Holy Cow! Tutto Italia prices!

[kimysbug]

We ate the last week & LOVED IT
I did a review in the review section
The pasta was fresh pasta& Yummy
The staff was great-

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Thanks kimysbug for your review! It seems like a lot of people are enjoying it so far.

 

[50 years Too!]

We ate at the restaurant last Sunday.
Menu looked yummy, but high priced.
Decided to order the family style meal. The antipasta dish was enough to feed a family of 8! (For 2). Very tasty and large assortment of veggies and meat.
Unfortunately, it went downhill after that. The two entrees were horrible.
Flavorless and gummy. (and yes, I know what al dente means).
Dessert was greasy fried dough with some dipping sauce.
Won't be going back. The total bill was more than our wonderful meal at Cali Grill.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We just returned from the world yesterday and we ate here on Thursday evening. We had an 8:45 reservation and were in the area at 8:00 and thought we would see if we could check in early and to our surprise they took us right away.

Where were you seated???? I was there around the same time! At any rate, while I'm not disputing your experience at all, mine was different. It took several minutes longer than expected for my server to approach the table, but after that everything went fine. I had a $4.50 iced tea, the 'regular' salad (during which I determined I do not like the lettuces provided, but I can't blame that on the restaurant!), a pasta tubes entree, and told my server to surprise me with dessert - since I couldn't decide . Quite coincidentally, I'm sure, he brought me not the House Specialty, but the most expensive dessert on the menu (which makes me think maybe they're tipped on the actual check?

What do CS restaurants have to do with this ?! So, because some of us think that $16 for a salad or $12 for a canoli is insane, that means we don't know what good food is and only eat burgers/fries.

Of course not - but it does indicate that anyone unhappy with the pricing should eat elsewhere

So we are skipping it this time and waiting for more reviews to come out. Maybe we will go next year.

Or, maybe not - depending when your next visit is. Most people seem to either not know, or not remember, that Tutto Italia is temporary. It will close some time next year - don't recall the exact timeline - and turn into the permanent Italian restaurant replacement. Yes, the location will be operated by the Tutto Italia owners, but at this point NONE of us knows what the eventual menu - or pricing - will be.

 

[photobob]

I had just been to Allearsnet.com a few minutes ago and looking through the menus and was really shocked at the pricing. I jumped to the Dis and found this thread. I'm used to paying more than I usually do while dining at WDW but I have to so Tutto seems to be way over the top in their pricing. I too did a double take on the 39.99 per adult price, I kept thinking surely thats for two but obviously it is not. I pay for meals OOP so this definatley won't be on my list.

 

[wide awake]

We ate there on 9/21. An excellent meal, expensive if OOP but we were on free dining so we certainly weren't paying attention to the prices. From what I remember...two apps of prosciutto and melon, one mozz and tomato, and eggplant for me...entrees...three pastas w/ various sauces, everyone liked theirs...I had the fish filet w/ clams, tomatoes, capers, and olives...absolutely wonderful. Dessert...I had the copetta suto bosco...zabaglione flavoed gelato, berries, and whipped cream...yummy, the only dessert I finished during our 10 day stay...not that the other desserts weren't good, but this one was exceptional. I would go back but as has been said earlier in the thread this place won't be around next year for our free dining trip.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Glad to hear another positive review!

 

[SGMCO]

I would go back but as has been said earlier in the thread this place won't be around next year for our free dining trip.

It won't be on the DDP for next Year?
I was hoping to try it with FD then I couldn't complain about the
expense. Oh, Well.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

It won't be on the DDP for next Year?
I was hoping to try it with FD then I couldn't complain about the
expense. Oh, Well.

It's not that it won't be on the dining plan but that it won't be around at all. As others have said, Tutto Italia is a temporary restaurant. The same owners will be opening a new restaurant there in the coming years.

 

[Momto8]

We ate there on 9/26 and IMO this is not a signature restaurant. The service was not good. DH never got a refill on his coffee even though he asked for one (one cup for the whole meal and dessert). I did get a refill on my coke but did have to ask for it.

DH had the worst lasagna I've ever tasted. At first I thought it was just DH being fussy, because he is Italian and he always says his pasta dishes are best. So I decided to try it and DH was not exaggerating - it was worse than having frozen lasagna. DH thought they used hamburger meat instead of Italian sausage and there wasn't enough cheese in it. Also the pasta was mushy and way overcooked, and it did not have much taste. One bite was too much for me and I am not a fussy person. I was glad I ordered the steak because that was much better than the lasagna, but I can get good steak at many other places at WDW.

DH had the cannolis for dessert (you get 2 average size ones) and he said that they were good. I had the chocolate and hazelnut torte and that was good too, but they were definitely not worth the price they charge if we had to pay. We were on the DDP, so I guess I didn't feel like we wasted our money and at least we got to try it.

Fine dining. Not! And also not worthy of the prices they are charging. A Caesar salad at Narcoossee's ($9) is less than what they charge here. Unless they have a major change, we will not be back.
JMHO

 

[Sleepy]

DH had the worst lasagna I've ever tasted. At first I thought it was just DH being fussy, because he is Italian and he always says his pasta dishes are best. So I decided to try it and DH was not exaggerating - it was worse than having frozen lasagna. DH thought they used hamburger meat instead of Italian sausage and there wasn't enough cheese in it.

Sorry to tell you this, but what you described IS real Italian lasagna. I might not be Italian, but I eat plenty of non-Americanized Italian food to know the difference.

 

[ga9497]

Originally Posted by Momto8
DH had the worst lasagna I've ever tasted. At first I thought it was just DH being fussy, because he is Italian and he always says his pasta dishes are best. So I decided to try it and DH was not exaggerating - it was worse than having frozen lasagna. DH thought they used hamburger meat instead of Italian sausage and there wasn't enough cheese in it.

Sorry to tell you this, but what you described IS real Italian lasagna. I might not be Italian, but I eat plenty of non-Americanized Italian food to know the difference.

I agree with Sleepy - I was born in Italy and the southern lasagna has ground beef and pork as the meat sauce with mozzarella. In some parts of Sicily they use bechamel sauce instead of ricotta it will also have some nutmeg which is used in the bechamel

I have never had any lasagna anywhere in italy that was made with Italian sausage

 

[Sleepy]

I have never had any lasagna anywhere in italy that was made with Italian sausage

That screams Americanized.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I agree with Sleepy - I was born in Italy and the southern lasagna has ground beef and pork as the meat sauce with mozzarella. In some parts of Sicily they use bechamel sauce instead of ricotta it will also have some nutmeg which is used in the bechamel

I have never had any lasagna anywhere in italy that was made with Italian sausage

Yes, I wondered about this when I read it as well. I've never heard tell of lasagna made with Italian sausage?!

 

[Evil Princess]

I agree with Sleepy - I was born in Italy and the southern lasagna has ground beef and pork as the meat sauce with mozzarella. In some parts of Sicily they use bechamel sauce instead of ricotta it will also have some nutmeg which is used in the bechamel

I have never had any lasagna anywhere in italy that was made with Italian sausage

Agreed, my grandparents are from Italy and although I'm a total New York Italian, the lasagna is made with ground meats.

I hated Alfredos, and I don't have much hope for the new place. The Italian in suburban New York always blew Alfredo's away. I always felt like it was only well received by those who really don't have any authentic Italian in their area.

 

[Planogirl]

Interesting thread.

I wanted to comment that I find it hard to believe that Disney suddenly cares one way or the other about authenticity. If they did they wouldn't have destroyed one of the few restaurants with true ethnic food. I'm referring to Akershus and while I realize that they still offer a few of the original food items, the overall experience is ruined IMO.

As for prices at this restaurant, yes they are outrageous. "Gelati and Sorbetti $8.00" That's just bizarre!

 

[Sleepy]

Interesting thread.

I wanted to comment that I find it hard to believe that Disney suddenly cares one way or the other about authenticity. If they did they wouldn't have destroyed one of the few restaurants with true ethnic food. I'm referring to Akershus and while I realize that they still offer a few of the original food items, the overall experience is ruined IMO.

Not trying to pick this place apart, but they can't even be authentic with the menu. It makes me giggle. Descriptions like Lasagna Al Forno. "Al forno" means "in the oven" therefore, not sure how else one would make this dish. "Penne Caprese" is Penne Sorrentino here. It simply means penne with tomato sauce (basil is already in the sauce) and melted mozzarella (the basil on top soimply makes the dish look pretty). If you ordered "caprese" you would get what the restaurant calls "Mozzarella" and I certainly hope it would be nothing but the freshest of water buffalo mozzarella if they (as mentioned on the menu page) take after the Naples region. Otherwise that $12 is WAAAAAAY overpriced. I especially like the description of the "Tagliatelle Egg Pasta - Made with meat ragu bolognese.". If a restaurant is trying to be impressive, at least call it what it is and not keep repeating words. There IS meat in ragu. Bolognese is the word used to describe a dish asking for ragu (meat sauce). Even menus in restaurants that cater to Americans here in Naples do a better job of describing a dish. I guess they can call it what they want and most of us wouldn't know any better.

 

[Brian Noble]

I always felt like it was only well received by those who really don't have any authentic Italian in their area.

I think this is true of all of the World Showcase restaurants. Biergarten might be an exception, but that's because even the food in Germany the real country isn't all that impressive.

Edited to add: based on the menu, the Tokyo Dining location might be an exception too; I'll have to see. On a related note, did anyone else notice that the Japan restaurants did NOT see the same kind of price increases that Italy did?

 

[Evil Princess]

Not trying to pick this place apart, but they can't even be authentic with the menu. It makes me giggle. Descriptions like Lasagna Al Forno. "Al forno" means "in the oven" therefore, not sure how else one would make this dish. "Penne Caprese" is Penne Sorrentino here. It simply means penne with tomato sauce (basil is already in the sauce) and melted mozzarella (the basil on top soimply makes the dish look pretty). If you ordered "caprese" you would get what the restaurant calls "Mozzarella" and I certainly hope it would be nothing but the freshest of water buffalo mozzarella if they (as mentioned on the menu page) take after the Naples region. Otherwise that $12 is WAAAAAAY overpriced. I especially like the description of the "Tagliatelle Egg Pasta - Made with meat ragu bolognese.". If a restaurant is trying to be impressive, at least call it what it is and not keep repeating words. There IS meat in ragu. Bolognese is the word used to describe a dish asking for ragu (meat sauce). Even menus in restaurants that cater to Americans here in Naples do a better job of describing a dish. I guess they can call it what they want and most of us wouldn't know any better.

I don't know what they're trying to do with the caprese thing. I mean, even Earl of Sandwich at DTD's caprese salad consists of just fresh mozzarella, tomato, some olive oil and a hint of basil.

They do sound like they're just throwing out some words in Italian to make it sound sophisticated. The majority of guests won't know any better, I guess.

 

[itchin2go]

Many restaurants do this. I don't see why this restaurant is special in that regard. Shrimp Scampi, anyone?

I'm shocked that this thread is still going strong.