Fall has arrived early at Brio Tuscan Grille in Irvine. Last night we were invited to sample the new menu items that even the kiddos enjoyed. Brio Tuscan Grille is currently transitioning from summer to fall with refreshing watermelon-inspired sips, delicious fall seasonal favorites and a two-course early dinner combo!
To ease the transition from summer to all, through yesterday – August 27, BRIO featured delicious watermelon-inspired seasonal cocktails including the Melon-Rita, Melon-Kick Martini and Melon-Berry Mojito with $5 specials during happy hour.
Keep an eye out, I’m sure as they transition into their fall menu, they will be offering some fantastic new fall inspired cocktails as well.
We decided to get a kid friendly appetizer, on that the friendly staff at Brio Tuscan Grille recommended. She said that the Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta looks like mini pizzas to the kids, and would be something they would try. She was absolutely right, my daughter loved it – minus the basil, which she quickly picked off as she grabbed her second piece. This Bruschetta is made with a crisply toasted bread, a generous chunk of fresh Mozzarella, slivers of basil and Parmesan with a balsamic glaze drizzled over the top.
Any opportunity I have to order Lobster Bisque, I do it. I was pleasantly surprised that Brio Tuscan Grille has Lobster Bisque on their menu. Delicious chunks of lobster were submerged in a delicious creamy bisque garnished with parsley, it was so good! Even the kids thought it was heavenly!
Chef Mark came out and spoke to us about the new fall menu items and recommended the Grilled Balsamic Glazed Pork Chop for my husband. He shared that the pork chop is slow roasted for 3 hours and when it is ready to be served, they sear it on the grill with a maple balsamic vinaigrette. It is plated with delicious sweet potatoes, mushrooms, pancetta, Brussels sprouts, and caramelized onions. My husband agreed with Chef – it was fantastic.
For me, Chef Mark recommended the Steak Saltimbocca, stuffed with prosciutto and provolone that was plated with crispy fingerlings, chile flake, fried sage, broccolini, in a tasty Marsala sauce. Again, Chef Mark was right on the money. I absolutely loved it.
If you’ve taken children to Brio, You already know that they offer generous portions with their kids menu, which we talked to Chef about. He indicated that children of all ages visit Brio, and their children’s menu caters to all age groups. For the little ones that eat smaller meals like my kiddos – I’d recommend ordering one dish and splitting it, or plan on left overs.
Dessert: You HAVE to have their fall inspired dessert. The Snickerdoodle Peach Cobbler was FANTASTIC. We ordered one – big mistake. It was gone in about 4 minutes. Imagine gooey snickerdoodle cookies served warm with a sweet peach cobbler topped with vanilla bean gelato and powdered sugar. Take it from me, order one for everyone so you won’t swordfight with your spoons.
The fall menu items are currently offered at Brio Tuscan Grille now through October 1st. ALSO, available Aug. 8 – Oct. 20, guests can enjoy the following two-course early dinner combos, Monday-Friday from 3-5:30 p.m. Each entrée comes with a choice of soup, salad or dessert:
- $12.95 combo entrée options include the Margarita Flatbread, Mezza Lasagna Bolognese or Pasta Pesto.
- $14.95 combo entrée options include the Shrimp Mediterranean, Chicken Milanese or Pasta BRIO.
Brio Tuscan Grille is conveniently located in the Irvine Spectrum at 774 Spectrum Center Drive Irvine, CA 92618. Plan a special night out with strolling through the shopping center and relaxing with a fabulous dinner – you’ll be glad you did!
For more information about Brio Tuscan Grille, visit their website: BRIO or connect via Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
