Cena

A quick scan of the World Showcase skyline proves one thing, on a culinary scale they certainly got things right. When you think about the great gastronomic societies of the world, you cannot help but allow your mind to wander to France, China, Japan and Italy, among others. While pasta may not have originated in Italy, this global staple certainly has made a name for itself there. Traditional Italian fare is on the menu today as we grab a table at Tutto Italia.

Two things to note before I head towards the topic of the food itself. Firstly, I have avoided Tutto Italia since it opened in 2007, partially out of some misguided sense of the Italy restaurant of my youth, L’Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante, but felt it was time to give the establishment its due. Secondly, the entire staff was incredible during our meal, but special thanks are due to our waiter, Maurizio.

We opened the meal with beverages, a sweet tea with mint and orange for my father and a Limonata for myself. Additionally, the Pane de Casa came with various forms of bread, olive oil, herb butter and marinated olives, mushrooms and peppers. As is always my downfall with good forms of bread and accouterments, it is likely that I sampled too much of a good thing! But I enjoyed myself nevertheless.My dad also ordered the Cesar Salad, of which I borrowed a third of for the photograph below and for a taste test. The romaine was crisp and the pomodorini, also known as cherry tomatoes, were chewy and added another component that is often lacking in a traditional Cesar salad. The shaved parmesan and creamy dressing, not to mention the ground black pepper, completed the dish in stellar fashion.Moving on to the main course, my father selected the Casareci, a dish comprised of cavatelli pasta, sweet sausage ragu, tomatoes and Pecorino Romano cheese. He enjoyed the meal so much, particularly the interplay between the sweetness of the sausage and the bite of the Pecorino Romano, that he cleaned his bowl almost to the point of it being white again.As for my entrée, I went with the very traditional Farfalle. This pasta of the bowtie persuasion is paired with prosciutto ham, peas and parmesan cream. This is a filling dish, so much so that I did not have room for dessert, which can be chalked up to the generous portion size and the inherent denseness of pasta and a cream sauce. The heartiness of this pasta is complimented by the saltiness of its additional elements, a selling point in my book, though I could see where others may shy away from the Farfalle for the same reason.As we left the restaurant, both my father and I were full and happy. No part of the dining experience had been overlooked at Tutto Italia, and the good service meets good ambiance at the corner of good food recipe is followed to the letter here. I know when to admit my mistakes, and not dining at Tutto Italia sooner was a mistake. Let the record show that the Italy Pavilion is now host to a pair of dynamic dining opportunities.