For all the talk of La Duni’s refined stance and alluring baked goods, it’s a surprisingly basic place. Looks can be deceiving, of course, but the impression is more café than destination. Espartaco (“Taco”) and Dunia Borga’s place manages to bridge the two nicely, though: fresh squeezed juices, real non-Starbucks espresso, and pastries on the one hand, earthy handmade arepas, and filling asado brasilero on the other.

The restaurant combines, rather than fuses, Latin American and European—not only in terms of flavor, but also texture, smell, and technique. Even the sound system oozes the soft notes of Spain and South America. It’s difficult, therefore, to cram La Duni into a single category. Fine dining destination? Certainly, though it also serves as a neighborhood gathering place for coffee and desserts.

Romantic spot? Yes—except that an aura of family celebration envelops the place. Even wines, teas, and coffees stray casually through cultures and seas. The only real definite exists in Taco Borga’s menu of compelling dishes and Dunia Borga’s unforgettable baking. If there were a La Duni on every corner of Dallas, the city would indeed resemble Europe…or South America.