Sophisticated setting

Brio Tuscan Grille

The Shops on Butterfield, 330 Yorktown Center, Lombard; (630) 424-1515

Cuisine: Northern Italian

Setting: Dark, intimate and posh with a Tuscan villa vibe

Price range: Starters $8.95 to $3.50; soup and salad $4.95 to $15.50; entrees $12.95 to $27.50; desserts $5.50 to $16.95

Hours: Lunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily; dinner 4 to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Accepts: Major credit cards

Among the myriad new restaurants and shops to open in Lombard is crowd-pleaser Brio Tuscan Grille, an Ohio-based chain serving gussied-up Northern Italian fare in a sophisticated environ.

The setting is equally swank -- kind of Italian villa-inspired, if you will -- with muted lighting, white-clothed tables and plenty of wood and marble accents. The best seats in the house, arguably, are located on the outside patio; there, groupings of lounge seating give way to spacious umbrella-topped tables with wicker-like chairs overlooking The Shops on Butterfield.

In contrast to the vast majority of red-sauced Italian spots, this one is Italian steakhouse-esque. Light preparations are plentiful on the menu, from thinly sliced, blackened tuna caponata with arugula, creamy lemon vinaigrette and balsamic glaze to grilled, sliced beef tenderloin infused with rosemary and olive oil and served with Romano-crusted tomatoes.

Familiar items such as beef carpaccio, fried calamari and spinach-artichoke dip with roasted garlic can be found, as can more innovative flatbreads such as a grilled chicken and mushroom number with Fontina and Boursin cheeses, basil, arugula and peperonata sauce drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette.

We began with, and thoroughly enjoyed, the sliced, seared-rare steak bruschetta with creamy, earthy Gorgonzola Dolce, peppery arugula, crisp fennel, charred tomato, a drape of shaved Parmesan and a zap of spicy Italian dressing on grilled bread. There was a lot going on, for sure, but the flavors married well.

You'll find grilled shrimp bruschetta with lobster butter, too, as well as a version with prosciutto, asparagus and pinot noir onions. If you go this route, we'd suggest sharing because the portions are large and filling.

Salads can easily be made into a meal, so consider ordering the yummy chopped salad with tomatoes, black olives, cucumber, feta and tangy red wine vinaigrette. We preferred it over the Bistecca Insalata (a wedge topped with Gorgonzola and bacon) since the creamy Parmesan dressing on top was far too salty.

Other choices include a wood-grilled salmon salad and a shrimp and crab salad with lemon-basil vinaigrette. Add a cup of sherry-infused lobster bisque and you're good to go.

Entree selections are plentiful, with nothing too out there but enough items different enough to pique interest. Whole roasted chicken benefits from lemon-pepper marinade, lamb chops are crusted with Gorgonzola and drizzled with lemon oil, and crab cakes cozy up to roasted vegetables and creamy horseradish sauce.

We were mildly disappointed by the chicken "under the brick," which arrived in the form of simply grilled, boneless, skinless breasts in a sea of rich gravy atop so-so mashed potatoes. It was fine, but not memorable.

On the other hand, we were pleased with the garganelli carbonara with wood-grilled chicken, crumbles of bacon and lightly sauteed spinach.

Other dishes to choose from include a full rack of roasted lamb with Marsala sauce, center-cut pork chops, lightly breaded veal Milanese and a prosciutto-and-fontina-stuffed chicken breast.

Seafood selections include salmon accented with citrus pesto and a fresh fish of the day, while beef runs to Romano-crusted tournedos with hollandaise.

On the pasta side, there's shrimp scampi with angel hair, Mediterranean penne with mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and feta and pasta fra diavolo (penne tossed in a fiery tomato cream sauce with spring onions).

Pasta Bolognese and lasagna with meat sauce appeal to traditionalists, while mushroom ravioli in creamy Alfredo sauce topped with toasted breadcrumbs changes the pace ever so slightly.

The lunch menu features items such as a petite pizza with field greens salad, a grilled turkey-bacon panini and entrée-sized salads including the Romano-crusted chicken with chopped greens, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and Parmesan dressing.

Desserts might not rock your world, but they're serviceable. Any chocolate lover will enjoy, as we did, the decadent, moist milk chocolate caramel cake layered with ganache and chocolate frosting.

And the vanilla-bean-specked crème brulee was perfectly creamy with a nicely crisp, caramelized sugar top. Dessert samplers are ideal for those who can't make up their mind or are into sharing.

The Italy- and California-heavy wine list is fairly extensive and easy to navigate. Signature cocktails such as the bellini, raspberry mojito and Bocce Ball with amaretto and fresh-squeezed orange juice (plus a few single-malt scotches) offer a pick-me-up.

Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., so expect items such as a frittata with angel hair, bacon, onions, spinach, artichokes and Fontina and French toast with mascarpone cheese, warm maple syrup and bacon during that time. Brunch-time libations include a mimosa with Prosecco and coffee that's punched up with brandy, espresso and cream.

Nothing at Brio -- with the exception of the steak bruschetta -- wowed us, but nothing offended us either.

The biggest issue we encountered, really, was with service. While our waitress was pleasant and well intentioned, there were inexplicable lags between dishes. Moreover, the clearing of plates was spotty at best. Since the restaurant has been open for a few months now and wasn't crazy-busy when we dined, this should not have been the case.

Still, we like the idea of being able to dine al fresco in a setting that's worlds away from the food court nearby. Perhaps next time we'll take advantage of the bar bites menu, which is a steal during happy hour and after 9 p.m. on some days. The mini burgers, downsized pizzas and golden-brown risotto cakes sound awfully sweet.