Dinnertime!!!
I reached Italy just a few minutes before my dinner ADR, which was at the ungodly hour of 4:45pm because I couldnt get one any later, except for, like, 8:30pm. Geez, what does Tutto Italia think it is, Le Cellier?
Majestic Italy
I stopped to watch a clown show going on in the courtyard, but Ill spare you the awful pictures I took. Instead, let us gaze once again upon... Majestic Italy!
Hidden Mickey!
Tutto Italia was looking particularly fetching that afternoon.
It was too hot to sit outside, though...
I had picked Tutto Italia for my Epcot dinner because it was one of only two sit-down restaurants there I hadnt been to (the other being the Biergarten, where I fear the buffet will be as unappealing to me as the one at Akershus [pipe down, Lori!]... OK, I havent been to Teppan Edo, but I have been to Tokyo Dining and to a Benihana, so that counts, right?).
Im not a huge fan of Italian food, especially Americanized red-sauce Italian (Buca di Beppo, Im looking at you
), and Id heard the fare was pretty mediocre when the place was L'Originale Alfred di Roma. But since its now owned by the fairly reliable Patina Group, I was willing to give it a shot.
As it turned out, I neednt have worried about eating too early. I had to wait and wait and WAIT to get a table. To pass the time, I took some pictures of the lobby.
Apparently none of these empty tables are good enough for Lurkyloo
I parked it at a seat under the kitchen window, thinking that I might be able to wangle a table a little sooner if I sat directly across from the hostess station and let them hear my stomach growling.
Instead what happened was that the manager bustled over and began making a big fuss over my outfit and asking to take a picture of me with my camera. He insisted I wear the hat. Unfortunately, I will not be posting the extremely unflattering shot he took, but suffice it to say hes no Jensey!
After that, the hostess took pity on me and struck up a friendly conversation. She was a college-age girl from rural Italy, and she said she couldnt recommend any one dish on the menu because she loved
all the food at Tutto Italia. She practiced her English on me and I practiced my English on her, and finally my table was ready. Molto buono!
I was seated at a two-top along the edge of the main dining room.
The tables are
really close together (another steal from the Le Cellier playbook?), and the one closest to me held a family with a cute little girl. Unfortunately, she did absolutely nothing untoward during the whole meal, which means I have no funny story to report!
I refuse to give you fodder for your trip report, old lady!
My waiter was the Flying Gambini Bros. I mean, I had a waiter, and then I had his roommate, who looked and acted just like him, and they all but put on a circus act as they tag-teamed their tables. They were very charming and limber!
First, one of them somersaulted over with a basket of bread. You will be spared my usual diatribe on the pretentiousness and inauthenticity of serving dishes of olive oil with bread because they also gave me butter. However, this butter was sullied by chopped basil (dont get me wrong basil is A-OK with me, just not in my butter!) doh!
Bread, butter, and a dish of grease...
I wasnt sure what to order. I wanted to get something I wouldnt order elsewhere and that would show the restaurants quality. I figured pasta would be a good test usually I consider it the worst-value item on a menu because its so cheap to buy, but I was hoping they actually made their own pasta at Tutto Italia, which would make it worth it to me.
After I placed my order, I dashed off to the restroom to wash my hands and take these thrilling photos for you...
Ooooh...! The corner of the ladies room!
Hey, they gots tile in here!
I was on my way back to the table and paused to take this picture...
... when one of the Flying Gambini Bros. leapt over to me carrying my dinner and imploring, Signorina! Signorina! Your dinner it is ready! Please come back to your seat! I made him a deal that Id do it if he posed for this picture:
This is the only time he stopped moving all day.
Im pretty sure I meant to take this photo...
We both rushed back to my table and BAM - it was time to eat!
Veal ravioli with sage, tomato and parmesan
It was SO good! The pasta was, for lack of a less poncy word,
supple (Ill refrain from describing it as napped in the sauce because thats another tired restaurant-review term that makes me cringe) and the combination of flavors was perfect. I was just licking my plate clean when one or more of my waiters lobbed the dessert menu at me from a trapeze.
I conveniently forgot that I was attending a dessert party in 2 hours and ordered the profiteroles. Not only were they just as good as (and possibly identical to) the ones at Chefs de France, but my waiter(s) obliged my request for extra chocolate sauce with a veritable trough full of the stuff whohoo!
Burp!
When the bill came, I wasnt sure how the tip was gonna work out, what with the Flying Gambini Bros. both waiting on me equally even though only one was officially my waiter. But I figured since they were roommates it was probably all going to the same place anyway (and that place was beer).
So glad you're enjoying the trippie! Perhaps I have a future as a Professional WDW Trip Sidekick.... 
Raising my hand and wishing I was there too! The water fountain tour was hysterical!
Looking forward to dinner at Tutto!
I had to laugh when I saw the jungle gym like stop for kids, DH wanted to climb on it when we were there several years ago during the festival
Uggggghhhhhhhh! No update from Lurkyloo or LL! Oh my....how will I ever survive. 
Wouldya settle for one long one in 3 or 4 posts? 
