Disney World Epcot Dining - An international experience - Italy, Mexico, China (Part 3)

June 28, 1:39 PMFlorida Travel ExaminerLarraine Stacey

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Ordinarily, it might take a lifetime of vacations to sample the representative cooking of China, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Italy, Norway, Mexico and Morocco.  For the World Showcase traveler, it’s a 1.1-mile walk around the lagoon, where all roads lead to authentic restaurants.

Italy
           
In the Italy pavilion, Tutto Italia (“everything Italian”) Ristorante showcases cuisine from different regions of Italy, with a seasonal menu with freshly made breads and pastries, handmade mozzarella and pasta, and an array of Italian wines.  But favorites that remain on the menu include eggplant Parmesan, fried calamari, penne Caprese, cannelloni al forno and spaghetti with veal meatballs.  And sweet endings like classic tiramisu and cannoli are hits, as are gelati and sorbetti.
           
“My inspiration for Tutto Italia was the incredible variety of cuisines that I have enjoyed during my visits to Italy,” said Chef Joachim Splichal of California-based Patina Group, which operates the restaurant. “I wanted to distill that experience and create a restaurant with some of my favorite dishes.”
           
Tuxedoed waiters create the ambience of big-city dining in the traditional restaurants in Rome and Milan.  On cooler Florida days, the tables on the patio are wonderful for al fresco dining under umbrellas.

Plans are in the works for further renovations of the restaurant, one of the most popular in Epcot World Showcase.


   Mexico

   Unlike most Mexican restaurants in the United States, you’ll not find nachos at the San Angel Inn in Epcot, because, says manager Richard Debler, they are not authentic Mexican dishes. And Debler was trained in his family’s restaurant in Mexico City.
           
Chocolate may sound like an unorthodox ingredient to use with chicken, but the mole poblano prepared according to a San Angel Inn recipe combines chile ancho, chile passilla, green tomatoes, ground tortillas, coriander seed and 11 other spices with cocoa for a rich sauce in which chicken is simmered until tender. Fresh tortillas are made every day and filled with duck marinated with tamarind sauce and topped with avocado, pineapple and chives.

A new tequila bar adjacent to the restaurant offers a taste of the popular beverage.  
           
In the Cantina de San Angel, just outside the pyramid entrance to Mexico, you can find nachos, burritos and tacos, as well as sweet churros (donuts rolled in cinnamon and powdered sugar), frozen margaritas and Mexican beer.
 
China
           
Epicurean adventures into five Chinese provinces await World Showcase travelers at the 250-seat Nine Dragons Restaurant where servers from China enjoy interacting with guests.  (Placemats are a conversation starter with Chinese writing symbols and their evolution through centuries.)  

The menu showcases authentic Chinese cuisine, but with a lighter, contemporary touch.  You can still order traditional appetizers such as pot stickers and eggrolls, but a favorite is the Dioa Yu Tai cucumber salad, with a light spice and sweet-and-sour vinaigrette.  Or the crisp shrimp and taro “lollipops,” deep-fried and served on a stick.

Entrées range from traditional such as fried rice, sweet and sour chicken and kung pao chicken, but more contemporary Asian fare include peppery shrimp with spinach noodles, spit-roasted Beijing chicken with mashed taro and a mix-and-match noodle sampler.   
           
The lobby features etched glass and gold artwork on one wall, depicting a pair of dragons playing with a golden ball.  (The ball represents wisdom, and the dragons, representing people, are forever chasing it.) The dining room is brightened with colorful lanterns in pale greens, blues and reds and elegant glass sculptures from China backlit on one wall.

Next door, the 200-seat Lotus Blossom Cafe offers counter-service.  And the Joy of Tea outdoor cart features hot and cold teas, trendy frozen green tea concoctions and alcoholic drinks such as plum wine and wine green tea slush.

Part 1 - Canada, United Kingdom, France
Part 2 - Morocco, Japan, Germany
Part 3 - Italy, Mexico, China
Part 4 - Norway, America, Kids Meals, Food & Wine Festival