[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 209 (Thursday, December 10, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7421]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING LA CABANITA MEX

 Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, as a member and former chairman of 
the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each month 
I recognize and celebrate the American entrepreneurial spirit by 
highlighting the success of a small business in my home State of Idaho. 
Today I am pleased to honor La Cabanita Mex in Ketchum as the Idaho 
Small Business of the Month for December 2020.
  Growing up, Rodolfo Armenta was captivated by his father's cooking 
and passion for traditional Mexican cuisine. Rodolfo knew he wanted 
serve his father's food as a career and dreamed of one day opening up 
his own Mexican restaurant.
  During a visit to Idaho's Wood River Valley, Rodolfo fell in love 
with the area's natural beauty and tight-knit community and soon 
relocated his family to the area. After years of hard work and 
determination, Rodolfo opened La Cabanita in Ketchum where it continues 
to thrive today.
  Since its 2009 opening, La Cabanita has become a beloved institution, 
garnering accolades for its exceptional food, family atmosphere, and 
dedicated service to the community. It has received multiple awards, 
including the gold medal for ``Best Mexican Restaurant'' in the Idaho 
Mountain Express's Best of Valley Survey for 5 years in a row, and 
continues to draw in locals and tourists alike.
  Thanks to the success of the Ketchum location, Rodolfo opened a 
second La Cabanita in Bellevue and a bakery in the Wood River Valley, 
providing dozens of jobs to the local community and giving Idahoans a 
true sense of the cultural vibrance that surrounds Mexican cuisine.
  Congratulations to Rodolfo, his family, and all of the employees of 
La Cabanita Mex on being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the 
Month for December 2020. You make our great State proud, and I look 
forward to your continued growth and success.

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