There is a new kid in town–Cafe Rio, that opened recently on July 13 on Sudley Road in what is known as the K-Mart Shopping Center. Cafe Rio is in the old Hollywood video building, near BB&T Bank.
Cafe Rio is part of a high end chain that originated in St. George, Utah in 1997. This restaurant does not have freezers or microwaves so all food must be brought in fresh daily. The lines stretched around the building last weekend, even at 7:30. People are eager to try the new cuisine. For those who don’t have time to dine out, carry out is easy. Call the store and pick up your meal in 15 minutes. The store has 2 dedicated employees to provide excellent service for curbside.
What I found interesting is reading the Northern Virginia blogs. I read all sorts of sneering and jeering about ‘another Mexican restaurant’ opening up in KMart Shopping Center. The tone was not one of anticipating a new high end restaurant. In fact, what I was reading sounded like bloggers were anticipating a dirty spoon type of establishment. The joke is on them. I saw the lines while I battled my enemy–the BB&T ancient ATM. They were long. The line I saw reached around to the back of the building and included a diverse population. However, if pressed, I would have to say the majority of those waiting in line were Anglo. So the joke is on the nay-sayers.