Sunday Brunch: A Taste of Italy
August 5, 2012
One bella notte early this summer, we, the
local From Screen to Theme Days of the Week staff, decided to treat
ourselves to an Italian dinner at the newly re-opened restaurant
Tutto Italia. Unfortunately rainstorms prevented us from a
bella notte and other guest reservations kept us out of Tutto
Italia. So instead we found solace and comfort in the intimate
little wine cellar next door, Tutto Gusto.

Part of the renovation of the Italy Pavilion's original table
service restaurant Tutto Italia, Tutto Gusto is a more
casual, intimate dining experience set in a cave-like wine cellar.

Entrance from the lobby of Tutto Italia

Outdoor Entrance from the main Pavilion
We were seated by the fireplace where
comfy couches and coffee tables offer an interesting alternative to
the traditional tables and chairs. While looking extremely
comfortable and casual, I found the seating arrangement
uncomfortable for eating; I was stuck on a stool, which was
essentially at the same level of the table. While I could've held up
my plate, I'm used to eating off of a table. I ended up hunching
over to eat, an aching experience that reached the point of
resorting to sitting on the floor rather than on the stool. Though
the casual fireplace seating looks like a comforting idea, I found
it uncomfortable for eating.

Table seating and comfy couches are the seating options at the Wine
Cellar

Still, the elegant atmosphere and low lighting of
the restaurant helped distract from the back aching seating
arrangements. The Disney parks are quite busy and bustling, so it is
always a treasure to find a quiet corner of relaxation, mostly
missed by the majority of park guests.
The menu at Tutto Gusto is made up of
different categories of portions of Italian cuisine. The name of the
wine cellar actually translates to 'taste everything' so the menu is
conveniently categorized as so: Affetati (cured, sliced meats),
Formaggi (selection of Italian cheese), Panini (pressed sandwiches
on a ciabatta baguette), Piccoli Piatti (small plates), Cavatappi
(corkscrew shaped pasta), and Dolci (sweets or desserts). Most
selections are also paired with one of the 200 Italian wines
available in the cellar. The secret bonus to dining at Tutto
Gusto is that since it is an extension of Tutto Italia,
guests can order from their menu as well.


Most items, such as the cheese, meats, and desserts, are on display
by the bar area
To start, our
Hidden Mickey expert Alex ordered a cheese
plate of Parmigiano Reggiano. Described as a
fragrant, salty sweet, aged cow's milk cheese,
we found it to be very sharp, dry, crumbly, but
mostly delicious. The cheese plate came with
Focaccia Rustica bread.


For our entrees, our
Fun
Find Friday finder Brent ordered the
Pomodoro pasta dish, a small plate of corkscrew
shaped pasta with tomato sauce and bufala
mozzarella. Alex ordered from Tutto Italia's
menu, choosing the Gnocchetti, a plate of
cavatilli pasta with a sweet sausage ragu and
topped with tomato pecorino.

Pomodoro

Gnocchetti
I also ordered from the Tutto
Italia menu and the Tonnarelli caught my
eye. The Tonnarelli is a handmade egg pasta with
zucchini, mint, and Burrata cheese, a very green
dish indeed. The dish actually tasted like green
due to the strong mint flavors, visible and
sweetly smelling before even taking a bite. The
handmade egg noodles were very good and the
Burrata cheese was soft and creamy. I would've
liked more cheese though and probably less of a
minty flavor, as the zucchini was lost among the
other green.

Tonnarelli
Tutto Gusto is one of the
many hidden gems of the crown of World Showcase.
We had a fantastic time and were fortunate
enough to have a taste of the warm and welcoming
Italian hospitality straight from the country
itself. The Italian seaters and servers taught
us how to high five ('batti cinque') and
provided the most welcoming and friendly service
I've ever experienced in the park. In addition
to the simple, yet diverse menu, the other great
bonus to dining here was access to Tutto
Italia's menu, the restaurant we were
planning to eat at to begin with. Despite the
misleading comfortable seating, the little wine
cellar is a great place to get away from the
Epcot crowds and enjoy the flavors of Italy. At Tutto Gusto you can truly taste
everything.
