Brio is the newest restaurant in Dhaka, offering authentic Italian food. From specialties like burrata pizza to classic lasagna, Brio offers high quality ingredients and an attention to detail that only the people from Izumi can.
Their pizza is made with dough that ferments for 72 hours, house-made pasta, and fresh mozzarella and burrata made daily.
The menu is a celebration of authentic Italian cuisine, featuring mouthwatering beef burrata pizzas, vibrant salads, indulgent housemade pasta, and decadent desserts.
The visionary behind this venture is Ali Arsalan, a founder and seasoned restaurateur with several successful restaurant projects, including Izumi.
When he found the perfect spot in Gulshan 2, he knew it was time to bring something truly authentic to Dhaka’s dining scene. So he began with finding the right consultants– a team from Pizza Massilia in Bangkok, who trained the local chefs in Dhaka.
“We thought there were not any authentic Italian restaurants in Dhaka and there was a gap that we wanted to fill,” he said.
When asked what people in Dhaka might not fully understand about Italian food, Arsalan said: “Italian food is simple. People here often associate Italian cuisine with a sweet palate.”
Explaining the contrast with how Italians like Italian food, he said they depend on ingredients rather than spices or add-ons.
“Europeans tend to focus on good quality ingredients with balanced flavours. That’s what we want to do at Brio," he added.
Food
We started our meal with calamari as our appetizer, and it was delightful. The texture was light and crisp, making even skeptical eaters appreciate the tender squid inside. Paired with a tangy tartar sauce, the balance of sweet and salty was spot on, showcasing a classic combination done right.
Then, we were served a half-and-half pizza of funghi ricotta and beef burrata.
The dough, after a full 72 hours of fermentation, is a true work of art. It is light and airy, yet has enough bite to hold its toppings.
The funghi ricotta pizza was a triumph with artisan mozzarella, garlic-sauteed mixed mushrooms, fresh basil and a swirl of basil pesto. The velvety ricotta cheese was the star–smooth and creamy and decadently rich.
The cheese melded beautifully with the mushrooms and yet it's subtle enough to give space to the fresh mushrooms to shine, creating a savoury aromatic contrast to the soft, creamy ricotta which is just mildly sweet. Their natural flavours intermingling brings on some of the most satisfying savoury bites that you can think of.
The combination of the two will definitely make you swoon. It's a flavour toss that’s grounded in simplicity, yet elevated by the quality of both the ricotta and the mushrooms.
This pizza was truly irresistible, and we will definitely go back for this pizza alone soon.
The burrata beef was a revelation. The fresh burrata, cold and creamy, was a showstopper, sitting atop the tender beef like a luxurious crown.
The beef was perfectly cooked and was tender without being chewy, paired with the burrata in a way that made our taste buds do a happy dance. Thak's silky, creamy burrata added a rich layer of texture to the meaty depth of the beef. We could not help but smile with every bite.
Next up was the lasagna. Layers of house-made pasta, creamy bechamel, savoury meat sauce and a golden crisp crust. This lasagna is as traditional as it gets, and it's done right.
The moment it hit the table, the rich aroma filled the air, and each bite was well-balanced. It is comfort food at its finest, with flavours that never disappoint.
Next, we dove into the seafood aglio olio, a plate of spaghetti that struck the balance between light and satisfying. The house-made spaghetti was a standout, with a delightful bite that only fresh spaghetti can deliver. The dish was seasoned simply, yet masterfully in olive oil, garlic and parsley.
The shrimp was tender and succulent and added a touch of sweetness that elevated the whole dish.
What truly made this aglio olio special though, was how effortlessly light it felt. It was a refreshing change from the usual rich and heavy pasta plates. This aglio olio is a good option for a satisfying lunch that won't make you feel bloated.
The average price for a meal at Brio is Tk2000 per person.
Ambience
Brio is located in Gulshan 2, at the same spot where Bittersweet previously was. The atmosphere is simple, featuring blue chairs and a wood-fire oven in an open kitchen. The space is both elegant and unpretentious.
Challenges
Brio’s biggest challenge was making the dough, according to Arsalan. The dough undergoes a 72-hour fermentation process, and a team from Pizza Massilia in Bangkok trained the local chefs in Dhaka. They source their burrata and fresh mozzarella from Oro foods that they make just for themselves and Brio.
“This place would not have been possible without the cheese that we have access to and the dough recipe was from our consultants in Bangkok and they trained our chefs here to incorporate the 72-hour fermentation process, ” he said.
A few key raw materials was their biggest challenge, he added.
“Setting the kitchen standards was also a challenge because if you don't take ownership of your own food, you won't be able to put out the right product,” said head chef Zairaan Haque.
The pizza dough takes 72 hours to prepare, resulting in a limited daily production.
“We make 60 pizza doughs a day as it takes time and can't be made instantly before 72 hours,” he added.
The staff is a part of the food tasting in order to better understand what the competitors are doing and what Brio aims to do differently, according to Arsalan.
Arsalan believes in the power of word of mouth for effective marketing. “We let the customers do the marketing,” he added.
Verdict
If you want a truly authentic Italian experience, head over to Brio for their aglio olio, beef burrata and lasagna. It's truly a worthwhile experience. It will stand out, take our word for it.
