Mesa Fresca Shines

You might think a counter-service restaurant attached to a convenience store would be a risky proposition, but Mesa Fresca dishes up seriously legit tacos, breakfast grub and daily specials. This place may be Apex's best kept secret.

Chef-owner Roberto Galvan’s impeccably seasoned pork carnitas are presented on soft corn tortillas with fresh cilantro, onion and a lime wedge. Pineapple chipotle chicken and grilled steak and bacon tacos are equally rewarding. 

 Photo courtesy of Jonathan Fredin/S&A Cherokee

Also first-rate are the sweet and tangy BBQ chicken quesadillas and the 3 Piggy sandwich comprising shredded pork, ham and bacon with mozzarella cheese, tomato, banana peppers and honey mustard.

Breakfast is served all day. Requisite favorites like pancakes, biscuits and omelets are all well-represented. Order the eponymous burrito loaded with two over-easy eggs, beans, potatoes, cheese, salsa and bacon. It's massive, explodes with flavor and will fill you up. 

Mesa Fresca is quite possibly the cleanest diner you'll ever see. Floors are spotless, and tables are always sparkling clean. Never mind the prices are easy on the wallet. Check it out soon!

 

An Offers an Exquisite Dining Experience

From coat check upon arrival to the presentation of each dish served, modern Asian restaurant An exudes a commitment to providing an extraordinary dining experience. Executive Chef Steven Devereaux Greene and a talented support staff have helped An become one of the Triangle's best restaurants.

Greene’s global travels, particularly to Malaysia and Thailand, inspired him to begin putting an innovative spin on Asian-influenced food. Among the chef’s most imaginative creations is the Salmon Tartare starter. Precisely prepared using a blowtorch for charring, the tartare contains Kobocha squash, shiso, coconut, burdock root, Japanese sudachi fruit and barrel-aged maple syrup.

Elsewhere on the menu, eclectic fish entrée marinated Hamachi is artfully composed with bamboo rice, almonds, house-made preserved lemon, lump crab and green curry. Berkshire pork features a no-holds-barred ginger-glazed loin and belly amid smoked apples, sweet and sour eggplant, gai lan (Chinese kale) and purple kimchee. Sushi selections are also first-rate.

An’s bill of fare changes with the seasons. Some menu items such as pan-fried pork potstickers and Thai osso buco wings with toasted cashews are popular year-round staples. Ingredients are sourced from around the world and down the street.

It should come as no surprise that An’s décor is posh but accessible. The dining room’s lofty ceiling is reinforced by striking mahogany columns. Softly illumined contemporary fixtures create a casually romantic vibe. A vintage canoe hovers above the bar area. Fresh flowers appear on each table, and imported tableware enriches the overall ambiance. 

 A spacious outdoor patio with stone fireplace provides an informal alternative dining spot. Reservations are recommended. 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JONATHAN FREDIN/S&A CHEROKEE