^[1]More than 100 eateries, including a long list of Lake Norman area favorites, will join the Queen’s Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week beginning next Friday, Jan. 20. Alton’s Kitchen in Cornelius is getting a jump on the festivities, offering its special menu in a “preview” a week ahead of the festival. Also, the Davidson Housing Coalition has announced the lineup of restaurants that will vie for the best local soups in its 2012 Souper Bowl fundraiser Feb. 4.

^[2]RESTAURANT WEEK AHEAD

Have you picked out where you’re going during the winter edition of Queen’s Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week? You’ll have an extra week at Alton’s Kitchen & Cocktails in Cornelius. The restaurant is offering a “preview” of its four-course $30 dinner from Friday, Jan. 13, until the official start of the promotion. Alton’s is serving

Alton’s is serving a dinner with several entree choices: Cast Iron Seared Filet, Braised Colorado Lamb Shank, Slow Roasted Prime Rib, and a fresh fish of the day. See the menu on the Restaurant Week site. ^[3]

More than 100 area restaurants are participating in this year’s fest. In the Lake Norman area, 17 eateries will join in, with everything from steak to sushi. Here’s the list:

131 Main – Lake Norman
Alton’s Kitchen & Cocktails
Campania Cafe
Choplin’s
Dressler’s – Birkdale
Epic Chophouse
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill – Northlake
Flatiron Kitchen + Taphouse
Jeffrey’s Restaurant
Kabuto Japanese Steakhouse
Kobe Hero
The Melting Pot – Lake Norman
Mickey & Mooch – Huntersville
North Harbor Club
The Prickly Pear
Red Rocks Cafe – Birkdale
Sushi @ The Lake

Read more about this year’s event in our Jan. 4 preview, “101 eateries join Queens Feast, winter edition, Jan. 20-29.” ^[4]

Meanwhile, Flatiron Kitchen in Davidson has a new chef as it gets ready for Restaurant Week. Read more about Thomas Marlow in our feature, “Marlow takes over Flatiron’s kitchen, plots new menus.” ^[5]

SOUPER BOWL CONTESTANTS READY FOR COOK-OFF

This year’s Davidson Housing Coalition Souper Bowl is Feb. 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 .m. in the Lilly Family Gallery, Chambers Building, Davidson College. It’s a soup cook-off among area restaurants, with live music, a silent art auction, and more.

This year’s contestants are: Armin’s Catering at Beaver Dam, Brickhouse Tavern, Campania Café, Flatiron Kitchen +Taphouse, Jeffrey’s at the Lake, La Patisserie, Restaurant X, Sabi, and Toast. Dessert this year will be supplied by Bird & Bear Cookie Co, Davidson Chocolate Co., and Sweet Cakes Bakery.

The event is sponsored by Metrolina Greenhouses, Cashion’s Quik Stop, The Stewart Group, Carolina Premier Bank Home Mortgage, and The Law Firm of Bentz & Associates, P.A.

Tickets: 704-892-4486. Read about last year’s event – Feb. 9, 2011, “Flatiron’s new chef, best soups in town, Saturday market” ^[6]