Mexicali's dishes have a Southwest flair
Mexican food is not always what you might expect and that can be a good thing. Especially when you dine at Mexicali Blue in Wappingers Falls.
The food here is more West Coast or even Southwest than can be found at eateries that offer Mexican cuisine in the mid-Hudson Valley. Mexicali Blue's mantra is: "Fresh fast food, no freezers, no fryers, no cans." Most everything is prepared a la minute and you won't leave smelling like a fried-food joint.
The ambiance is vivid, like the food. Persimmon-colored walls are countered with sections of gray. On both, brilliantly painted Mexican pottery adorns the walls. A purple neon light adds another color from the ceiling. Service was generous with multiple servers helping to deliver, clear and ensure we had what we needed.
Chips and Salsa ($7) is a must. If you like guacamole, you will love it here. For $8.50, you get a large basket of tortilla chips and two small cups of the dip. There was no reaching for salt or black pepper or wishing we could adjust the seasoning. A perfect balance was achieved with the aromatics, a generous squeeze of lime and, of course, the creamy avocados.
Beers on tap range from Negra Modelo to Brooklyn IPA. They also have fruit smoothies and classic cocktails such as margaritas, daiquiris and piña coladas. The large Margarita ($13) looked like it was enough for two, but ours was mostly ice. A prudent hand was used with the alcohol. Wine, beer by the bottle and nonalcoholic beverages are also available.
Mexicali Blue only uses blue-corn tortillas. Fresh tacos are a specialty and range from $5-$7.50, depending on the filling. You get one taco and a small side dish of either coleslaw or potato salad. The fillings for each were prepared with freshness and flavor in mind. Our chicken taco was overflowing with sauteed meat and while the fish taco was heavily seasoned and quite spicy, the fish was moist and not breaded. The steak taco was tender, juicy and piquant.
If tacos are not your thing, burritos and quesadillas are on the menu. There is nothing wimpy about the quesadillas. We had the Cumin Delight ($12.50) and it was huge. Grilled chicken and steak, black beans, brown rice, pico de gallo and cheese were combined then layered between two large flour tortillas. This was then placed on a hot grill and lightly browned on both sides until the filling was melted and held together. It was then cut into several thick generous wedges. This would make a great appetizer to share if you were so inclined.
Burritos are bountifully stuffed with your fillings of choice. The Chili Lime Burrito ($11.50) was a combination of chicken, black beans, brown rice, pico de gallo, sour cream, cheese and the tiniest amount of guacamole. What made this burrito special was the chicken, which was marinated in lime juice and chili before grilling. It added that little citrus zing that brought a unique freshness to the dish.
Weekly specials fill out the menu with additional featured entrees such as the Chicken Enchiladas ($16) we had during our visit. The menu didn't indicate a sauce, nor were we given an option. What arrived was something akin to barbeque sauce. The chicken inside was dry and difficult to eat. It was missing the guacamole and the beans were also served dry, so there was no reprieve there. The vegetable brown rice it was served with was sadly underseasoned.
Mexicali does offer desserts, if you are left with any room. The Chocolate Flan ($7.50) wasn't really chocolate. The flan was layered with a chocolate cake and drizzled with chocolate sauce. I would go back just for the Coconut Chocolate Chip Gelato ($6). We were stuffed and we still managed to polish it off.
The Poughkeepsie Journal pays for the meals that are the subjects of restaurant reviews and reviewers do not identify themselves prior to the end of the meal. Theresa J. Marquez, Web producer for the Poughkeepsie Journal, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 2005 with high honors. She has worked for Cooking Light magazine and is a local personal chef and culinary coach. Contact her at enjoy@poughkeepsiejournal.com.
Dining review
Mexicali Blue
???½ (Good-to-Very Good)
1571 Route 9, Wappingers Falls; 845-298-8226; www.mexicali-blue.com; California-style Mexican cuisine. Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday; reservations not accepted; Visa and MasterCard accepted; vegetarian entrees available; gluten-free options offered; catering available; handicapped accessible
Price range: $5 to $13.50; no children's menu
Directions: From Poughkeepsie, drive south on Route 9 about 8 miles to Wappingers Falls. The restaurant is on the right side of the road, across from Home Depot .
Ratings breakdown
Food ???½
Ambiance ????
Service ????
Value ???