Brio Serves Contemporary Italian Food in a Friendly, Neighborhood Atmosphere

 located at 24050 Camino Del Avion in Dana Point has the welcoming feeling of a neighborhood hang out from the moment you walk in. The entrance is near the bar, which was quite lively, even though we were visiting mid-week. It seemed like many of the patrons knew each other and were having a great time. There were also quite a few diners in the main dining room, so we chose a table on the enclosed patio. Even out there, several customers were chatting between tables and with the staff, as though they all knew each other.

We looked over the menu which features “contemporary Italian cuisine.” It is quite extensive, offering appetizers, salads and soups, many pasta and risotto dishes, seafood entrees, as well as several beef, veal, and chicken main dishes. They also prepare wood-fired pizza. You can choose one from the menu or select your own toppings. On top of all of that, they also have an early dining menu available if you are eating between 4-6:30 p.m.

Even with all of those choices, we somehow ended up deciding on seafood. I opted for the Sea Scallops Aromatico; jumbo sea scallops, shallots, roasted garlic, basil, roma tomatoes in a sherry reduction. My husband chose the Salmone Limone, grilled wild salmon served with lemon, capers, and garlic in a wine reduction.  

To start, he selected Brio’s Caesar salad, and I went with the Con Brio salad.

The wine list seemed to have even more variety than the food menu. There is a number of champagnes, as well as an extensive list of chardonnay, merlot, pinot noir, Italian red, meritage, and cabernet sauvignon. Each wine has a little description of its flavor, which is helpful as you peruse the lengthy menu.

While we sipped our wine, a basket of bread was delivered, along with a container of flavored butter. This was very good. Our salads then arrived and were attractively presented. The Con Brio salad consists of baby greens, feta, toasted almonds, and fresh strawberries, served with balsamic vinaigrette, which was a pleasant mix of flavors.

The entrees were also were nicely presented. The scallops were prepared well and I enjoyed the fresh basil and tomatoes in the dish. It came with garlic-mashed potatoes, which were excellent. My husband’s salmon portion was well prepared and tasty. He also enjoyed the mashed potatoes and fresh green beans that came with his dinner.

There was no time for dessert and coffee on this night, although the chocolate lava cake and raspberry bread pudding were tempting.

Overall, we enjoyed our experience at Brio. The night we visited, there were large parties celebrating family birthdays, as well as couples, and some solo diners. The casual and friendly, atmosphere, as well as the enormous menu, make it easy for everyone to find something they like.

Brio is open for lunch Monday-Friday from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Sunday and Monday dinner from 4 p.m-9 p.m.; Tuesdays-Thursdays, 4 p.m.- 12 a.m. Brio is open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

I give Brio 3 ½ Patches out of 5.