My wife and I visited Brutto for a celebratory wedding anniversary dinner. The arrival experience was very impressive and welcoming. The maître d' recognized us by the previous WhatsApp conversation (bonus points for his attention to detail) and promptly seated us (giving us a choice...of seating locations).
The atmosphere and ambiance of the restaurant has a very trendy modern flare, as well as a crisp, clean feel to it. Table settling was an efficient use of a placemat for each setting and a touch of uniqueness with cutlery that has a bronze color (definitely not the standard silverware). Nice touch!
We started with two of their specialty cocktails. My wife ordered the “Marcela” (pictured), and I had the “Cuautehmoc.” Both drinks were very good and presented wonderfully. I enjoyed the spicy/smokey salt on the side of the glass.
The waiter brought us fresh dinner rolls (embossed with the “Brutto” logo) accompanied with butter that was encrusted with truffles. The truffle butter was amazing (pictured).
The service staff was excellent; we weren’t rushed and had time to explore the menu. Additionally, they explained the menu and answered any questions we had.
We ordered the “Pulpo a la Gallega” (pictured) for our appetizer. Excellent starter. The octopus was perfectly cooked (not overcooked) and very flavorful. The layered potato base was wonderfully unique!
For our main courses, my wife ordered the “Concolon de Paella” (pictured), and I ordered the “Baby Back Ribs” with a side of the “Papas Fritias Trufadas con Pamesano.”
Unfortunately, my wife found that the Paella was over-salted (my wife is Salvadoran and salts everything, so if she felt it was over-salted…ugh, it was really salty). The Paella was also lacking seafood. There were three, maybe four shrimp, and the remaining was rice and ground sausage (chorizo). This was a very disappointing dish.
My “Baby Back Ribs” were excellent! The sauce had an Asian flair to it with a touch of ginger. An ideal combination of flavors. The ribs we soft and tender but not to the point of “falling off the bone.” A nice-sized portion (half rack, I’m assuming). My side of truffle French fries was the perfect accompaniment to the ribs. Again, an adequate amount and very tasty. My only disappointment is that if you (a restaurant) are going to have ribs on the menu, you need to have some “wet napkins” offered to your dinner guests that order this dish. Eating with your fingers is almost inevitable, and the restaurant needs a way for someone to clean their hands properly.
We closed out our dining experience by sharing a dessert. We opted for the “American Apple Pie.” Please understand that I am a gringo married to an El Salvadorian, so I know it’s not going to be “American Apple Pie” (pictured), but wow, they missed it on this one. It reminded me of an old “McDonald's Apple Pie” covered with this cinnamon sugar and heated up (even the apple pie at PriceMart is closer to the real thing). Also, the smear of what was supposed to be cameral was incredibly salty (to the point of being uneatable). It must have been the same guy that made my wife’s Paella.
All-in-all I would give “Butto” another chance. I think they have an excellent restaurant and a talented staff (they need to hide the salt from the chef).More
