It's Charlotte Restaurant Week -- when restaurants offer 3-course (fixed menu) meals for $30. I've made it my mission to hit up at least 5 participating restaurants in 7 days. I hypothesize I will gain 20 pounds by the end of the week, but hey, it's all in the name of research. Here's goes..

Date: Thursday, Jan. 29

Restaurant: M5 Modern Mediterranean

What I ate:

• Appetizer: Seared Maine Sea Scallops with Fava Bean Puree, Celery Leaves & Lemon
• Main: Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Braised Clams
• Dessert: Warm Chocolate Cake

Summary: A long red carpet greets guests as they walk into the restaurant. The decor of the restaurant reflects the "Modern" part of their name -- the place is decorated with dark wood, chocolate-colored crocodile print, and yellow onyx details.

Prior to the meal, focaccia bread was brought out in a conical wire basket. Though no olive oil was brought out with it, I thought it was tasty, but now looking back, I attribute that to my state of starvation at the time. Everything tastes better when you are hungry.

The scallop appetizer came two to a plate. The perfectly crisped sides of the scallops paired well with the delicate texture of the insides.

The pork entrée was served with Creamy Polenta, Saffron, Sweet Pepper Stew, Potatoes & Capers. The pork came sliced and positioned on top of the clams and the sweet pepper stew was spooned over. Hands down the best entree I've tried this week.

Dessert was the ubiquitous molten lava cake with a scoop of ice cream on top. Good, but not to-die-for.

Verdict: The dessert was OK, the appetizer was good, and the main was excellent. You could probably order off the normal menu and manage to get an appetizer of soup and a main dish for around $30, so the $30 deal for three courses isn't as enticing as it is at other higher-priced places on the Charlotte Restaurant Week list of eateries.

More Queen's Feast reviews:

Restaurant No. 1: Oceanaire Seafood Room

Restaurant No. 2: The Capital Grille

Restaurant No. 3: Noble's