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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
It's an experience that anybody in Utah should never miss: dining at Café Rio! In the 12 years the restaurant has been around, it has become a staple of Utah culture as ubiquitous as mountains or David Archuleta.
I was first introduced to Café Rio during a visit to St. George in 1999 and instantly fell in love with both the food and the restaurant itself. The concept was created by Steve and Tricia Stanley. Steve, a master chef of 30 years, created a menu composed of recipes inspired from the traditional cooking in the Rio Grande region of Northern Mexico, Southern Texas and New Mexico. In 2004, Steve sold the restaurant chain to Bob and Kathleen Nilsen, who still own it today.
Café Rio is known for its pork barbacoa salad and pork burritos, created from a secret recipe kept under lock and key. Ben Craner, Café Rio's vice president of marketing, tells me the restaurant's food is made from scratch every day, using only the highest quality ingredients available. Employees at Café Rio squeeze up to 1,000 limes every morning as fresh lime juice is one of the restaurant's key ingredients.
Tera Sunder, chief people officer, says employees do their best to keep the energy level high and provide a fun, friendly and fast quality dining experience. The restaurant prides itself on making every meal a masterpiece. Café Rio is Zagat-rated, one of the most prestigious awards for any restaurant, and has won more than 60 awards for its food and quality dining experience.
Tera says community involvement is also important, and Café Rio works with many charities including American Indian Services, the Children's Center, Eye Care for Kids, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs and Rising Star Outreach. The restaurant is well poised to continue its rapid growth pattern, and by the end of the year, locations will open in Idaho, California and Colorado in addition to the current operations in Utah and Nevada.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
Café Rio www.caferio.com
