In the Fields Corner section of Dorchester you'll find pizza shops, Chinese restaurants and a McDonalds fast food spot. But what some residents have been starving for is a taste of their Caribbean roots. And the newly opened Belle Cuisine on Adams Street is offering just that.

The Haitian-American restaurant opened its doors about a month ago and is already a hot spot for local residents and especially the Haitian community. The restaurant's owner, Antoine Dorcena, says residents no longer have to go far outside of their neighborhood to find a place that will cater to their needs.

Loyal customers like Maria Hubbard, who owns a beauty salon next door, says Belle Cuisine is "exactly" what the neighborhood needed.

"This restaurant gives us a taste of ethnicity that our area has been missing for a very long time," said Hubbard, a native of Cape Verde. "This is a pretty diverse community, but there aren't a lot of diverse options when it comes to dining out. Usually when I want a meal that tastes like 'home food' I have to drive out to Mattapan or along Blue Hill, but now all I have to do is go right next door. A lot of people have been waiting for a restaurant like Belle Cuisine."

Even before the idea of opening a restaurant, Dorcena was satisfying his neighbors with his home-cooked meals. Two years ago Antoine and his family started a catering business called Leave It To Us, which led to a growing clientele and dozens of regulars urging Dorcena to get his own place.

"It wasn't something I really thought about before. Cooking was just always something I enjoyed doing," said Dorcena, who years ago worked as a cook at Boston University. "I'm not sure when or why I became interested in cooking, all I know is I've been doing it for a very long time and I love every minute."

Along with his wife, Stacye and mother, Marie, Dorcena also runs the family-business with his daughters Ayanah and Shaynice and family friend Louis Charlt.

"The location of our restaurant is truly amazing because we are the only one like it in the area," said Stayce. "And what's even better is that it's not only the Haitian community who appreciates Dorchester's new addition. There are residents of various cultures that come through here and enjoy our dishes. We are doing a lot better than we ever expected."

Belle Cuisine is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

For more information call Belle Cuisine at 617-379-2415.