What is up with Tutto Italia??

[aubriee]

My Dh family is from Italy and they cook the traditional food. I am sure it would be hard to match the quality in ANY restaurant - no insult intended, but it is unbelievable to match - but with that in mind, we look for the best we can get at WDW and find the dinner quite acceptable, and I think service does really matter and we lucked out and had the best in Epcot. Sorry you didi not appreciate the food, bit we did - all 4 adults. We did have the DP, but we have also paid for food without a plan and actually enjoyed the food.
QUOTE]

I told this story when I got back from WDW last year, but will tell it again, because I still think it's funny: The first time I ate at Tutto Italia (Dec '07) I was solo and was seated at one of those little tables for two that have the bench along the wall and then a table on the other side. Anyway, another couple was seated next to me just a few minutes after I sat down. The couple was from New York and the husband was not happy, in fact he was furious and embarrassing his wife. While they were looking over the menu, my salmon with lemon sauce and capers arrived. The man glanced over at my appetizer and made a comment that it looked interesting. I told him it was delicious and that's how we started talking. Apparently he was Italian, had hated the restaurant when it was Alfredo's, and his wife had booked Tutto Italia for the Candlight Proccessional pkg without telling him, then made him show up. He made no secret of the fact that he didn't want to be there and was expecting to hate it. However, they ordered the big antipasto platter to share and you should have seen his face light up, as they started eating it. They ate every bite. When my fish with clams came out, I thought he was going to dive nose first into it. He made the comment that he wished he had ordered it, instead of the pasta dish he had ordered. When their pastas came out, I nearly choked on my meal! The poor man looked like he was in heaven with the first bite. However, he just kept looking at my fish and clams and appeared to be drooling over it, at the same time he was devouring his. His wife and I were laughing so hard we almost peed our pants. I finally picked my plate up and offered him a clam and some of the fish (it was huge and I hadn't touched the other end of the fish). He looked so embarrassed, said "oh, no thank, you. I just looks soooo good". He then changed his mind and tried some. His poor wife was so embarrassed that he was taking food off of a stranger's plate, but I swear he was absolutely hilarious. We teased him unmercifully about his about face in attitude. His wife told me, I would have to understand exactly how snobbish this man was about Italian food. He absolutely loves Italian food and is very particular about it. The man sheepishly laughed and admitted he was wrong and said that his pasta tasted exactly like his grandmother used to make. I couldn't finish my fish and when the waiter came to take it away, the poor man almost had a heart attack. He almost yelled, "You're not sending that back to the kitchen are you?". I laughingly told him I was full, but he was welcome to it. He got embarrassed over his loud outburst, but then said he would just take the rest of the clams. His wife and I almost fell out of our seats laughing at him. He laughed, but also got a little indignant saying, "Well it's good d--mn it!". When my dessert came out (berries with zabaglione gelato and chocolate sauce), the poor man again almost made a nose dive into my bowl. Laughing I wrapped both arms around it, like I was protecting it, and told him I wasn't sharing my dessert. They both laughed and he said he'd order his own then. He also asked his wife if they could get another ADR for later in the week, as he just had to try that fish and clams. It was probably the most enjoyable meal of my trip. I had so much fun with them!

 

[evaready51]

I stated in a post in Dec, my husband and I thought it was like eating Franco American Spaghetti - it was mediocre. Thank goodness we were on the dining plan!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

why don't you have your father bottle up his stuff and take it with you? Seriously, what a silly question! Why do people like McDonalds? They just do, I hate it but some love it...........I don't drink alcohol, I hate the taste of wine, so I can't imagine spending a $100 on a bottle of wine but some think that its worth it. I HATE THE OLIVE GARDEN, but some love it. Tutto, in my opinion, was good! Geesh! Is a diet coke worth $2.50 for 16ounces? Heck no, but its disney, is bottled water worth $3, heck no, but its disney...................I cant imagine paying $390 per night for a deluxe in Disney but some people find its what they want..........if I could have my mother cook for me while on vacation, that would be great, and I cook a little well myself, but that is not vacation, perhaps you should rent a place with a kitchen and cook your own meals and fly your father with you to cook!

Wow! Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed! My father doesn't cook Italian, or anything else, btw.

 

[BCV23]

We've dined there five times now I think and we love it! The service is excellent. We have memories of the worst service in our whole lives at Alfredos so that was a big plus our first time at Tuttos.

Most things we've ordered have been excellent. I've not been to Italy but my DH has been several times and he thinks the food at Tutto is like he would get there. It has not been Americanized Italian.

But I'm sad to say that the lasagne has changed. Originally, it was so light and so rich. Now it's a larger portion with more meat and less of the rich cheese. The noodles are still flat rather than the ruffled American type but it's just not the same. Or at least it wasn't earlier this month. We can always hope there was a sub in the kitchen that night I guess.

Anyway, it has moved to a must do for our family and we'll be back in March. It is expensive though.

Aubriee, cute story.