Spring is Light & Fresh at Brio Tuscan Grille
During the frigid winter months, I’m all about the comfort food. Give me pasta, bread, and the thickest and creamiest soups. Now that the weather is (slooooowly) starting to get a little warmer, my appetite for all things carb is waning away.
My interest in food certainly varies throughout the seasons, and summertime is always my favorite. It’s exciting to see the combination of fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood that the extremely talented chefs at our Columbus restaurants feature on their specialty menus during the warmer months.
Mmmm seafood. J
A few weeks ago, I was invited to come and check out the spring “Seafood Celebrations” menu presented by Brio Tuscan Grille at Easton. With Brio being an Italian restaurant, it’s pretty obvious that they’re good at the pasta game. But can they do light, healthy, and summery dishes too? I was about to find out!
I was excited to see a variety of those favorite summer staples I mentioned before on their specialty menu—fruit, veggies, and seafood!
Okay sure, the fruit was inside my cocktail….but who am I to complain? Their selection of “refreshing” drinks included a Blackberry Fizz, Blackberry Cooler, and Blackberry Infused Cosmo. Although the Cosmo was my favorite, I loved the light and refreshing combination of champagne and blackberry in the Fizz cocktail. Brio, you’re calling my happy hour name!
We moved on to two appetizers—one was their classic, the Calamari Fritto Misto. Those sauces. That crunch. Ughhhh take me back! This is the perfect dish to share with a group of people, because everyone can just take a little bit and pass it along (or a lot, if you’re me). We also tried one of their seasonal flatbreads, and it might have been my favorite dish of the entire night. The ciabatta bread is topped with provolone cheese, Pinot Noir carmelized onions (ding ding, I’ll be making those at home soon!), prosciutto, and asparagus. In fact, I might just re-create this entire dish at home. I see a reaaaal good pizza in my future.
Next, we tried three of the entrees on the “Seafood Celebrations” menu. This included one of my favorite classic Brio dishes, the Shrimp Mediterranean. The combination of the light, grilled shrimp set atop a bed of perfectly cooked orzo, farro, and veggies is my ideal summer dinner. And guess what? It’s on their “Lighter Side” menu!
The second entrée we had was quite the opposite— a warm and heavy Lobster & Shrimp Ravioli. The ravioli is actually stuffed with the lobster, and the spicy black pepper cream surrounded several little shrimps (is shrimps a word? I should know this.) Although I already pronounced myself anti-carb during the summer months, I’ll admit it. I liked it.
Finally, another item from the “Lighter Side” menu, the Grilled Salmon Fresca. I wouldn’t have even had to read the ingredients to know that I would like this dish, but I’ll tell you anyway. A piece of fresh salmon grilled to your personal preference is placed on a bed of sauteed veggies (grilled asparagus, sweet potatoes, spinach, red peppers) and topped with feta, tomatoes, and a balsamic glaze. Let me tell you—if Brio knows how to do anything, it’s how to use their asparagus in the bessssst way. I’m still thinking about it!
As if we hadn’t had enough to eat, the extremely friendly staff of the restaurant brought out their Seasonal Bread Pudding served with a side of vanilla ice cream. You know that saying about having a stomach specifically for dessert? Well, I filled that with the 3rd entrée. But I made room anyway, because you gotta do what you gotta do.
Thank you very much to the servers, managers, and chef at Brio Easton—I will be back, and I hope you all give their “Seafood Celebrations” menu a try as well!
Menu Items and Prices:
Blackberry Fizz ($8)
Blackberry Cooler ($9)
Blackberry Infused Cosmo ($8)
Calamari Fritto Misto ($11.25)
Shrimp Mediterranean ($17.50)
Lobster & Shrimp Ravioli ($22.95)
Grilled Salmon Fresca ($20.95)
Seasonal Bread Pudding ($7.25)
Note: I was hosted by Brio Tuscan Grille at their Easton location for this dinner. All thoughts, pictures, and opinions are my own.
