Greenville Avenue News
Dallas cantina Desert Racer succumbs to fickle Greenville Ave. address
Desert Racer
A patio-centric restaurant on Dallas' Greenville Avenue has punched out: Desert Racer, the casual restaurant from high-profile chef Nick Badovinus closed its doors in mid-March.
A note on the restaurant's website said, "Well, it’s been a great run, but we have reached the finish line. Thank you for your support and good vibes over the years. It has truly been a blast to share this ride with you. For more fun in the sun, please come check us out at Surf Camp starting Wednesday March 27."
Surf Camp is the outdoor-focused concept from Badovinus on the rooftop of the former Magnolia Petroleum Co. building at 2130 Commerce St. that's also home to two Badovinus restaurants, Brass Ram and National Anthem.
According to a subscription-only story in the Dallas Morning News, Desert Racer's final day was March 17, fitting since it's Greenville Avenue's favorite holiday, although you'd think they could've hung on through spring patio season.
However, in a message, Badovinus jokingly said, "We were at the point in the relationship where it was just time to see other people — but it was fun while it lasted and lots of great times!"
The inspiration for Desert Racer came from the Baja 1000, the rogue desert racing event held on Mexico's Baja California peninsula since 1967. A "desert racer" is a rough-and-ready off-road vehicle. This fit in with Badovinus' fondness for automotive elements in his restaurants such as Town Hearth in the Design District, which incorporates a 1961 MG and a Ducati sport bike as part of its decor.
Desert Racer opened at 1520 Greenville Ave. in 2019, taking over over basically an entire block, including a vintage storefront once home to blues bar Muddy Waters, as well as an adjacent Mexican restaurant La Jaivita (and prior to that, a Sammy's Drive-in), a space that became the outdoor patio. The location was originally redone at great expense by Austin-based gastropub Haymaker, which opened there in 2016 but lasted barely a year.
Desert Racer's Mexican-themed menu had tacos, nachos, quesadillas, queso, and tots, with cocktails on tap and ample happy hours. It was casual and cheap, which should have been a slam-dunk. However, it was on a section of Greenville Avenue that's south of Ross Avenue, outside the main Lower-Greenville Avenue crawl, a locatoin that has proven repeatedly to be a challenge.
