Eat What they Give You! Brio Tuscan Grille

I walked in from the pouring rain on Wednesday, February 29th. The warm hospitality hit me immediately as I pushed my way through the revolving door at Brio Tuscan Grille, a restaurant that had opened that night in North Bethesda. I had made reservations for 8 people, but that wasn't until 7:00 pm. I had arrived an hour early to take everything in, get some pictures, and write some notes.

Flirtini

Immediately, almost as if I'd planned it, I was greeted by the assistant general manager, a man named Chuck Snow who became my go-to guy for the rest of the evening. He told me where to put my coat and introduced me to the General Manager, Richard Dugan. I took a tour of the restaurant and was most impressed by the bar. It was such a beautiful scene, so nicely lit and organized. I couldn't help myself- I ordered a Flirtini off the "$5 Martini Menu" (Wednesday special!)

I sat down at the table and Chuck brought me some things to taste. First was the Lobster Bisque, which he said was one of the most popular items on the menu. I could see why! It was thick and creamy, with just the right amount of salt. A hint of sherry creates the perfect background to the heaviness of the cream. Hints of fresh herb and tiny pieces of lobster give it just the right amount of texture. It nicely coats the tongue and throat with a delicious seafood taste. A wonderful dish on a cold, rainy day!

Calamari Fritto Misto

The next thing I tasted was the Calamai Fritto Misto, served with mustard garlic aioli and tangy pomodoro. The light batter doesn't overwhelm the flavor of the squid and the panko bread crumbs coat perfectly without taking over. Pepperonchini, battered and fried, sneaks into the flavor of the calamari and gives a nice tang. I could tell the calamari was fresh by the color and bite. Overall a beautiful, delicious dish.

Roasted Red Pepper
and Fresh Mozzarella Bruschetta

Next on my tasting menu was Brio's Bruschetta Quatro, a sample of four homemade bruschettas; Roasted Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta, Sliced Steak Bruschetta, Roasted Red Pepper and Fresh Mozzarella Bruschetta, and the daily special (varies). My favorite, and according to Chuck also the best seller, was the Roasted Red Pepper and Fresh Mozzarella. Made with fresh mozzarella, basil, parmigiano-reggiano, and balsamic drizlle. The sweet and tangy pepper adds a nice balance to the luscious, rich cheese. The bread is crisp enough not to get soggy from the balsamic drizzle and the basil was extremely fresh.

Brio's Bruschetta Quatro

Raviloi Caprese

My friends arrived and we spent some time socializing. When it was finally time for us to order our meals, I was so full I was about to burst! I decided to order another appetizer and just pick on my friend's dishes to get a taste of what else Brio had to offer. I ordered the Ravioli Caprese; "romano crusted ravioli topped with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and pesto drizzle." A beautifully prepared dish, it was too heavy for me to truly enjoy given how much I'd already eaten! It was delicious, though- just the right amount of crisp from the outer shell, cream inside and tart tomato sauce on top.

Beef Carpaccio

Another delectable appetizer, ordered by my foodie friend, was the Beef Carpaccio, "served with field greens, capers, mustard aioli and Parmigiano-Reggiano." I'd never had the opportunity to taste anything "carpaccio" before, and was pleasantly surprised by the delightful taste.

My friends ordered some other great items; Lobster  Bisque (at my urging), Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad, Campanelle Carbonara, Penne Gorgonzola, Sweet Potato and Chicken Risotto, and something I'd never seen before, Tournedos De Manzo. The menu describes them as " two 4oz. filets served with Romano crusted tomatoes and Hollandaise. Served with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables." Holy moly that looked good. If my friend, Mark, hadn't been sitting on the opposite side of the table, and if I'd had any room left in my stomach, I would have snuck a taste. I'll have to wait until next time, though. And there will be a next time!

Our Crazy Dessert

And then it was time for the best part of any meal- the dessert. The selection was so amazing and overwhelming, we decided to literally order everything. This is what we ordered:

• A flight of 5 mini desserts including Tiramisu, Red Velvet Cake, Carrot Cake, Milk Chocolate Caramel Cake, and Cheesecake with Berries 
• A trio of desserts including Butterscotch Pecan Bread Pudding, Creme Brulee, and Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake 
• A slice of Cheesecake
• A slice of Chocolate Cake

We passed them all around the table like it was a relay race. None of us at any one time were without a dessert in our hands. Eventually, we all decided on a favorite and hunkered down to finish them. My two favorites really surprised me as they didn't have any chocolate in them! The Butterscotch Bread Pudding was delicious and I couldn't get myself to share any of the Carrot Cake with my friends. 

One side of the table; my friends Ashley, Laura, Mark, and Andrew

I highly recommend this restaurant. While the location is not one that has been very developed (yet), everyone knows that this little promenade, which includes Whole Foods, LA Fitness, Arhaus Furniture and more, is going to be very big in the future. The restaurant has complimentary valet parking, which I recommend because parking can cost at least $5.00 for two hours.

The restaurant is open for lunch and they even have a frequent lunch club; purchase five lunches, get one free! 

They offer a $2.95 bar menu (available on weekdays at the bar only) that includes little "bites" of their best-selling menu items. Wednesdays are $5.00 martini nights and with ample space, lounge rooms and quite a few HD televisions hanging all around, this place is destined to become one of the go-to destinations in North Bethesda. Check it out, I guarantee you won't be disappointed.