On any given Wednesday throughout the season, don’t be surprised if you catch a bevy of Sydney Swans lined up at the Rio Barra stall at the Entertainment Quarter markets in Moore Park.
Owned by Sydney Swans members Valeria and Mark Rubic, Rio Barra has quickly become the lunch destination of choice for the Swans players and staff, as well as countless others who work or shop in the precinct.
Known for its delicious array of Portuguese burgers, wraps and salads, Rio Barra is also home to a very special lunch creation – the ‘Goodesy Wrap’ – which has become a hit with players and fans alike.
Speaking to sydneyswans.com.au, Valeria explained how her small business became a lunchtime favourite for the Swans.
“About four years ago we started to do food at Fox Studios, including our chicken wraps and burgers,” she said.
“It was actually Adam Goodes that first came over to try one of our wraps and I think he must have gone back to the club and told everybody, including all of the players, and then all of a sudden they started coming over asking for one of Adam Goodes’ wraps.
“Maybe about a year later one of my good customers was standing right next to Adam and she said to me ‘You should call it the ‘Goodesy Wrap’’ and he said, ‘Yes, you should call it the Goodesy Wrap!’.
“That was it and it became the Goodesy Wrap and all of the players and the staff kept coming over to get the Goodesy Wrap.”
For those not lucky enough to have tasted Rio Barra’s most famous product, Rubic took the time to explain what goes into the Goodesy Wrap.
“It’s lettuce, cheese and mayonnaise with two fillets – but the boys get three fillets – with chilli sauce of course,” she said.
“Then we have an amazing tortilla wrap that we get from the US, and I think that’s what makes it.”
The popularity of the ‘Goodesy Wrap’ has seen Valeria and her staff end up on a first name basis with the majority of the Swans playing group as well as the club’s commercial staff.
Valeria said the players were some of her best customers.
“I call them ‘my boys’ and they are just lovely,” she said.
“There’s Lloyd (Perris) and Dean (Towers), who are just lovely and then there’s Buddy who when he first tried our wrap he had one after the other one, which was funny!
“There are just so many of them, but they are all just terrific.”
While Valeria and her family are keen Swans members, with daughters Kiara and Alexia regularly involved in the club’s Swans Squad clinics, Rio Barra’s busy schedule has meant the family has struggled to attend Swans matches over the last year.
But Valeria said she still had the chance to chat to the countless Swans fans that come by Rio Barra on Saturday game days at the SCG, who prepare for the big match with a ‘Goodesy Wrap’.
“A lot of people stop and have a look at the photo,” she said.
“There is a little girl who comes past every second week or so and she always makes sure the Goodesy sign is up there!
“It’s certainly a popular order!”
