Oh Sweet Mother of Bread Pudding...What have I got myself into? 9/26 Update!

[Dizneydawn]

Hi everyone! So sorry for the big delay but between my daughter graduating, prom, grad party, surgery for my oldest son and a WEDDING...the last few months have been nuts!!!

We just got back from our wedding last night and I wanted to share the link with you for pictures I posted on the TRWEDDING SUMMARY & PHOTOS - CLICK HERE! page.

I will be back in action tomorrow and plan on posting daily!!! We have another Disney trip planned in October so we need to get moving and finish this food review to make room for the next one!

I miss writing here and hope you will all forgive the delay!!

 

[tlenzendorf]

Nice to see you back and CONGRATULATIONS!!!

 

[Duckkie]

So happy to see you back Dawn! Congratulations on all the exciting happenings in your lives!

Hope your sons surgery went well and everything is looking up for him.

I can't wait to read more reviews!

 

[stayhomemom77]

Who hoo! More reviews coming soon.

Can't wait!

 

[irishsharon]

Congratulations and so glad your back

 

[irishsharon]

Just read about the wedding and I was tearing up and then laughing out loud,you have such a way with story telling.By the way you looked beautiful and sooooo happy,I loved the picture of the whole family on the beach.

 

[CreightonsMomma]

Congrats on the wedding!!

 

[tallen429]

"Perfection in chocolate...like Shemar Moore!"

I about DIED laughing!!
(and I so agree! )

I've been laughing so hard I've had tears in my eyes as I read...and my children now think I'm am nuts because they saw me howling while looking at a pic of spaghetti. They want to know what is so funny about pasta!

I'm loving your reviews, and congrats on your wedding!

 

[Plaid Sheep]

***As for the comment about Dr. Laura - I have a few choice words for you as well, hiding behind a keyboard, critiquing someone for the way they express themselves.

I stumbled onto your report and have spent many a lovely stolen minute reading through it. I like your writing style and your humor. Take all the time you need to get yourself back to a place where you can do this. We will all be waiting with bated breath and wearing pajama jeans for comfort, because honestly... I have felt my butt expand reading this!!

As for the trollish poster... there is a reason they are called trolls.. They live under a bridge, in the dark and are ugly little people not fit for polite company.
They can bite me.

 

[Normangirls]

They can bite me.

I like you, Plaid Sheep!

 

[2_Eagle_Mom]

Dawn - Congratulations on the wedding! The pictures and stories on your link were fantastic. Can't wait to read the rest of your food report.

 

[Dizneydawn]

Day 5...The longest awaited day in the history of Disney Food Reports!!!

Friday March 11th was our first day at Epcot. We had a breakfast of Krispy Kreme's from the night before and were famished at the 11:45 a.m. reservations we had at Tutto Italia!

I had gone back and forth between Via Napoli and Tutto several times during the non-stop evaluations and re-calculations of the food resies. We had not eaten previously at either one and virgin territory in the cullinary world makes me anxious. The last time a meal had been enjoyed in the Italian Pavilion by this woman was when Tutto, was still known by a type of noodle dish.

Now there are universal benefits to eating Italian in Epcot.

#1 Hot people bring you good food.

#2 Food is rarely bad. I mean there are noodles and sauce in some form or another. If Chef Boyardee can handle it...I have faith in a man sporting a unibrow from the Old Country. (Not my old country mind you but the sentiment is the same.)

#3 Hot people bring you out drinks.

#4 I always find it intriguing to see people so good looking and meld that vision with the picture of every babushka Italian Grandma and sea worn Grandpa on an Italian postgard I have spotted. I sit back and wonder...when did the coin turn from Hot to Not and are they given a warning before the flip?

#5 Hot people bring you out chocolate for dessert.

#6 I thoroughly enjoy watching people get angry with one another in a different language, in a service industry and come up with my own dialogue about what is going on. With the Italian restaurants, my version usually comes out like a bad episode of "Melrose Place."

I have tried this at Biergarten as well but A) it is too dark to see many CM's at one time and B) it usually plays out like a cross between "Dirty Jobs" and "Dr. 90210." Not as amusing to myself picturing Mike Rowe in stirrups and breast implants thank you very much!

I have never been disappointed in this possible entertainment because Italian's are passionate in gestures, language and facial expressions whether happy or not. One time I had a male waiter involved in multiple liaisons, all of whom had just sorted out his unfaithful shenanigans and were approaching him one at a time, telling him his demise is on it's way, until they decided to approach him in a uniformed front and challenge him to step outside.

Now the reality was he being a new CM did not exactly bus tables efficiently. All the waitresses in his area were ready to throttle him because their jobs were harder with his lack of enthusiasm and after an hour, they were pointing to the door because they probably thought they could do better without him than with.

My soap opera version though, had kept our table of women entertained for the duration of our meal and at one time, a snort was emitted from my friend Jodi that was so hard, she still is finding pieces of her Tiramasu when she sneezes.

Okay, I digress! Enough of the banter that is not really part of a food review but might help you have more fun at your next dining extravaganza.





We started with EVOO, sprinkled with fresh pepper and some salt and the bread sampler basket.

The bread was soft and the crust was crisp which should have been the road to Oz. Instead the olive oil tasted cheap like a low end oil you might get for relatives you want to poison slowly on a Family Spaghetti night. Rancid and almost bitter. Not a quality press oil for sure and after one bite, I decided to hold off for any more calories until the entrees were served. It was that or ask for butter and I did not want to look like a hick from the sticks!

Lasagna al Forno - with meat ragu, bechamel and parmesan $25

This was to be split between Baylor and I.

Now here is something I do not understand. For that price, I expected a piece of lasagna that could serve The Breeders. (Duggers to the normal folks here.) Maybe not the youngest ones because they have not formed their teeth yet. Maybe not the married one because he can feed his own darn clan, but definitely the 96 children the Momma Dugger and that Daddy Dugger (known by close friends and family as the Randy Platapus - Think Austin Powers lingo for Randy!) still live with.

I am trying to give you a visual reference for the lasagna so you can understand size. Maybe a smidge bigger than a baseball if it were square. When they bring it out in it's own boat, the visual is cute and quirky and romantic even.

That is because Tutto Italia does not want to make you feel screwed over by bringing it out on a platter like most of the other food does.

If they actually did that, it would look like it should be singing, "One is the loneliest number I have ever heard."

It would be a lasagna leper on the face of a great white plate.

Baylor looked at me like I had lost my mind if I thought his two bites would be equal to his hunger.

He started canvassing other tables, willing to dredge up their acidic oil with random crumbs if they left for the restroom and their seats were unoccupied for a few moments.

I will say though that if you were not splitting it, the amount would be enough if they had a side salad or something lite as an accompaniment. It just felt strange not to switch up the taste buds and only have the lasagna to enjoy. The taste was good. The chunks of meat were flavorful and it was hot so the cheese just stretched across your fork for miles. The taste was not the issue. Presentation was a huge disappointment. I mean throw a sprig of parsley on it for some eye catching art at least!

Dan, not listening to my suggestion of Farfalle - bowtie pasta, Italian prosciutto ham, peas, parmesan cream but rather went rogue and got:

Tagliata di Manzo - with roasted potatoes and vegetables $36

You can see in this picture that the bread stood alone in the basket all the way until the entrees came and we are carb loving folks!

The chicken was flattened very thin and it was monsterous! This saved Baylor from being adopted from a Idahoian Family seated next to us.

The breading stayed on well even when being sliced but it did not have a ton of flavor. The sauce in Spaghettios might be considered spicy compared to the flavor palette experienced with each bite.

The chicken could have talked to the biscuit before he went AWOL out of the blue box and found out what exactly gives him that garlic and butter flavor.

The potatoes were okay, cut and baked like a homestyle potato and these did have basil, rosemary and oregano hues.

The veggie listed was spinach. Cooked spinach that was not going to be touched by Dan or Baylor so I gave it a spoonful test and wanted to spit it out. I could not do it politely, discreetly and without possibly retching because of the time it would take to get it out vs. the evil other choice of swallowing it whole. So I took one for the team and risking the very real fact of choking to death while the seaweed textured spinach, soaked in a compost heap of rat feces, twisted around my uvula, fighting the downward look into my stomach and it's death.

After I swallowed, I gulped my water, Dan's water and then waited.

And waited.

And listened to my stomach asking me not so politely, "WTHeck was that?" And this is coming from a stomach who has not been mamby pambied with only health foods and organic oddities.

This gullet has seen the demons of red dye and high fructose corn syrup and still marched on.

But I swear on my life, that darn spinach was about to do me in.

Dan grumbled he wanted something light, not pasta and this was not what he had hoped for. I smiled smug like, and tried to stop from saying, "You should always let me order for you!"

Dessert could not come soon enough and we decided on two delicacies.

This was Dan's order which was a lemon cheescake topped with strawberries. I thought it was great. Light, texture was smooth and crust was sweet but not dense enough to overpower the cheescake. Dan thought it needed even more lemon but then again he thinks a lemon needs more lemon flavor.

Baylor and I ordered the dessert trio. A cannoli, mini tiramisu and some fabulous cream goodness in a mini edible chocolate cup! All of it was dark chocolate based and it was fabulous! The cannoli was very rich and the ricotta stayed on your tongue until you rinsed it down with some water.

Overall...

Tutto gets a:

That's right a big ole C.

The flavor of the lasagna and the desserts saved this from getting a cockroach eating Andrew Zimern. The servers by the way, were not...


HOT!

If they might have been, it still would not have inched them up to a higher review but I mean, the schnoz on our waiter started in Venice and ended in Rome and I was distracted my Cyrano so much I had to look away to order.

His other detriment was if he lost his nose, he might have weighed 47 pounds. Without rhinoplasty, he was 64 pounds soaking wet.

I wanted to offer him our bread and yell.."EAT...EAT" like Mrs. Claus tells Santa after he joins Jenny Craig, but I refrained myself.

Anyway...

We may try it again at some point in the far future but have no plans to go back soon because there are enough other places with mediocre reviews I would like to try before resorting back to it!!

Up next: The Ditch and loads of snacks in-between!!!

 

[jagmom]

Your posts are too funny!

 

[Disneymom77]

Another hilarious review! I love the reference to the Duggers!

 

[Dizneydawn]

I went back to page 25 to try and comment back to all the kind responses in my ling drawn out absence from the boards. I did not comment on everyone who offered up their condolences for Vicki or wished Treyner a speedy recovery because I did not want to drag this response post out to the end of Obama's 1st term. I do want to say that I really do appreciate this community of foodies, non foodies and just plain Disney Loving people here. I am blessed to have so many take the time to respond and I am determined to keep up better in the next few months until our next trip!

Great reviews!!! You just inspired us to book the GF Tea for the afternoon of our anniversary! We have a 12 pm lunch and a late dinner at Cali Grill (9:30 pm, fireworks at 11), so we booked a 4:40 pm tea!

You will love it! Again, my recommendation is to go for the strawberries and cream for dessert vs. the miniature dessert tray they offer you a few samples from simply because the ability to have sweets is endless at any WDW restaurant but to have a treat that brings you back to a simpler time and yet can become so gloriously exotic, is a art form these days. The strawberries make you slow down and enjoy the moment with each bite vs. rushing through to another ride or deep fried artery clogger!

Speaking of which, I'm a bit annoyed by you at the mo- I had convinced myself that I could sacrifice Raglan Rd for counter service our arrival day at DtD... now I have to go and find some extra cash, because it's becoming an imperative. Yeah, I'm definitely going to have to hit RR this trip, darn budget...

I hope your next experience there is great and with eating only that pudding...it still would be on my top list of favorite places to eat at WDW now!!! I hear you on the budget! With two kids heading to college I am wondering what organs I can sacrifice if they are not imperative. Anyone know what exactly the pancreas does anyway?

I just have to say....the idea of splitting a 10 oz steak is just laughable to me.

Ideas are well laid out plans that go terribly wrong in execution!!! LOL

Glad ya'll like Ragland Road! It is one of our must do's, and it seems like it gets a lot of bad reviews. The entertainment is sooo much fun as well!

Erica

Entertainment is great and I think the bad reviews come from people wanting more bland food and this place is pretty authentic in its fare!

Ok Dawn, after your posts about Gigis I had to go try them out - my DH and I went last weekend and got the Wedding Cake and Princess cupcakes, yum! So now I just got back from picking up a dozen for Mother's Day Weekend festivities with my mother-in-law. Holy Cow, I got 12 different kinds and still didn't get 1 of everything they had today!

Are you still addicted? We had to stop and get a few to split on the way to the wedding in Lexington!!! What has become your fave????

hello.....................................................................

Hola...and I wanted to tell you I appreciate you sticking with me!!!!

When I read about people's experiences with egg rolls, I always think "what the heck is an egg roll?" When I see pictures, I swear they look like spring rolls to me. I think I need to have one to see if it really is a spring roll by another name. This coming from a girl raised with Chinese food.
I should beg you to post some of your really good ancient Chinese secret recipes!!!! **WHO is old enough to get my reference????

What is an American Kobe beef? Do they try to mimick massaging the cows by showing them vidoes of the cows in Kobe? American Kobe is like a long distance, second cousin, removed twice in most states, cousin to the real Kobe. Basically they both can use chopsticks and that is about it!

Can you only get those biscuits and gravy in that food court? I'm not sure cause I've never really eaten at the resort food court before.

I also know that the biscuits and gravy is an option at several places in AK for very inexpensive as well!

I've been enjoying your reviews and hope you'll come back to do some more when you're ready.

I LOVE writing but it seems lately that one thing or another is going array and my time to write is limited so I feel like I cannot do a good enough job here and I hate writing when I think my post will be garbage. Just last night Carsyn's car she is supposed to take to college broke down and needed to be towed to a mechanic. The fact we are praying it is only a timing belt and not a complete engine that needs replacing is the good news for my day!!!

No one has to agree with your choice of 'people' that you equate to 'ratings' as long as you define the rating system (and you have - and whether or not we agree, it is funny and cute and makes the reading enjoyable!)

I am glad you said this because I tend to be a smart mouth and I know I may offend people by the rating system or my off the cuff story telling but please know...all the ribbing is in good fun and I am very excited to see all the responses to the posts and thank each of you for the time it takes to respond!!!

I personally love your writing, you have such talent and can express more than I could ever do. You truely are blessed. Have you ever thought of being a writer?
Do you hear that buzzing too? I think it is my friend here who is always in my ear telling me to get off my tukkus and write!!! I just may take her up on that suggestion!!

My son is a senior this year too and I find myself crying at the oddest times I start thinking of when he was little and memories come flooding to my mind and well you know us mothers we can't hold it in......

We leave in less than 2 weeks for a small B-day getaway with Carsyn and take her to college all at the same time and I am going to be a mess! She just got her dorm room assignment last night and was on FB, chatting with all the girls in her dorm!!

But that aside, Dawn, I LOVE the way you write and who cares what anyone else thinks... The only person you need to please is YOURSELF!!!

I appreciate your kindness and I hope I can please the majority of you all as well!!

I have been loving this thread. Dawn I really appreciate your transparency and your love for people and life!!!!

If you didn't love life it would make for one long drawn out Telemundo episode!

No worries from the rest of us - we are here for you and look forward to when you are able to write more!

Thanks and I hope you continue to post your thoughts on the reviews!!!

I may go check out your trip report in the meantime.

I just changed my signature to show all the TR's done and in progress! Let me know what ya think!!

You rock dizneydawn so please, please...carry on!!!

Well only because you made me feel young enough to be in a 1980's boy band!!! I will just for you!!!

Just happened on your reviews today...looking for ideas for our Nov. trip. I love your writing style and the pictures are great. I have been thinking about trying the Garden Grove (we will be at the BWV's) and your description was very helpful. Thank you!

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!! Thank you for joining this review!!!

I absolutely LOVE your dining reviews!

Well I love love you back!!

DITTO! I am sooo enjoying both this dining report and your TR. Keep on writing because I want to keep on reading!

I promise I will never let either go unfinished!!! Too stressful on my conscious!!!

I loved your dining reviews, and your section on Raglan Road made me drop what I was doing and make ADRs for my May trip.

I am finding myself wanting to change some ADR's myself after re-reading my posts!!! Hope you got everything you wanted!!!

The poster in the other tread is right, you and Dawn are so made for each other!!!

So, what are the chances of you writing an installment in either this report or the other one??? Please!!!

Thanks for the kuddos to Dan. I think I will have him (aka force him) co-write some stuff as we go along here!!!

First let me say that you are amazing. Reading your reviews I have laughed and then reading about your friend - I have been so sad for you. You have a great gift for writing with such a witty and sharp sense of humor. Thanks for sharing with those of us that read reviews not so much for the expertise of those sharing their opinion but for the moments in life that make us smile and re-live a shared passion for all things Disney.

I look forward to reading more.

Your comment made me cry! Thank you and I hope you stay here to the end!!

Very well said I fully enjoy and appreciate all of Dawn's reviews, ty very much

You are the person who amazes me here! Few posts and you take the time to read something I wrote!!! Thank you!!

Looking forward to more installments about your trip and the nummy, nummy food.

I hope I do not disappoint!!!


***I will respond to the rest in a bit!!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I'll admit it. I'm old enough to get the "ancient Chinese secret" reference! But I'm so old that I can't remember what the ad was for!!!

 

[YukiPhnx]

Lol, I've actually been thinking of making a video recipe for fried rice. Just need to figure out what to film it on and how to upload it online. I'll let you know though!

I'm working on putting my own recipes up, but the problem is I always eyeball everything, so it's hard to have measurements to give people.

 

[Dizneydawn]

I'll admit it. I'm old enough to get the "ancient Chinese secret" reference! But I'm so old that I can't remember what the ad was for!!!

OMGoodness...I about piddled at that!! I totally did not know it either and then...thought Cheer.

Alas...not so! For your viewing pleasure...

Commercial featuring the whitest sounding ancient Chinese people on the planet!

Jello commercial from way back also featuring some old school Chinese thoughts by Americans who take credit for inventing the spoon! LOL

Reasons I thank God we have evolved and no longer let Cartoons sell tobacco! Crazy!

 

[tlenzendorf]

When are you going to WDW in October woman?? Maybe we can FINALLY meet!

 

[Dizneydawn]

When are you going to WDW in October woman?? Maybe we can FINALLY meet!

Fine tuning that now because we may be droping Carsyn off a car if it does not look good for now....

We originally planned on flying but now who knows! I think we are there for the 17-28th or so!