayo 2008 T-shirt with the purchase of a medium-sized margarita ($6). Azteca Mexican Restaurant, 116 E. Woodlawn Road. 704-525-5110.
• Cantina 1511 (the East Boulevard location) will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo a few days earlier on Saturday May 3 from noon until midnight with a parking lot party: DJ; live band; and $3 Coronas, margaritas, guacamole, and nachos. The full menu is available inside. Cantina 1511, 1511 East Blvd. 704-331-9222.
• Where better to have a margarita then at Las Margaritas? They will offer specials on margaritas and Mexican beers. But on any other day, entrées are presented on oversized white platters and margaritas can be purchased by the pitcher. Las Margaritas, 4426 E. Independence Blvd. 704-567-2359.
• It’s business as usual at Linares: made-in-house corn tortillas, a salsa bar with condiments from across Mexico, an octopus tostada, and parrillada. Linares Mexican Restaurant, 4918 Central Ave. 704-535-6716.
• Rejuvenated by the opening of neighboring Trader Joe’s, Señor Tequila Cantina Grill features well-crafted dishes in upscale (not flooded) presentations. For the fifth: a DJ, their five most popular appetizers for $5, $1.75 Mexican beers, and $4 margaritas. Señor Tequila Cantina Grill, 6414 Rea Road. 704-543-0706.
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 6, 2008.
