Grutogi Bistro Has a Studio Ghibli Level of Chill and Scratch Food

"Restaurant" is a broad term for a dining establishment, but "bistro" focuses on key characteristics to create a niche dining experience. Bistros are most famously associated with Parisian food, but now, with the right ingredients, anyone can evoke the same atmosphere by providing a sense of comfort and focusing on food. 

Grutogi Bistro is a tiny retreat in Little Elm with a nutritious menu made mostly from scratch or house-made ingredients. Many people, including us, feel transported when they walk inside. The whole right side of the bistro has floor-to-ceiling windows, which let in a lot of natural light.

Natural elements accent everything, and the variety of seating is welcoming for any kind of visit. Its ethos is "your mini retreat place." It's peaceful, relaxing and a true bistro.
KISS (Keep It Simple & Satisfying) — a toasted plain or everything bagel with plain cream cheese — introduces the all-day breakfast and lunch menu. It rotates seasonally, but many items are on it permanently.

Make your breakfast sweet with the juicy fruity bagel, which is a plain bagel with plain cream cheese and your choice of blueberry, strawberry or grapefruit house syrup. The savory choice is the good morning bagel with scrambled eggs, avocado, bacon, house jalapeño aioli, pepper jack cheese, paprika and everything bagel seasoning on a toasted bagel of your choice.

The rest of the menu includes paninis, such as the farmhouse brisket panini, made with premium beef brisket, bacon, baby spinach, tomato, house-pickled red onions, pepper jack cheese and ancho chipotle sauce on sourdough. The salads and rice bowls focus on a powerhouse of nutritious ingredients, which shine in the mango tango salad, make up your mind bowl and harvest salad.
The drinks were the most exciting part of the menu. Chillers are made with house-made syrup; teas are sourced from Japan; and the coffee and matcha selection is transformed with house strawberry puree, house cloud cold brew and premium chai powder.

We tried the hibiscus medley tea, a blend of elderberries, hibiscus blossoms, apple pieces, papaya,
currants, rose hips, blueberries, strawberry pieces and cornflower blossoms. With that, we went cozy with a bowl of rustic tomato soup and healthy with the Mediterranean bliss bowl.
Give us another 95-degree day, and we would still order the tomato soup. It's made from scratch in-house, as are the sourdough croutons it's served with. They're hard at first, but that's so they maintain integrity in the bowl. Wait for the soup to cool a bit, and their bite is still perfect.

The Mediterranean bowl was more on the healthy side and lacked a unique spin that would make it a level-up from something you could put together at home. It's great for those who look for really clean eating when they go out, but we'll try one of the paninis next time.

As a matter of fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea to order the new trio cheese melt with the tomato soup. Wait. We're onto something.

Grutogi Bistro, 310 Parker Square Road, Little Elm, Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.