Throughout the years, many new and exotic ethnicities from around the globe have made a local appearance and American society has kindly accepted different cuisines to be apart of its culinary community. The Marquee traveled across Flower Mound to taste some of the dishes from these cultures.

Ista Indian CuisineVanessa Davis

Anyone looking to step out on a limb and try one of the more adventurous ethnic cuisines in Flower Mound should consider this Indian restaurant. Ista Indian Cuisine is located in the shopping strip off of 1171 and Morriss Rd. Most of the dishes are usually priced around $12-14. One of the more valued features which is the lunch buffet ranges anywhere from $11-13 depending on the day. The impressive Indian setting is decorated with beautiful artwork, fine gold accents, and the fascinating cultural architecture helped to set an authentic Indian atmosphere. However, there was an absence of traditional Indian Music as well as an absence of Saturday evening customers which gave the restaurant a less than appealing feel. As expected, the menu consisted of the more traditional Indian recipes. Some of those popular dishes included the Mixed-Vegetable Pakora which is finely chopped onions, green chillies, and spices, the Chicken Samosa which is a fried or baked pastry with a savoury filling, and the Goat Biryani which is a dish made of rice, vegetables, spices and goat meat.

Shell Gas Station: Taqueria

The outward appearance of this Mexican eatery is not particularly impressive since it’s actually a gas station taqueria. Surprisingly, the food is full of zest and flavorful taste. The Shell Gas-Station located off of 2499 and Sagebrush Dr. in Flower Mound and offers a great selection of savory and authentic Mexican food such as mouthwatering tacos, tortas, carnitas, quesadillas, burritos and more. The breakfast tacos are prepared on a warm buttery tortilla topped with grilled chicken or beef and sprinkled with tasty cheese and potato bites. Many of the main dishes are priced relatively low such as the chicken quesadillas that were only $6. The Taqueria is open for breakfast and lunch. Customers can also add a soft drink from the soda fountain, a licuados which is similar to a smoothie, or an aguas frescas which is like a smoothie with fruits, cereals, flowers, or seeds blended with sugar. The only downside to this taqueria is the noisy and hectic atmosphere, but overall the food was like eating a meal cooked by a Mexican grandmother and the friendly service made this experience worthwhile.

Lucky Panda Café

The Lucky Panda Cafe is located in the strip center located off of 407 and North Garden Ridge Blvd. This family owned and operated Chinese restaurant prices their main entrees starting at $6, well within a high school student’s budget. The large portions, friendly service, and quick delivery make for a memorable eating experience. Like most local Chinese restaurants, the Lucky Panda’s menu contains the more common entrees such as chicken or beef lo mein, sweet and sour chicken, egg rolls, fried rice and much more. Most of the main dishes come with either a side of fried or steamed rice or freshly cooked vegetables such as carrots or broccoli. The classic yet delectable orange chicken is coated in a sweet orange-flavored chili sauce and is one of the more popular items. Although the restaurant is considered a dine-in venue, most people tend to get take-out, which is why there was hardly anyone sitting and eating dinner at the restaurant on a Saturday evening. However, the Chinese music and tasteful decor helped to create a fun and convincing Asian ambience.

Luna Grill

Luna Grill is a modernized Mediterranean cuisine restaurant located across the street from Kohl’s off of 1171. The bright and colorful trendy decor helps to create a pleasant and relaxed vibe in the restaurant. Most of the smaller menu items are priced around the $6-7 range and the main entrees usually cost about $10 depending on the dish. Luna Grill offers a variety of fresh and healthy choices such as tasty kabobs, flavorful salads, gourmet wraps and sweet treats for dessert. Some of the more authentic foods include the spicy cilantro hummus and the four rounds of handcrafted falafel which is basically a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans. Also, they serve mahi mahi which is commonly known as dolphinfish, and gyros which is a Greek dish made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. The chicken kabob features several pieces of golden brown boneless tenders that have been seasoned to perfection and are sure to captivate its consumer. Anyone looking for something healthy, quick and delicious should head on over to Luna Grill.