brio (n). Liveliness, spirit, vivacity [Italian].

There are few restaurants that are able to offer all the accoutrements of fine dining without the snobbish atmosphere.

Normally, when locals are thinking of fine cuisine, Italy and France come to mind. But, for those seeking some local haute cuisine, consider taking a trip to Fort Street to sample, what I believe to be, one of the best restaurants in Victoria - Cafe Brio. This trendy, but not overly so, restaurant offers much more than most casual diners are expecting.

Entering the five-year old Cafe Brio is the first step in the feast of food, with the obvious soft touch of a talented designer at work. The wall colours are bright and inviting, with an extensive collection of art on the walls. The restaurant is comprised of a large open space, with a central coffee and drink bar; with the kitchen quietly tucked in the back. The open space is carefully orchestrated, with tables spaciously placed throughout the room.

Even though the restaurant was full on a recent Saturday night visit, the ambiance was not frenetic, rather the slow civilized tinkle of tableware and patrons' low murmur of conversation warmed the open space.

Soft Italian music playing low in the background serenades diners through their fine feast. Brio's crowd seemed to be quite eclectic with the primary commonality of bliss written on their smiling faces.

Diners are personally greeted by co-owners, Silvia Marcolini and Greg Hays. Even though we had a reservation, owner Hays carefully inquired 'about our table preference. Our coats were taken and hung up behind a lavish velvet curtain. Once our drink orders were taken, we settled down to bask in the brilliance of Brio-style dining.

The menu offers cucina domestica (regional cooking) with primarily organic or local ingredients. The restaurant Web site explains the emphasis on supporting Canadian economy; with seafood ordered fresh daily, poultry from Cowichan-based farms and bread from local favourite Bond Bond's Bakery. The menu offers a good variety of haute cuisine with many options for vegetarians available.

Each entry on the menu contains a detailed description of the ingredients of the dish. Prices are slightly higher than normal, with appetizers ranging from $8 to $11. Main courses range from to $15 to $29. There are also the options of the Vegetarian Tasting Menu with three dishes for $27, with carefully selected accompanying wines for $10 more. The Chef's Fail Tasting Menu also offers three dishes for the slightly higher price of $37, or $49 with accompanying wines.

Do not allow the prices to discourage dining at Brio. Rather consider what you are getting for your money. Stunningly natural scrumptious cuisine made with the finest local ingredients, which is also ascetically pleasing, and lovingly-prepared by award-winning chef Jeff Keenliside and sous chef Chris Dignan.

We spent quite awhile pouring over the menu. Making a decision was difficult due to the array of choices available, but eventually my dining companion decided on the Poached Pear and Bitters Green Salad, with toasted hazelnuts and gorgonzola vinaigrette ($11) to start, and Pan Fried Skate Wing with roast mushrooms, orzo, Dungeness crab, preserved lemon mascarpone, watercress and prawn oil ($22) for her main course.

I ordered the Vegetarian Tasting Menu, which was comprised of a Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, spiced creme fraiche, followed by Celeriac and Organic Apple Salad, with winter greens and cider vinaigrette, and for the main course Sage, Lemon and Potato Gnocchi with garlic braised chard, grilled Delicata squash and wild mushroom ragout ($27 total).

The food sounded delicious on the menu, but nothing prepared us for the sensation of actually eating the fare. We were prepared to be impressed, but not to be rendered speechless by the quality of the cuisine. Conversation dropped to a minimum when our food arrived, with only the occasional groans of delight while enjoying our meals.

Service is exceptionally good, without any of the familiar rushed pace of other restaurants. There is a plethora of servers who continually ensure that water glasses are full, but on this night, neglected to refill our bread basket. A small oversight considered the sheer quality of the entire experience. We were asked during each course if everything was to our satisfaction.

Co-owner Marcolini offered good advice on wine choices to accompany our main courses. It is a rarity in Victoria to have the owner of a restaurant personally ensure that your eating experience is to your satisfaction, which is just one more way Brio differs.

The pace of the dining experience at Brio is deliciously slow and steady. The restaurant allows its patrons to enjoy their meals in a leisurely fashion, allowing the right amount of time between courses. After dinner, we were unable to resist the temptation of the handmade deserts.

Truth be told, we were full from our meal, but could not ignore the sensual expression of a nearby diner while she consumed her desert. This patron closed her eyes and smiled with such rapture after every spoonful that we were intrigued.

My dining companion ordered the Pumpkin Tartlet ($7), with spiced cranberry sorbet, whipped citrus mascarpone and pumpkin seed brittle, and I ordered the Tart Tatin ($6.75), a caramelized quince, with whipped cream fraiche. Both deserts were delightful to the eye and a pleasure to the palette.

It is almost impossible not to gush when describing the lush merits of Cafe Brio Restaurant. The entire dining experience was much more than we expected, and the cuisine was indescribably heavenly. It is by far the best meal my dining companion and I have eaten in Victoria and well worth the price tag.

Bravo to owners Silvia Marcolini and Greg Hays, for supplying such an elegant, delicious addition to the local dining scene.

Reprinted from The Victoria News Sue Shee weekend Edition contributor