Review: Brio Tuscan Grille
By Gilles Syglowski
Wood grilled salmon salad. Photo by Tony Lewis, Jr.
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Brio Tuscan Grille
Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole
305 Sail Place, Annapolis
410-571-5660
BrioItalian.com
When to Enjoy:
Sun.–Thur. 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–11 p.m.
Expect to Pay:
Appetizers/soups/salads: $4–15
Pastas: $14–19
Entrees: $16–30
Desserts: $2–11
Wine by the glass: $6–13
Wine by the bottle: $27–195
“The braised Italian meatballs were outstanding, very tasty and served atop a creamy polenta with a delicious Marsala marinara sauce. I can freely say that it was my favorite dish.”—Gilles Syglowski
Brand new Brio Tuscan Grille in the Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole comes with a successful background. Bravo/Brio Restaurant Group, the brainchild of two brothers in Ohio, has had the concept of authentic Northern Italian cuisine in place since 1999 and even received the Hot Concepts! award in 2002 from Nation’s Restaurant News.
It was time for me to check it out with three adventurous dining partners, and we were quite impressed! Brio’s interior features beautiful Italian decor with an authentic look: arched colonnades; handcrafted Italian mosaics; Venetian plaster walls; and marble countertops that separate dining areas, yet keep a wide-open feel.
One of the details that caught my attention right away was the care we received as soon as we walked in. To our delight, it continued for the remainder of the evening. This is quite an achievement for such a busy operation.
Friends Sandy and Mike joined my companion, Celia, and me for dinner, which made the meal even more satisfying by expanding the selection of dishes to sample. Sipping on beverages, we studied the menu. Nicely balanced, it has a variety of specialties, is not overwhelming, and offers something for everyone.
Our first courses consisted of five appetizers carefully chosen to be as representative of Brio as possible. The beef Carpaccio was presented on a huge platter, looking very fresh, and garnished with a small tossed salad drizzled with a mustard sauce. It was an excellent first taste. The braised Italian meatballs were outstanding, very tasty and served atop a creamy polenta with a delicious Marsala marinara sauce. I can freely say that it was my favorite dish. The calamari fritto (fried calamari) were good and served with creamy and marinara sauces. We sampled these appetizers along with lobster bisque, which I found perfect in consistency and flavor, and a generous, scrumptious Brio chopped salad with fresh tomatoes, olives, onions, cucumbers, and feta cheese gently tossed in red wine vinaigrette.
The service was impeccable. Our waitress, Tracy, was attentive. Assistance by General Manager Dave made it even more special.
We continued our satisfying meal with our entrées. The variety of dishes offered is well designed so it is easy to choose something to your liking without having to stare at the menu. My partner was hungry for something substantial, so she went for the Filetto di Manzo Toscano (filet mignon). It was very well seasoned with exciting flavors, cooked tender, generous in portion, and served with a side of asparagus and mashed potatoes. Sandy decided Veal Milanese: veal scaloppine laced in a delicious lemon caper sauce with tomatoes and served over fettuccini peperonata. It was superb. Mike, her husband, ordered the wood-grilled salmon, which was a joyful combination: a skillfully prepared moist salmon fillet touched with citrus pesto and served with scrumptious Romano crusted tomatoes, crispy shoelace potatoes, and tender fresh asparagus. I chose the shrimp and scallops risotto. This type of dish allows me to evaluate the skill of the kitchen because of the complexity of properly cooking this specific rice. I was very satisfied. The additional flavors of the roasted tomatoes, fresh pesto, and lobster Bercy were wonderful and complemented the tender shrimp and scallops perfectly. A treat indeed!
On the wine side the menu is original and designed to make choosing easy. The glasses of Merlot Toscano Rosso and Pinot noir Estancia were well matched with dinner.
Although the appetizers and entrees were beautiful, delicious, and filling, we still found room for dessert. Thankfully and surprisingly, its original presentation, in small cappuccino-style cups, made it all worth getting: the tiramisu, the crème brûlée cake, and the cheesecake were delightful.
Discover Brio Tuscan Grille for yourself. Among the many new restaurants where we have dined, Brio is a standout that definitely deserves all kudos noted.
Gilles Syglowski is a certified executive chef, a certified culinary instructor, and a food service consultant. He is a graduate of the Lycee d'Enseignement Professionel Hotelier in Metz, France. He is currently the assistant general manager of the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. Mr. Syglowski has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry.
review
Brio Tuscan Grille
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