La
Duni, the new Latin cafe and bakery, translates as the promised land for
Epicurean philosophers who believe that since life is short, dessert should
be eaten first. Pastry chef and co-owner Dunia Borga, whose nickname Duni provided the restaurant's name, realigns the stars when it comes to desserts. Venezuelan chocolate truffle cake with hazelnut praline, almond tuilles (thin, crisp wafers) and quatro leches cake (one-up on the traditional tres leches) look as elegant as European pastry but are undeniably Latin-inspired.
Even if you start with dessert, don't stop there. La Duni adds a new dimension to the panoply of Latin flavors available in this area: Cuban sandwiches with ham and roast pork, small masa discs from Venezuela called arepas, exquisite roast chicken in a champagne-orange sauce and sparkling fresh ades and cocktails with hand-crushed lemons and limes.
Mrs. Borga and husband Espartaco aren't new to the Dallas restaurant scene. Born in Spain and raised in Europe and Mexico, Mr. Borga is best-known for founding ZuZu in the late '80s. The fast-fresh Mexican food concept was one of the earlier efforts to offer an alternative to mass-produced fast food. After selling the concept to Arby's, Mr. Borga dissociated from ZuZu. He remains a partner in the French restaurant Lavendou.
Mrs. Borga honed her home baking talents in the chef's training program at El Centro College before the couple opened La Duni in the former Anzu space on McKinney Avenue. The menu offers dishes from Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia (Mrs. Borga's native country), Brazil, Cuba, Mexico and, soon, Peru. Next, Mr. Borga hopes to add some dishes from Chile, mostly seafood.
In the meantime, there's plenty to try.
Platon campero ($11.95), a combination appetizer plate, allows sampling of several offerings – enough for three or four nibblers. Patacones dominate the plate. The pounded-flat slices of green plantain look like crisp-fried tortillas with fluted edges. (They're also available a la carte topped with black beans, beef and cheese, similar to tostados.)
The platter also has hunks of queso fresco (soft, pungent white cheese), yuca fries (like french fries), cheese-filled empanadas (pastry turnovers) and arepitas, smaller versions of the crisp, cheesy masa discs mentioned above.
Any of those are friendly with the fresh tomato salsa that also comes with warm, crispy tortilla chips moments after you are seated. But it is the mojo trio that will capture your imagination. The basic mojo, explains Mr. Borga, is olive oil and garlic, a condiment that Spanish sailors discovered on the Canary Islands near Africa and exported to Europe (where the French refined it to mayonnaise), South America and the Caribbean.
Mr. Borga recommends the mild, roasted red pepper mojo on fried foods; the cilantro and garlic for rice and beans; and the typically Brazilian-flavored chimichurri (parsley, oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes) on grilled meats. But don't be bound by tradition; each is swell with just about anything.
Here a sandwich isn't just a sandwich, it's a torta – and not to be missed, especially with the popover bread option. Split popover rolls – fresh and house-made, golden brown, eggy-tasting – are filled with grilled picanha beef, watercress, tomatoes, chimichurri and cheese ($8.95). The Cuban sandwich ($6.95) comes on a grilled French baguette with sliced tomatoes, Gruyère and baby Swiss cheeses, ham, roast pork, pickles, mayonnaise and mustard.
That same picanha beef fills tacos ($12.75) wrapped in fresh-made corn tortillas. Grilled hunks of picanha called asado Brasilero ($16.75) come with garlic rice, chimichurri, delicate roasted pimentos, more patacones and lightly pickled onion rings.
Some dishes are served family-style, which makes it easier to share multiple dishes. A must is pollo al ajibe ($9.95), a roast half-chicken that swims in ethereal pan juices of champagne and green oranges. Unlike many candylike orange sauces, this one whispers the characteristic flavor, making it memorable along with garlic white rice, black beans and fried sweet plantains.
Family-style service is a perfect fit for this casual restaurant that also serves breakfast and an elaborate weekend brunch.
The list of coffees – espresso, cappuccino or tinto (American drip coffee) – is 22 items long and includes extravagances such as café bonbon ($2.95) with espresso, coconut cream, condensed milk and a maraschino cherry.
Cold soft drinks ($2.75), such as lemonade suiza or naranjada (orangeade) made from fresh-squeezed citrus, have just a touch of sweet, making them totally refreshing. Just as refreshing, the signature cocktail, margarinha ($6.50), combines the flavors of the Mexican margarita and the Brazilian caipirinha. Tequila and Cointreau give it vigor.
There's also a distinguished wine list – featuring good wines from Argentina, Chile and Spain – at value prices. Many bottles are $10 to $20. La Duni sells any wine by the glass or half-glass for tasting.
The interior has been warmed and softened to look like an Argentinean country home. Earth tones on the walls and brown suede velvet booths establish a warm feel without pretension.
La Duni is designed – by décor, price and menu – to be an all-day, anytime destination. High-speed Internet connections and power sources at each booth and at a bar also make it possible to do a full day's work on a laptop, eat three meals and have cocktails and dessert without leaving the table.
Service can be slow, but waiters have been well-schooled in the intricacies of the menu and answer questions accurately and willingly. But it is the food that is extraordinary at La Duni. Go for the food, whether dessert is first or last.
Food 4 Stars Service 3.5 Stars Atmosphere 4 Stars