Brio Italian Grille

He said:

The parent company of Brio Italian Grille—or Brio Tuscan Grille, as the sign on its building proclaims—has travelled a bumpy road over the last few years. After rapidly expanding across the country, they met headwinds with high labor costs and employee turnover, with too many underperforming sites. As a result, they hired a former Pizza Hut executive to helm the company, improve efficiency, and cut costs. However, his efforts were soon interrupted by the COVID pandemic, which led the company to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early 2020. Soon after, Earl Enterprises—owner of Planet Hollywood, Buca di Beppo, Earl of Sandwich, and other chains—stepped in and bought the company. Today, there are 33 Brio Italian Grille locations across the country, including two in the Salt Lake area.

None of those issues were evident during our visit to the Murray location. Instead, it felt like we had walked into the middle of a much older history. The reception area sat under a rotunda dome supported by Doric columns. There, and throughout the restaurant, hung enormous pendant light fixtures with marbled glass. The marble tile floor featured a mosaic in the center. Portrait sketches by Michelangelo hung on the Venetian plastered walls.

We lacked a reservation on a Friday night—don’t make the same mistake—but the bar area featured open seating where we found several available tables, as well as space at the marble-topped bar. We took a seat at a high-top table with a linen tablecloth under a glass top. Atop it sat a saltshaker, pepper grinder, and silverware wrapped in cloth napkins. The waitress who soon greeted us didn’t leave her name and didn’t wear a nametag. Instead, a small metal pin on her collar bore a three-digit number. She said that these numbers were used as IDs to record who served alcohol to the patrons.

We began by ordering the Bruschetta Sampler. It arrived quickly and included three variations of bruschetta. The Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta was probably the closest to the traditional fare. It included fresh mozzarella with the basil, Parmesan cheese, and balsamic glaze. The Roasted Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta added a sweet surprise. My favorite, however, was the Sliced Steak Bruschetta, which included gorgonzola, arugula, charred tomato, and a generously thick chunk of steak along with the Parmesan cheese and balsamic glaze. All three were delicious!

I completed my meal with the Braised Beef Casarecce, which the waitress recommended to me over the pork chops. I’m glad I followed her recommendation. The rolled Casarecce pasta was perfectly equipped to capture and hold the rich marsala sauce. The beef was shredded and spread throughout the pasta, along with red bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and herbs. Crispy fried onion strands topped the dish. While I suspect that the desserts would have been marvelous, my meal and its pleasing variety of flavors had already sated my appetite.

She said:

On the spur of the moment, Brian and I decided to go out on Friday night to grab some dinner. Our destination? The Brio Grille in Murray. Once there, the hostess told us that without a reservation, the wait for a table would be at least an hour and a half. Yikes! But she did tell us that we were welcome to sit in the bar where they still offered a full menu.

So, we found a table in the bar. Although I was grateful that this option was available to us, there were a few downsides. The table was too small, so tackling the dinnerware, glasses, silverware, etc., and making space for our food and drinks were a bit tricky. Also, the bar-height, backed stools were very tall and it was awkward for me to hoist my 5-foot self up to get seated. I was uncomfortable but made the most of it.

All of the discomfort aside, let’s talk about the food. The bruschetta was delicious and bursting with flavor. The bread had the right texture and thickness, the tomatoes were fresh, and the cheese had that gooey, melted goodness that I prefer and appreciate.

My Salmon Fresca was really good. I’m usually leery of ordering seafood in a landlocked state because many chefs broil fish for too long, rendering it dry and tough, where it’s no longer moist or flaky. Not at the Brio. The salmon was prepared just right, and was served with cubed sweet potatoes, asparagus, spinach, tomatoes, red peppers, and feta—all finished off with pesto vinaigrette and balsamic glaze. I enjoyed it very much.

Conclusion:

Head over to Brio for a great dinner in an elegant Tuscan setting. Just be sure to make a reservation before you go.