This dining room may be Epcot's most family-friendly venue
Here’s what I sampled:
*Blood orange acqua fresca($5), similar to the aguas frescas found in many local Spanish and Mexican cafes. At Epcot the, juice cools around a large block of ice and is the next best thing to water to temper the sweltering summer heat.
*Fritto Misto($24) and assortment of flash-fried veggies, cheese and oh-so-tender calamari meant for sharing. Our platter included aracnini (saffron risotto balls with the most amazing beef ragu in the center), small flat planks of lightly coated fresh mozzarella and the veggies (portobello mushrooms, asparagus, artichokes and zucchini). A robust pomodoro sauce accompanied the platter, but the items needed little embellishment.
*Tortino di melanzane($18) was presented as overlapped circles of thin-sliced eggplant dressed with olive oil and infused with roasted tomato flavor. It could be an eggplant’s proudest moment.
*I ordered the margherita pizza. Earlier CEO Valenti described it as his favorite. So I had to try. The hand tossed dough had a wonderful crispy crust with nice char lines across the bottom and that chewy texture that all to often elusive. It was simply topped with a the house tomato sauce, fresh basil leaves and plops of fresh mozzarella.
*Coppa di Brutti Ma Buoni ($10) is a fab, cool-off dessert. The latter part of the name refers to the “ugly but good” cookies that are served along side. The rich meringue-like treats melt in the mouth. That is, if you get to the cookies. The Amarena Cherry and Vanilla Gelato may be the new king all sundaes. Order one for the table and lots of extra spoons. The deeply flavored cherries are a key player here.
The menu also features pastas, salads, sandwiches and Italian wine and beers. And the 14,000-square-foot space will has indoor and outdoor dining. In August, there were no takers for those outdoor seats, but there are plans in the works to cool down the tables at a later date.
Seeing stars
I felt privileged to be among the folks who got to have lunch and check out the new place during a quiet soft opening. Why? Because one of the first customers was legendary chef Paul Bocuse and his son Jerome Bocuse. He was not expected so it made his appearance an even greater thrill for the staff said CEO Valenti.
What’s coming
Tuesday, August 3, 2010, check out our photo gallery and video from my visit.
What guests need to know
Trivia alert: the pizzeria was inspired by Naples 45, another Patina Restaurant Group pizzeria on East 45th Street in New York City.
If you plan on going: Walk-ins are welcome and you can make reservations Aug. 6 for Sept. 10 grand opening and onward.
Elusive Hidden Mickeys: I searched for hidden Mickeys but found none. They must be in the murals that adorns the walls. I’m taking a closer look on my second visit.
