I cannot even properly express how excited I am for patio weather to be back in my life. This winter held on for far too long and so, last week when I met up with a friend for lunch at Brio Tuscan Grille and we finally had a gorgeous day out, I jumped at the chance to sit on their spacious patio before they could even sputter out "indoor or outdoor" Brio is located on the upper level of my favorite Triangle area shopping center: Crabtree Valley Mall.
Their patio offers comfy seats and plenty of room for smaller lunches where you want to catch up with a friend or ladies who lunch...on their break. There were a plethora of businessmen and women coming and going while we enjoyed a leisurely meal.
One of my favorite items that Brio offers is their bread basket, It always comes out warm and slightly crunchy on the first bite which is what I want in my bread, especially in an Italian restaurant. They brought the bread out to me as soon as I sat down and my friend should consider herself lucky I left her a piece.
We were able to check out their new lunch offerings and it was nice to see the variety they now have on their menu. You can order a large entree salad or pasta dish. However, if you want to try more than one item you can opt for their lunch combinations of soup and salad or my favorite: two-course specials! This way I was able to get the soup I was eyeing on their menu but also satiate my taste for pasta but on a smaller and more manageable scale. Perfect choice for lunch!
We started our meal out with their calamari. It is lightly fried with pepperoncinis and served with arrabiatta and lemon aioli. My friend raves about their carpaccio but I have yet to try that. Next time I would like to indulge in one of their flatbreads because they looked incredible when they were serving them to nearby tables.
As I mentioned earlier, I opted for the two course special and I went with the Sorrento ChickenSoup and Cacio E Pepe. One of my favorite things that my Italian husband whips up for me so I went in with slight skepticism but it was perfectly light and seasoned just as it should be and was the perfect pairing for my soup. The soup really does embody the true Tuscan style of eating: simplicity. In Italy, the food is simple but delicious. This lemon chicken soup was so good I good have gone for a second bowl. I loved the hint of lemon with the saltiness of the chicken. Definitely recommend.
I mentioned large salads earlier and I give you my friends Steak Salad. It will most certainly fill you up! The table next to us ordered the Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad and the Grilled Salmon Salad and both looked scrumptious as well.
If you are craving something other than the combo options they also offer full-size pasta dishes and entrees such as Mezza Grilled Chicken Marsala or Shrimp & Lobster Fettuccine. They have something for everyone.
Last but most assuredly not least was our desserts. First up was the Berries Zabaglione which is fresh berries topped with house-made zabaaglione flavored with Grand Marnier and Amaretto. It was very light and refreshing. Then, then my friends, we move on to the star of the show for me. Their Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake was absolutely divine and I need to take a few somber moments to myself right now since I don't have any. At least I know where to go get some;)
If you are shopping at the mall or looking for a place to eat on your lunch hour, head over to Brio Tuscan Grill at Crabtree Valley Mall.
This meal was provided to me complimentary from Brio to come in and try their new lunch menu. Thanks to TableTop Media for arranging this lovely meal. All opinions are my own.
