I Heart Dumplings

Dumpling.
Not only is the word fun to say...it sort of plops around on your tongue and then spring boards off at the end... but dumplings really are little pockets of fun! A bite size pouch of goodness with a surprise in it! The best thing is its all yours. Nobody is going to say "hey, let me try a bite of that dumpling you already bite off of" or at least no one I know because they would get the look of death. Anywho...dumplings are pretty much one of my favorite foods. If I could wear a shirt that says "I heart dumplings" I probably would. And I would wear it specifically on grocery store days so everyone knew exactly what my purpose was....this girl likes dumplings, clear out she is headed to the asian foods aisle. Not too long ago I was doing research for a date (yep, I do that) and actually googled Best Dumpling in Dallas. My findings sucked to be quite honest and the place voted best dumplings circa 2006 definitely was not best in my book circa 2009.

So you can imagine my gleeeeee when I saw the Now Open sign for Lumi Empanada & Dumpling Kitchen in Uptown. The first part intrigued me... hmmmm empanadas?? Empanadas by (my) definition are south of the border Hot Pockets. Pretty much every Central and South american country has some version of the empanada with a traditional filling. In the last couple years however empanadas have been put on the culinary map as "cool people food". So the conversion of empanadas and dumplings in one place...omg, i'm drooling! I stopped in late one Sunday night with a couple friends right after they opened not really in the mood for a big meal but knowing that dumplings needed to happen. We like to eat.

The restaurant, seated on bustling McKinney Avenue, sort of feels like a cottage home...especially when you add the patio seating and twinkling lights (read: perfect for a date). The setup is clean and modern. The angle is Brazilian and Asian flavors and the menu really does offer something for everyone. Wonton soup, ahi tuna nachos, 4 different kinds of dumplings, 4 different kinds of empanadas, entrees, and tapas to share. From bad experiences at SushiSamba I didnt know what to expect from this brazilian/asian mix. But I've gone a handful of times now so here is my breakdown...the traditional pork & chive dumplings ROCK, especially steamed, and you get plenty of them. The roasted poblano pepper & chicken soup is hearty (suprisingly cream based) and will be excellent on a cooler night. The panang curry dumplings...meh....sounds interesting but wasn't a fan in the end. Haven't tried the duck & leek dumplings but cannot wait for those!

Being such a dumpling fan and all I was surpised that my personal fave dish at the restaurant was the chicken empanadas. I've tried all the empanadas now but the chicken empanadas are MUY BUENO!! Spicy, crunchy, all happening in your mouth! And yummy dipping sauces to go along. And you can't go wrong with the cocktails....SO GOOD. The jalapeno & pineapple margarita was a dance party in my mouth...sweet and then BOOM a little spicy.

Perk: Lumi has a great happy hour with $5 specialty cocktails and $4 appetizers from 4-7 and 9-11 pm during the week.

Not so perky: Parking, its terrible...the staff is constantly telling someone either how to get to the backlot parking or that you are about to be towed if you dont drop your dumpling and move your car.

Now I understand I have some other dumpling places to try within the DFDubya and I'm getting there. But I'm definitely keeping Lumi on the Britt List of places I love and will visit again and again. Overall the place is very charming, the staff is nice, the food is delicious and realiable, the menu keeps you interested, and it kind of great for any occasion...dinner with a friend or friends, sunday afternoon lazy dining, date night, you can take your mom and she'll love it. I could go on but I won't.

Now get your chopsticks off my dumpling, dumpling! :)

Lumi Empanada & Dumpling Kitchen

Monday thru Saturday: 11 - Midnight

Sunday: 11 - 11pm

It's the line that stole my heart.

"It's all happeninggggggg"

The movie: Almost Famous

I love this line because it encompasses everything. No, not some hippie-dippy concept of a yet-to-be grand night on hallucinogens. On any given night, people are out all over town doing things I always do, someday hope to do, may never do. It's all happening.

My little secret...I'm on a constant hunt to know what all is happening. I simply like to know stuff. Define stuff you say?? Ok, when I was little I started reading the back of cereal boxes just because. And then I wanted to tell people about it. Note, this is also why my old report cards have alot of comments from teachers that I was quite chatty in class but whatever. Maybe Billy wanted to know about the polycriphosonate in his Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Mrs. Clay! Gosh.

More recently, say the past 10 years or so, this need to be "in the know" has evolved into a love for being out and about in the city...any city. I like to do things. Busy bee, social butterfly, nosy caterpillar (that last one is a stretch). And I will pretty much go everywhere and do anything at least once.

First it was Kansas City, where I was just a babe, underage and heading out into areas that my parents probably wouldn't have been thrilled about because I heard that great bar on the corner had an 80's dance night that rivaled Madonna's Virgin Tour. Needed to be a part of that like yesterday! So I trekked. I grabbed whatever friends were around and forced them to be a part of this experience with me. And they would love it! Then came NYC. The city with a billion and one things to see, smell, taste, feel and pretty much fall in love with. But that's just it....you can never see it all! I loved knowing my new favorite thing could be "just around the corner...turn at the deli with the blind cat...keep going past the urine smell...its the place with the red door" but it can all be very tiring.

Relocating from NYC to Dallas two years ago proved quit a challenge. I left a city I absolutely adored and I knew diddlysquat about Texas except everything is apparently bigger there? Hmmm, ok. After a couple months in panic mode and multiple what the hell have I done moments...I actually cried crocodile tears on the way from the airport to my new home...I realized that this has it's advantages. The chance to get to know a city (of manageable size) by simply doing what I do best?? Yes, please!!!!

So I'm doing what I do best....I happy hour all over town, I eat at new places every chance I get, I scour listings, I plan weekend excursions, if I drive by a broken down storefront with cool sign out front I'm probably stopping or at least slowing down a little. If I haven't done it yet I want to. Leave no stone unturned, thats the goal!

This ability to be out and about is due in large part to the amount of ladyfriends I've accrued since moving to Dallas. Being a very social twentysomething working in the industry I do means friends...lots of them. So it's always someone's birthday, always a friend in town, always a night out...always that age old question.....what should we do?

So here I am...me and my opinions taking to the streets (er, blog)...hoping to be somewhat of a guide for you, my friends. What sort of place are you in the mood for?? Sometimes you want a 4 course meal and sometimes you want a double whiskey on the rocks and anything you can dip in ranch. Sometimes you want a quiet cafe and sometimes you want to literally feel like Micheal Jackson is alive again and in the club. I want to tell you what I love/hate/have lukewarm jello feelings for. And since everyone's a critic, why not me??

Welcome, darlings. Hope you like what you read. :)

Britt