Came here for a date night w/ the gf.  Place was a little hard to find, and I kept zooming by their parking lot.  Finally got to park in the back of the restaurant, even though there’s this HUGE lot in front.  I’m guessing that lot belongs to someone else.  The place has minimal decor and because of the bare, hardwood floors and minimal textiles on the walls, the restaurant was very loud.  We were promptly seated by the hostess and greeted by a server quickly.  I had already perused the menu online at home, so I ordered quickly.

Ahi Nachos

Ahi nachos were VERY GOOD.  They had higher than average heat, which hit the spot since I’m a fan of spicy foods.  Little bits of jalapeno and cilantro really brought out some good flavor in them.   My only complaint was there wasn’t enough of them.  Good stuff from simple ingredients.  Crab fried rice…YUM.  I loved it.  It wasn’t that imitation crab either, it was the real deal…nice and flakey crab.

Crab Fried Rice

Crab fried rice…YUM.  I loved it.  It wasn’t that imitation crab either, it was the real deal…nice and flakey crab.  I always seem to gravitate towards fried rice when going to a thai or other asian restaurant.  This one did not disappoint at all and wasn’t overly oily like some places tend to prepare them.  It came with a small fried soft shell crab too, which tasted and looked great alongside the mound of rice.

Crab Fried Rice w/ Soft Shell Crab

The final selection of our order was duck dumplings which were just okay.  I may be biased b/c my family makes some amazing dumplings which I get to eat on a regular basis.  The texture of the dumpling filling was a bit too smooth for my tastes, and the five spice was a new taste for me in dumpling preparation.  I enjoy some firmness in the meat filling to counteract the outer wrapper.  I’m like a salty soy/vinegar dipping sauce, and this came with a sweet sauce.

Duck Dumplings

Overall I enjoyed the dinner and it met my expectations, service was very good and attentive, and we were never left sitting around for an extended amount of time.

Lumi Empanada & Dumpling Kitchen
3407 McKinney Ave
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 979-2424

We found this place through some mailing flyer, and it was close to the house.  It’s located in a very non distinct shopping center in East Plano, which is a very restaurant sparse area.  We arrived early for dinner around 4pm, and we were the only ones in the restaurant.

I’d assume the owner/co-owner was the one that took care of us, and seated us at a two top.  The decor of the place really gives me the feel of an outdoor, Italian cafe.  They have a little coffee bar type area slightly separated from the dining room by a partition.  The floor is covered in tile and stone type material which is very cool.  It looks like this place has a lot of large parties come in frequently.

Some kinda bread

Dining area

I don’t have much experience w/ Mediterranean food, but I was open to anything.  The menu has items ranging from hand tossed pizza, hummus, leg of lamb, and even paella.  Pretty good choices in entrees.  I decided to play it safe.  I ordered the Spanish Beef Empanadas.  Tender beef stuffed in garlic bread, sprinkled with cilantro and served with an avocado salad.  The dish came out, and the crust of the empanada was crispy and buttery in flavor.  Filling consisted of long green beans, potato, cubed beef, and herbs.  It was served on top of some tomato sauce which gave a great tarty flavor which was a welcome compliment to the buttery crust and hearty filling.

Empanada

My girlfriend ordered the combo kabob.  Saffron flavored chicken and lean beef grilled and served with basmati rice and grilled vegetables.  The meat was grilled pretty well, with the chicken being slightly dry.  The yogurt sauce complimented the slightly dry chicken well, and the beef had a good flavor as well.

Combo Kabob

We also ordered the Spinach Mushroom – Bistro style salad which came with sliced strawberries and a vinaigrette dressing.  The salad wasn’t anything special, but the presentation was pleasing to the eye.

Spinach Salad

As we were waiting for the check, the owner was gracious enough to bring a complimentary dish of their “Cream Carmel” dessert, which he said is made fresh daily.  A custardy flany type dessert which was great, not overly sweet and a good end to a wonderful meal.

Cream Carmel

I’d recommend anyone to seek out this hidden gem of a restaurant.  I will definitely be coming back to try the rest of the menu.

Los Rios Mediterranean Bistro
3509 Park Blvd
Plano, TX 75074
(972) 578-7773