'Rio' Mexican restaurant opens

Roberto Cardenas is looking forward to introducing Sisters to what he calls the "distinctive Mexican cuisine" of his new restaurant, Rio.

Rio opened on Monday on the FivePine campus at the east end of Sisters, in the former location of Thyme.

"We are proud to say that all our dishes are our own creation (from) recipes that have belonged to my family for generations," Cardenas said. "It's a product I have worked with for years."

Cardenas also owns and operates a Rio restaurant in Madras, where he has seen success even in a small, economically distressed community - in part thanks to strong reviews by travelers.

"We have the best travelers' reviews in Yelp, Urban Spoon, Trip Advisor," Cardenas said. "We're very grateful. Even in a little town, everyone embraced us and encouraged us to open a location."

Cardenas said he and partner Rocio Villalobos have wanted to open a location in Sisters for the past three years. He acknowledges that he's coming in to a town that already has two other Mexican restaurants, but he believes they are all offering something different.

"I truly respect the other two Mexican restaurants," he said. "I think they are great people and have a great product."

He said his strategy is to "bring in something fresh and different to offer customers."

Cardenas emphasizes that his prices are affordable and he welcomes families. To drive that point home, kids dine free through the month of December. He also says that he is committed to being an active part of the Sisters community.

He's not naïve about the challenge he has taken on.

"It's tough to open a restaurant in the middle of winter," he said.

However, he said, it's part of his plan to build a brand and relationships with local customers before the busy summer season. He says he is prepared to make it through the slower times.

"It's going to take a while; I understand that," he said. "Winter does not scare me."

Cardenas said he is hiring people from Sisters, who will work alongside his family members in an enterprise that is as much a passion as a business. And he will be on site himself.

"You're going to see me there all day long," he said. "My idea as a restaurant owner is to build friendships. We have a very strong team coming in and I think we can be a big part of the community in Sisters."

For more information call 541-549-6118.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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