If you’ve got a hankering
for some south of the border cooking, stop in at the newly
remodeled Rio Colorado Restaurant. Under the new ownership
and management of Alan Fogg, The Rio is celebrating its
first anniversary in April and is anxious for everyone to
get a taste of the “new” Rio!
The restaurant has been a long time favorite in Moab for
over a decade. Alan, who owns, operates and manages the
restaurant plans to keep it that way.
“I’m committed to making the Rio a place where
everyone can enjoy the food and the atmosphere. We’ve
built a glass wall to separate the dining area from the
bar area, so people can enjoy a quiet, smoke-free dinner.
We also have outdoor balcony dining, which gives people
great views of the red rock cliffs,” explains Alan.
Alan
is particularly interested in keeping their faithful local
following. Fogg says he likes to think of the Rio as a local
favorite that happily welcomes visitors from all over the
world.
“That’s one of the great things about the Rio.
You can come in and have a beer or dinner and have the opportunity
to get to know people from Moab – or around the world!”
Alan has introduced a new menu at the “new and improved”
Rio.
“All of these recipes go way back to my childhood.
I grew up in a small, Mexican neighborhood in Denver. My
friends and their fathers and mothers taught me how to cook.
Everything at the Rio is made from scratch including the
refried beans, the chile sauces and salsas. We have a few
southwestern items still on the menu, but I’d say our
cuisine is authentically Mexican,” says the proud owner.
Not only is Alan the owner, he is the part of the culinary
staff at the Rio.
“I come in and make all the foods and all the sauces.
The staff puts them together and serves them to our customers,
who can’t seem to get enough,” says Alan.
Alan’s green chile sauce took first place at the Grand
County Fair and his red chile sauce took second place. It
seems Alan has found his niche in the world. Recently retired
from UPS he gave up city life and the steady rhythm of a
nine to five job to move to Moab and become a restaurateur
and bar owner. The Rio is not only a family restaurant,
it is a private club where guests may enjoy a full range
of cocktails, domestic and foreign beers, and regional brew
pub labels along with wine. In order to purchase alcohol
at a private club, you need to be a member or be sponsored
by a member. While this may sound complicated, Utah bars
have learned to accommodate out-of-town guests while remaining
within the state’s liquor laws.
The dining room is open for dinner from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
daily. Wednesday and Thursday nights are karaoke night and
on weekends there is live music and dancing. Reservations
are not required for dinner. Alan is eager that locals and
visitors to Moab get a taste of his authentic Mexican cuisine.
“Once you come here to eat, you’ll be hooked!”
says Alan. If the satisfaction of the cook and owner is
any indication, everybody will leave the Rio Colorado with
a full, happy belly!
The Rio Colorado is located one block west of Main on Center
Street (2 South 100 West). Call 259-6666 for take-out or
to inquire about who’s playing at Club Rio tonight
and be sure to mention you read about it in “Moab Happenings”.
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Rio
Bread Pudding
with Brandy Sauce
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