I'll take fresh squeezed lemon shades with that order.
All I really want to say is, "fresh flour tortillas all day, every day," and be done... but considering Cafe Rio is brand new to the Temecula Valley, let me get on with the details. Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, is a fast casual chain based in Utah. Their menu is inspired by Mexican food of the Rio Grande region.
The spacious restaurant adopted the highly trending open kitchen design and assembly line. Their Drink Bar features a juice fountain (Horchata, Lemonade with Stevia, Mint Lemonade, Hibiscus-Limeade), Chinamist teas (Passion Fruit, Hibiscus Raspberry, Traditional Flavor) and a standard soda fountain. Condiments such as bottled hot sauce and flavored syrups, can be found at one end of the bar, next to the utensils.
As much as I love Jamaica and Horchata, the Mint Lemonade really hit the spot. Chopped, fresh mint floats in the dispenser infusing the lemonade with a strong mint note. In addition, the Hibiscus Raspberry Tea has zero sugar and maximum flavor. This is another way to drink Jamaica (aka hibiscus tea) and my go-to beverage at Cafe Rio.
Be sure to enter the raffle to win a gift card for a free meal at Cafe Rio! You must follow each step on either social media. Gift cards are valid at all locations.
When it comes to tortillas, Cafe Rio doesn't play around. One person is designated to rolling the dough and another to flip the tortillas. Take a peek in their kitchen by pressing play in my Instagram video above.
Build your entree with one of five meats or sans, for vegetarians. My favorite is their fire-grilled chicken breast. There is also, fire-grilled steak, sweet pork barbacoa, chili roast beef, and shredded chicken breast to choose from.
Salad ($9.29)
The employees mentioned the Fire-grilled Chicken Salad is the most popular entree. As you can see, there is a flour tortilla layering the bowl. In the mix are leafy greens, rice, beans and choice of meat. We topped this salad with tomato, cotija cheese, cilantro and crunchy corn tortilla strips. Drizzle your salad with Creamy Tomatillo Dressing or Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette. This salad is one our favorite entrees, as well.
Taco Combo ($8.69)
There are many toppings to choose from and although cheese goes great on four tortillas, I did not use it on my tacos. Pico de gallo and guacamole goes perfect on the fire-grilled steak tacos.
Burrito ($8.79)
When it comes to Mexican food, salsa is paramount–it can make or break a deal. I added habanero sauce in my burrito to add some heat, still fairly mild but good. One of my favorites is the Salsa Fresca for its freshness and jalapeño kick. You can see this salsa on the side of the burrito featured above. Beyond salsa, I do love cheese in a burrito as it melts so well creating a gooey bundle of joy.
Burrito- enchilada style ($8.79)
There are many ways to dress up an entree. Here are a few examples of how we ordered. I enjoyed the regular burrito better than the enchilada style as the sauce can make the tortilla a bit soggy.
Enchilada Combo ($8.69)
When ordering enchiladas, you must choose a sauce and a meat to stuff them with. Traditional enchiladas are made with chicken yet I ordered one with barbacoa to test. Their sweet pork barbacoa is nothing like Chipotle's- FYI. This version tastes similar to pulled pork.
Enchilada Combo ($8.69)
You can also opt out of hot sauce and cover your enchilada with cheese. For sides, there are pinto beans, black beans and one style of rice available.
Tres Leches ($4.29)
Two desserts featured on the menu are Key Lime Pie and Tres Leches cake. They are equal in size, made in a medium sized aluminum pie tray and big enough to share with another person. We found the Tres Leches cake bread to be firm and evenly moist with milk. On the other hand, the Key Lime Pie is sweet, tart and very creamy. Our attempt to choose a favorite became futile. Both satisfied our sweet-tooth.
Key Lime Pie ($4.29)
Cafe Rio Mexican Grill
40705 Winchester Rd Temecula, CA 92591 951.365.5564