WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - It's one of the tastiest weeks of the year, as local restaurants open their doors with super specials for their diners.

Encore Restaurant Week starts Wednesday, March 21 and runs through Wednesday, March 28. It features more than 30 businesses across Southeastern North Carolina.

The event takes place twice a year during the down season of the restaurant industry. All participants offer special deals for the public, including prix-fixe three-course dinners, buy one get one free breakfasts, dinner for two and more.

Participating restaurants:

• Nikki's Japanese Steak House
• South Beach Grill
• C Street Mexican Grill
• Ruth's Chris Steak House
• The Basics
• Mixto
• Yosake
• Little Dipper
• Eat Spot
• El Cerro Grande
• Hiro Japanese Steak House
• Elijah's
• Pilot House
• Caprice Bistro
• The George
• Caffe Phoenix
• Aubriana's
• The Fortunate Glass
• Reel Cafe
• Riverboat Landing
• Henry's
• Hieronymus
• Nikki's Fresh Gourmet and Sushi Bar
• Tandoori Bites
• A Taste of Italy
• The Melting Pot
• Fox and Hound
• Catch
• Thai Spice
• Cameo 1900
• Fish Bites
• Halligan's Public House
• Siena Trattoria
• Pine Valley Market
• Eddie Romanelli's

WILMINGTON, NC(WECT) - We run cooking segments for Carolina in the Morning every Thursday. It's a great way for local restaurants to get some TV exposure, viewers get a new recipe and in several cases we also get to help promote a great event.

For the past three years I have had the pleasure of working with Jake Hunt, the Executive Director and Founder of  the Wilmington Junior Golf Academy. Jake is such a wonderful man and works very hard to make sure children in our area get a chance to learn to play golf. What the children don't know, because they are having so much fun, is they are also learning important core values.

This year Jake is taking the golf lesssons to four Wilmington elementary schools and several afterschool programs. All of this is done with no expense to the children or their parents. To make this all happen Jake also does a lot to raise money and Carrabba's Italian Grill is helping with that.

A fundraiser luncheon is being held on Friday, March 2 at Carrabba's. The tickets are $25 and include bread, caesar salad, sirloin, crab-stuffed shrimp, tiramisu and a non-alcoholic drink. For tickets call Jake at 910-622-5253 or go to Wilmington Junior Golf Academy.

Copyright WECT 2012. All rights reserved.

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WECT) – The candidates for mayor of Carolina Beach will meet and answer questions during a public forum on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

The forum will take place at 8 p.m. at the Lazy Pirate Restaurant, located at 701 N. Lake Park Blvd.

Copyright 2011 WECT. All rights reserved.