When three experienced chefs join forces, food fanatics might think of a new Food Network reality show—but at Brothers Restaurant in Brookline, Mass. the trio of culinary experts is setting out to give customers a convergence of Italian, Mexican, and American cuisines.
The idea for the restaurant sprang from brothers Edison and Cesar Gutierrez, along with their friend Concepcion—culinary minds that have been involved in the Boston food scene for some time.
“We’ve been working around Boston for more than 13 years as executive chefs,” Edison Gutiérrez said. “Now we decided to put our ideas together and make this restaurant with our own ideas, own recipes, and everything is homemade.”
This dedication to homemade food springs from the three chefs’ desire to put together memorable, personal dishes. All three had been working in restaurants across the city as executive chefs for a number of years, before they noticed that many culinary producers lacked the ambition to create dishes that cater to a range of new, diverse customers. “We kind of got tired of working for somebody else,” Gutierrez said. “When you go home, you go home normally. You go home like nothing happened, and you don’t get the motivation.”
A lack of motivation to produce dishes that suit other people’s tastes is partly why Edison, Cesar, and Concepcion decided to combine their talents to open an independent restaurant.
“Over here, when you go home—even if you make only three or four customers—you go home happy,” Gutierrez said.
The welcoming atmosphere of Brothers Restaurant comes naturally to the three chefs, in part because of their desire to completely change their own culinary experiences from the preparation side. The brothers are continuously striving to provide options that not only appeal to them, but also to the diners.
Since opening in Coolidge Corner this past January, Brothers Restaurant has experienced an increase in the number of customers walking through its doors. “We are happy with what we are doing right now because we have a really good response from the neighborhood and they really like the food,” Gutierrez said. “We don’t make a lot of business right now, but we are happy because the people who come over here, they walk out the door happy.”
The restaurant offers a full menu with breakfast, lunch, and dinner selections. Breakfast is Chef Cesar Gutierrez’s specialty, and offers a diverse set of options, highlighting the morning menu at Brothers. One of Gutierrez’s favorite morning specials is the French toast. “The stuffed French toast with cream cheese and the strawberries and bananas in the middle—when you get that first bite, the strawberries and bananas are warm with the cream cheese and it’s a really good taste,” Gutierrez said.
The warm challah bread used for the French toast at Brother’s is stuffed with an array of fruits, jams, cream cheese, or ricotta in any combination made to order. Always hot, the French toast is a reliable choice that will exceed your expectations every time, according to Gutierrez. For those without the high-powered sweet tooth, salty, cheesy, or meaty omelets are offered alongside other breakfast options that are guaranteed to spice up your morning. Health-conscious food is another option, with Brother’s Restaurant offering fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola. Brothers Restaurant prides itself on the fact that it offers something for everyone, at any time, and for any meal of the day.
The lunch and dinner menus at the restaurant are where the three brothers’ Italian, Mexican, and American influences noticeably converge. With items such as linguini bolognese and tacos alongside a fried chicken sandwich and a black angus ground sirloin burger, the experience and influence of each chef shines through onto the menu. This wide selection of exceptionally prepared food attracts fine diners as well as college students, the latter particularly during breakfast. “We also have a discount for students,” Gutierrez said. “If they sign into the looped-in app, we can always make any promotions.”
Looking to the future, Brothers Restaurant aims to expand to another location in Brookline in about a year and a half. According to Gutierrez, the opportunity to spread food, ideas, and some more brotherly love across Boston would be a delightful opportunity.
Featured Images Courtesy of Brothers Restaurant
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