Lima tell you, the Carolina Pine Inn in Pinebluff is getting some serious flare and flavor. Led by husband-and-wife duo Leticia Tello and William Eris, Carolina’s Kitchen & Catering officially opens its doors on Friday, June 17 inside the Pinebluff hotel.
What can you expect? A Peruvian-Italian fusion with fresh ingredients that will make you wanna smack yo’ mama-llama.
The restaurant is the epitome of the American dream that has simmered in the back of Leticia’s mind for 25 years. As a former chef back in Peru, Leticia always had a passion for food after watching her mother cook at their family restaurant in Lima. She studied International Gastronomy and Business Administration in Lima before cheffing it up in restaurants in her home country.
William took country roads back to North Carolina after serving here throughout his military career. He introduced the area to Leticia just five years ago, and that was a wrap. “As soon as I came here, I fell in love and wanted to stay,” says Leticia.
Once a resident, she found her way to the kitchen at Lisi Italian in Pinehurst under the mentorship of Jim Reale. “He had a lot of patience with me and taught me everything I know. Thanks to what he taught me, I was able to open my own restaurant.”
Leticia and William came across an opportunity in their now-space that was vacant for two years after being the the previous home to Bunker Jack’s Tavern and decided to make their lifelong dream a reality.
I Like the Way You Peruv(ian)
For the menu, “I want to bring my Peruvian culture to the American eyes and mouths so you can taste what I had growing up,” says Leticia. She turned to her Peruvian roots and experience with Italian cuisine to create a unique Peruvian-Italian fusion. Explore dishes like:
Peruvian Lomo Saltado – A classic Peruvian stir fry of tender sirloin strips, roma tomatoes, soy sauce soy and cilantro served with French fries and a side of white rice.
From their website: Born from the cultural mix between the Peruvians and Chinese, the two sides (rice and potatoes) fight over which tastes the best with the juice from the beef as well as soy sauce.
Linguine Marry Me Chicken – An Italian dish that features chicken breasts, heavy cream, cheese, oregano, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakers and basil.
A separate breakfast, lunch, dinner and kids menu is also available.
Get a Taste
The family-led team will be serving up breakfast and lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5-9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. A special menu for drinks and a dedicated Sunday Brunch menu are in the works.
Visit the restaurant inside the Carolina Pine Inn at 175 Persimmon Dr, Pinebluff. Stay up to date on happenings and drool over their menu here.
