An old favorite, Brio Tuscan Grille, got a menu update in July. Do not panic: Favorite dishes remain, but there’s a shift back to the original concept, which is more grill-centered. We all know Brio is part of a ‘chain,’ but food, including sauces, is made fresh, in house. And now they’ve added small plates with attractive pricing and a three-course grilling menu for $28 that gives diners plenty of opportunity to customize their meals.
A new Lamb Chops Double Cut ($30) comes with your choice of a generous side dish like Sicilian Cauliflower or Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts. And ‘add-ons’ are available at pretty attractive prices; the lobster tail is $10 and the crab cake, $7.
For starters, you cannot beat the Spicy Shrimp & Eggplant ($12.50), 10 seared shrimp lined up along a row of fried eggplant rounds, soft and buttery. A Kale Caesar ($7), plenty big for sharing, has lettuces, pancetta, tomatoes, croutons, parmesan and chopped egg. Also very good is the Calamari Fritto Misto ($12), which comes with two dipping sauces—aioli and marinara—but watch out for the fried pepperoncini in there. Not always the case, the squid bits were both tender and sweet.
A house favorite, the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes ($23) have undergone a little revision, but are still as meaty and tasty as ever. They come with a delicious creamy horseradish sauce, crisp fingerling potatoes and delicate French green beans. Also new on the grill menu is a beefy, bone-in steak called Espresso Rubbed Ribeye ($32.50) that comes with a choice of side. The 16-ounce beauty had great texture, thanks to a crisp, very browned coffee rub, and the flavor was exemplary (this fatty cut never tastes bad). Our side of Creamed Spinach & Kale was the coup de grâce, crisp-tender greens slathered in butter and cheese.
Similarly rich was Shrimp & Lobster Fettuccine ($22.95), a massive plateful of noodles in creamy butter sauce tossed with crimini mushrooms, tomato bits and seafood and topped with oiled breadcrumbs. For a lighter dish, there’s Shrimp Mediterranean ($16.95), 485 calories, which offers spiced grilled shrimp over orzo, farro, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, feta and grape tomatoes. Fyi: If a dish here does not list calorie count, you might not want to know what that is!
A new dessert, Flourless Chocolate Cake, is dense with cocoa and comes with a nice Tuscan touch: olive oil gelato. It’s gluten-free, as are several of the new offerings in an attempt to better meet today’s special diets. The Caramel Mascarpone Cheesecake was my dessert pick, and it was stellar.
amuse bouche
the scene | Favorite local eatery and bar
the chef | Travis Brooks
the prices | $5-$14 starters (most shareable), $17-$30 entrees
the favorites | Spicy Shrimp & Eggplant, Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, Caramel Mascarpone Cheesecake, Calamari Fritto Misto, Espresso Rubbed Ribeye, Creamed Spinach & Kale
chef chat » travis brooks
culinary pedigree | I’ve worked in kitchens for the last 19 years.
favorite ingredient | Garlic
favorite cookbook | The CSA Cookbook by Linda Ly. I use it quite a lot.
favorite st. louis restaurant | Scape
most memorable dining experience | At Sydney Street Cafe with my wife, right after the birth of our son.
guilty pleasure | Bacon
1601 s. lindbergh blvd. | 314.432.4410