Desperado Café: Fresh, Affordable Mexican Food in Rhinebeck
by Cait Johnson

Here was the original concept: a mostly-takeout place that offers excellent, inexpensive Mexican food with Californian and Tex-Mex influences. But the Desperado Café in Rhinebeck is playing out in a slightly different way than the owners had expected. "The atmosphere is so fun and pleasant that people want to eat here. The place has been packed," says co-owner Julie Donbroski. Why a Mexican place in Rhinebeck? "I wanted to fill a need for delicious, affordable food — comfort food, really — in a Mexican venue," she goes on, "with everything on the menu under $10 but with offerings that would appeal to foodies as well as to the people who can't afford an expensive restaurant." She and her partner and their talented chefs have succeeded with flair.

The food at Desperado is certainly very fresh: each burrito is artfully and individually handmade, using different sauces and styles of rice depending on the main ingredient. For instance, my Cajun catfish burrito had a creamy, smoky chipotle dressing with Mexican rice (it was, my son said, "The best burrito I think I've ever tasted," and I agree) while the vegetarian Bandito burrito uses white rice and mild salsa, along with generous amounts of two kinds of cheese. Even the guacamole is made to order to ensure maximum freshness. Quesadillas are also on the menu (the grilled chicken quesadilla includes savory caramelized onions, while the vegetable version is stuffed with a tender mélange of veggies and Coach Farm goat cheese), along with tacos, salads, and more: seafood, chicken, meat, and vegetarian options ensure something for everyone. Other offerings include fresh-squeezed juices, iced coffee or Mexican Mochaccino, honeyed fruit, Mexican brownies, and flan.

It may take a few minutes for your food to arrive since nothing is pre-made, but you can curl up on the comfy sofa while you wait. Incidentally, the sofa is actually a convent bed from Mexico; the café is furnished with interesting antique and handmade Mexican furniture, since Julie owns Muse, an antique shop on Route 9. She also did the Mayan-influenced paintings on the walls. In fact, it is Julie's impish sense of fun and creativity that helps to make the Desperado Café really sing. The food is well worth waiting for, and, as promised, nothing on the menu costs more than $10. What a deal!

Desperado Café is located at 51 East Market Street in Rhinebeck. It's open seven days a week, from 11:30 to 7:30 or later, depending on the day. Give them a call at 845-876-6676.