135 S. Main St., Fuquay-Varina
(919) 346-1247 • themeetingcorner.com
Average lunch entrée: $7-9

Patrons who have managed to find this unpretentious Puerto Rican outpost, situated in the back of an eclectic handcrafts shop, have discovered a culinary paradise. The Meeting Corner is a joint venture between friends Jaquelina Marks and Edna Morales, who hails from the island’s coastal town of Rincón.  

While Marks oversees the storefront, the charming Morales runs the eatery and churns out bonafide cuisine from her native country. The small dining room is open at lunchtime plus Friday nights. Family-sized takeout meals are accessible throughout the week.

Simple, well-crafted staples like rice and beans, empanadas, pastelon (sweet plantain lasagna) and tostones are all served with humble finesse. Another plate worth lingering over is picadillo, which comprises impeccably seasoned ground turkey.

“I use my sofrito recipe as the base for most dishes, which consists of cilantro, onions, peppers, garlic, culantro, salt and olive oil that’s mixed up in a food processor,” Morales explained.

If it’s available on the day you visit, barely-legal chocolate flan will provide a perfect ending to the epicurean adventure.

“The tostones and empanadas are fantastic and really authentic,” said customer and Puerto Rican native Ramón Rodriguez.