First, Brio Tuscan Grille does not have spaghetti with meatballs. Second, they do have amazing food, and not
all of it is what Americans might consider Italian cuisine. If you think of tomato sauce with oregano,
you are in for a big surprise. And if
you do not have a reservation, you might wait a long time for a table. This restaurant is very popular, and for good
reasons.
Moreover, you do not have to dress up. The atmosphere ranges from casual to
business. They also have a full-service
bar with music playing and sports displayed on at large-screen television
mounted high on the wall. If you prefer
to sit outdoors, they have an area with comfortable upholstered chairs and
outdoor heaters enclosed with glass walls just outside the bar. In that area, you can see the activity on the
sidewalk and street, while you are protected from noise and cold.
Well, I finally had dinner at Brio Tuscan Grille. My reporter
friend and unofficial photographer Rhea Frances Tetley, a reporter for the Alpenhorn News and founding member of Rim of the
World Historical Society, drove us down to Victoria Gardens in Rancho
Cucamonga.
We stopped first at J.C. Penny, where I hoped
to buy a pair of shoes. They had a darling ankle boot with faux fur
lining, but sadly they did not have it n my size. Disappointing, we
trudged over to Brio Tuscan Grille, which is just across Main Street from J.C.
Penny.
I had low expectations, since this is a
chain restaurant with steakhouse prices, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The server was quick, cheerful and attentive, even though she did not
know that we were there to review the restaurant. The chef came over and
talked to us because he did know. In the interests of disclosure, we
received a free dinner for two in exchange for my honest opinion.
First they brought us bread: a
half-loaf of sourdough bread still warm from the oven, and four pie-shaped
slices of rosemary flax-seed flatbread. The sourdough had a thin, crispy
crust and soft, yummy bread inside, just warm enough to melt thebutter.
The flatbread was like a baked tortilla, made from very thin pizza
dough. The flavor was amazing, with a hiut of garlic and Parmesan cheese.
I believe that coffee is the first and
most important test of a restaurant. If the coffee is no good, then the
meal is spoiled for me. I am pleased to report that the coffee is
excellent, and they are very liberal with the free refills. Rhea had iced
tea, which she said was also excellent. The coffee has a touch of
dark-roast flavor to it, but not burned and not as dark as a French roast.
It goes down smoothly, and i did not get an acid stomach from it, even
though I drank three full cups and half of a fourth cup.
And oh, the food! We skipped the appetizers, but next time I
plan to try the cheese and tomato appetizer.
If it is anywhere near as good as the food, I will be delighted. We were simply stuffed as it was, and we both
took home take-out boxes. The portions
are quite generous.
The presentation was good enough for any
high-class restaurant with any famous chef.
I kept an eye on the other tables, to make sure that we were not getting
special treatment. The only dish I saw
that was not absolutely beautiful was a plate with a roasted half of a chicken
and a pile of mashed potatoes. See, you
do not have to like Italian food to enjoy dining at Brio Tuscan Grille. More importantly, all the people around me
were smiling and enjoying their food.
Nobody was texting or playing Angry Birds on a cell phone.
We started with soup and salad.
Rhea said her tomato bisque, which had bits of lobster and shrimp, was
creamy and delicious. I had the Caesar
salad, and the lettuce was fresh and crispy, the dressing very light and the
flavor just right. The croutons were
amazing, crispy but so soft that they melted in my mouth, and definitely very
fresh. The server came around with a grater
and a chunk of Parmesan cheese and asked whether we wanted cheese – of course
we did!
I ordered Pasta Pesto, and it was beautiful. The delicate aroma of rosemary enticed
me. The angel hair pasta we just the
right texture. The chef told us that
their pasta is fresh-frozen and never dried, and that does make a
difference. The play had generous slices
of grilled chicken, and the meat was moist and tender. The spinach leaves were just slightly wilted,
and the tomatoes were softened but not cooked.
The sauce was an unobtrusive vinaigrette.
Rhea ordered the lasagna, which looked beautiful and had an
enticing aroma of sausage and sauce. It
had two slices of mozzarella cheese on top, sausage meat and cheese inside, and
a splash of parsley on top. The only oregano
in it, the chef told us, is a small amount in the sausage. That is important to me because I despise
oregano.
For dessert, Rhea had something that looked like a chocolate cake
with ice cream in a parfait glass, and I had crème brulee, which is served in a
ramekin (that is a small bowl for custards and puddings) and has a fresh strawberry
on top. Once again, my taste buds were immensely
pleased.
Oh, and the restrooms are clean, have no unpleasant odors (not
even perfume or air freshener), and have real doors on the stalls. They are like the restrooms in high-end
hotels. I am not sure what the deal is
with the marble slab across the top of the marble sink, but I suspect that it
might have something to do with water conservation. I will have to research that.
Overall, I would give this restaurant four
and a half stars out of five. The one
thing I would like to add to their menu is fresh fruit. It would have gone well with our meal.
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