The new kid on the block, Via Napoli has been getting quite a reception. Pretty much everyone I’ve talked to who’s been at Disney World has wanted to try it and loved it when they did. The pizza is a much needed high quality and consistently-good option for World Showcase and Epcot. What about the rest of the menu, though? What’s worth trying? I’ve now been to Via Napoli three times in total since its opening and it is quickly becoming a favorite. As with any restaurant, however, quality is sometimes dependent on the day of the week, and other conditions that you just cannot predict.

My second visit was with my husband. First, we ordered some drinks – the Lemon Drop for me and the Sangria for him. Mine was very strong and very good. The sangria was just as good as at the preview. We then ordered the Calamari Fritti appetizer, since it’s always a family favorite and was so delicious at the preview. The first thing we noticed is this is definitely not an appetizer for two people to share. It was huge! The calamari were cooked perfectly, but there was a little less salt than at the preview, which is part of what made them so good then I think. Still, they were great and we weren’t disappointed at all.

Next up, I tried the Piccante pizza, while my husband ventured into the pasta choices for the Candele, candle-stick shaped pasta with meatballs, a sausage sauce, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. The whole thing was baked and you are served a large square of it. It was, in a word, heavenly. My husband loved it and if I was ever not in the mood for pizza, I would definitely order it. It was just the perfect combination of cheesy, pasta and meaty goodness. The Piccante is a wonderful pizza full of spicy sausage and stalks of bitter broccoli rabe. I think it was a little too bitter for me to be enjoyable, but I’m glad I tried it.

Candele baked pasta

Piccante pizza

Then, as if we hadn’t gorged ourselves enough, we had to try some desserts. I decided to go with the full-sized version of the mini Gelato Frizzante we’d sampled at the opening. My husband tried the “Ugly But Good” sundae – Coppa Di Brutti Ma Buoni an Amarena cherry and vanilla gelato sundae with homemade cookies crumbled on top. My Gelato Frizzante was soooo goood. I can’t even begin to tell you. The perfect mix of the sweet vanilla gelato with the slightly sour orange Pellegrino. I have to advise again, that this is way more than one person can eat so sharing is a good idea here.

Gelato Frizzante - delizioso!

Good But Ugly sundae - Looks pretty to me!

I also tried a Cafe Freddo, simply because it’s almost impossible for me to turn down coffee of any kind when it’s available. This was a delicious, sweetened espresso drink over ice. I took it with me to go since I really had no room for it after I ordered it. Good to know there’s some great coffee options here though.

Cafe Freddo

My next visit was last week, meeting up with some of my fellow Walt Disney World Moms Panelists. I need to mention that two of these panelists are over 6 foot tall men, so we were prepared for a lot of food! Disney Dad Chris ordered us some Arancini – saffron risotto balls with a meat ragu and mozzarella inside – $10, as well as the Fritto Misto platter – an assortment of just-fried arancini, mozzarella, calamari, melanzane (eggplant), asparagus, zucchini and carciofi (artichokes), Agro-Dolce sauce; Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce $24. As I thought at the preview, the arancini are a little on the bland side. I know many people aren’t into spicy things though, so they might enjoy them. The Fritto Misto was, unfortunately, a little disappointing. The calamari were rubbery, while the eggplant probably could’ve been cooked a bit longer. I’m sure if we had said anything, they would’ve re-cooked the platter for us but we had so much, it wasn’t too big of an issue. Just important to note that in fried things, every second does count and can make or break a first impression of a dish.

Arancini

Fritto Misto platter

We then ordered the half-meter pizza to share, split between the Piccante and the Quattro Formaggi. Both kinds were wonderful as usual, and in fact this time, the Piccante had much less broccoli rabe on it, so perhaps my first pizza was an anomaly. Even with the four of us, we had about 5 pieces of pizza left. We had no room for dessert that time around either. Disney Mom Amanda A. and I shared a pitcher of Sangria, which I highly recommend if more than one person is ordering Sangria. At $8 a glass and $19 for a pitcher, we got quite a few glasses out of it and still had some left over. I think Disney Dad Bernie, Chris and Disney Mom Amanda A. shared my opinions, but you’ll have to ask them!

So overall, my impression of Via Napoli is that the pizza is up to par each and every time, but just be aware that things like fried items may vary in consistency depending on who’s in the kitchen that day. Don’t be afraid to let your server know it’s not as it should be though, everyone we’ve experienced there has been more than accommodating to every request we had. Don’t be afraid to try something new and figure out what items are your favorites! I know we’ll be making a lot more visits in the future (still haven’t brought my kids there yet!) and experiencing more of the wonderful menu Via Napoli has to offer.

Ok, so Dean Martin said love was king, but he never tried the pizza at Via Napoli now did he? I was among those lucky enough to get a taste yesterday at the Via Napoli grand opening celebration and I can’t wait to return. Of course there has been a lot of buzz about Via Napoli online since it was first announced it would join the World Showcase family of restaurants. Fears swirled that adding a new element to an existing country pavilion would disrupt the look and flow of our beloved Italy, while others felt an expansion was necessary and eagerly awaited its arrival. Me? Well, I am used to Boston pizza, where Dominoes is a 4-letter word and places like Bertucci’s once took the pizza chain restaurant up to date and into the land of the brick oven. Knowing there would now finally be a place to get authentic Neapolitan pizza in Epcot, I was a fan before I even got there.

All images not watermarked are ©Disney

Now I know, everyone just wants to know how good the pizza is, but please indulge me as I discuss what makes Via Napoli such a satisfying experience…First of all, look at the picture above – how beautiful is that? So authentic-looking and inviting, isn’t it? Before we venture inside, lets take a look at the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Epcot Vice President Dan Cockerell, Patina Group CEO Nick Valenti, legendary chef and Patina Group and founder Joachim Splichal and of course, Mickey and Minnie, in their finest Italian couture!

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Those of you regular readers here at ZannaLand know that I’m not exactly the pinnacle of proper journalistic procedure and format. I did not come to this blog by way of a former career in the media, any official training, or degrees to back me up (unless you want to count writing for the high school newspaper and those two semesters of public relations in college). This is, I’m sure, more than evident in the casual way that I share my thoughts and views here with you. I do this to connect with readers and hopefully speak to them on the same level. So it is in that same vein that I share the following pre-amble to the amazing interview I’m about to post –

If you’ve met me in real life, you also know that shy and socially awkward are probably the first two impressions that come to mind. There’s a reason I write! However, after several meetings or perhaps an adult beverage, I do mellow out and relax. That said, hanging around my fellow bloggers and media mavens, I finally get that concept of:  “What’s the worse they can say? No? Then you move on!“

So it was channeling one of those very bloggers that gave me the confidence to approach Chef Dundon after meeting him at the Raglan Road Signature Dinner and ask for an interview. As soon as I had the thought, the confidence was there and I knew I could do it. Even if he blew me off and said he was too busy, or was polite and said yes but later blew me off, I was going to DO it. So I did. And guess what? (not hard to guess reading the title of this post!) He said “That would be wonderful!” I spent the rest of the night on cloud 9, if for no other reason than I had made that next step in my new life as a purveyor of fine social media. (Like that title? I just made it up.)

Anyway, now you know the story behind the story and it is with great pleasure and honor that I present the following interview to you, my readers, and hope you enjoy it. Here’s a little more about Kevin Dundon’s background:

Kevin Dundon is the Chef/Proprietor of Dunbrody Country House Hotel & Restaurant, located in Ireland’s sunny South East. Dunbrody was established in 1997 by Kevin and his wife Catherine and has very quickly become a must-see for all foodies. It is now considered to be one of Ireland’s Premier Hotels & Restaurant. Kevin’s runs a cookery school at the hotel as well which already recognised as one of the most respected in the country. (source: KevinDundon.com)

In addition Kevin is the Chef/Patron of Raglan Road which has two locations, Downtown Disney in Orlando and Kansas City, MO. Given that Chef Dundon has cooked for none other than Her Majesty, The Queen and Bono, I think it goes without saying that Raglan Road will not disappoint. He is also author of two cookbooks: Full on Irish: Creative Contemporary Cooking and Great Family Food. Is there another in the works? Read on…

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You may remember my review of my last Tables in Wonderland experience at The Wave in Disney’s Contemporary Resort. It was so spectacular, I had to take my husband to the next event. Lucky for us both, it happened to be at Raglan Road Pub at Downtown Disney at  $115 per person, which included the entire meal and wine service as well as a signed cookbook from Chef Kevin Dundon, who would also be on hand cooking. Just looking at the menu got both of us excited since we just love Raglan Road in general. Let me recap the evening for you  – with pictures of course!

I was curious as to how we’d be seated for the night, since I knew Raglan Road did not have a closed-off area and the event was for 63 people. For those who’ve not yet been, throughout the restaurant you will find antique furnishings, grand fixtures, marble adornments, leaded glass, and ornate detailing.  The entire pub was built in Ireland then shipped to Orlando. As we arrived, the Irish band was just taking the stage.

Raglan Road is pleasing to the eye and ear from the moment you step inside.

We were taken to the Raglan Room to the left of the stage and bar. This oak-paneled room was built using original woods from an old Georgian mansion in Dublin. It was nicely intimate while still enjoying the ambiance of the rest of the venue.When we were seated, we found some nice items waiting for us.

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This is just a quick note to announce that my first (of hopefully many) articles is up at the TampaBay.com parenting blog – Whoa, Momma!

I was so honored and excited when journalists Sharon Kennedy Wynne and Sherry Robinson (also the editor of the blog) asked me to contribute, after Sharon interviewed me regarding my position on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel.

My first piece is all about the Top 5 Food Values at Walt Disney World.

Big thanks to the wonderful team at Whoa, Momma! for this opportunity and keep a watch out for future articles from me!

For those of us on twitter and facebook, this is how we recognize AJ

When first stumbling upon the Disney fan-site blog-o-sphere, one site stood out and instantly became a favorite. That would of course be the Disney Food Blog. I know I am not alone in loving this site and the wonderful person behind it, AJ Wolfe. It’s funny that since AJ has chosen to be for the most part completely anonymous on the internet, I actually spent the first 6 months or so I communicated with her, thinking she was a he! I actually think that’s a great testament to the power of her factual reporting and her blogging prowess. Of course, when I was lucky enough to meet AJ in person back in February, she couldn’t be a more stereotypically sweet and ladylike Southern lady! {Even though she’s technically a New Yorker, having only relocated to Texas a year ago – she’s just that charming!}

AJ was kind enough to let me post as a guest author on her site back when I was just getting started, and I appreciated that so much. Many of my blogging friends have contributed to her site as well, once again proving that there is no end to wonderful Disney food topics! I thought it’d be fun to get to know AJ a little better and discover some of the background behind her passions. So without further ado, here’s AJ –

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Last week on ZannaLand, I posted the menu for the Tables in Wonderland Discovery Dinner at The Wave, featuring local Florida farms and ingredients. The dinner was, in a word – exquisite. I am not a wine drinker, but I discovered that good wine, makes all the difference and actually enjoyed all the selections. The food was phenomenal, as was the personalized experience and attention to detail the Tables in Wonderland staff provided. I’m happy to share our evening with you here, in picture form…{as always, click to enlarge the photos}

Our first wine tasting, a lovely Riesling, in The Wave lounge

August Kesseler Sylvaner/Riesling, 2007, Rheingau, Germany {my favorite of the night}

Our deep fried avocado fries with chili aioli and grilled naan (on napkin)

Last night was spent in food and wine wonderland as my mom and I enjoyed the Discovery Dinner featuring local Floridian specialties at The Wave restaurant. I’m working on editing pictures and writing up a full report, but until then I thought I’d leave you with a couple of pictures to whet your appetite.

Our first wine tasting, in The Wave lounge

Our table in The Wave's private dining room

As promised, I entered all the comments for the Stonyfield Farms YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals giveaway into random.org. The winning comment was #10 – Lorna Marion. Congratulations! I’ll be contacting you for your info to receive your prize pack!

#10 was chosen!

My family has been Tables in Wonderland (formerly the Disney Dining Experience) members since its inception – when it started out as an option only for Florida residents. The program is now open to Florida residents, Annual Passholders and cast members too. Tables in Wonderland offers 20% off food and alcohol for up to 10 guests in your dining party, at select locations. The card has paid for itself in a matter of visits with the amount of table service restaurants we enjoy.

In addition to the card benefits, Tables in Wonderland also offers exquisite gourmet dining experiences throughout the year. Experiences such as dining inside The Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and other unique offerings limited to a small number of lucky diners. When I heard about the following dinner, I immediately thought how much my mom would enjoy it, and wanted to try and secure a spot as a thank you to her for all she’s done for us. I was lucky enough to get those spots, thanks to Nicole at the Tables in Wonderland team (I just emailed our info like anyone else who was interested in attending). My mom is so excited and I cannot wait to experience this with her next week!

Since I can’t wait, I thought I’d share the menu with you all so you can drool get excited too. I’m especially interested in this dinner because it features all local Florida area ingredients and specialties. In fact, we live a few towns over from one of the farms which is featuring items on the menu. Rest assured I will be taking pictures right and left and will report back after the event!

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I’m sure I’m not the first to notice this unofficial Hidden Mickey (and really it doesn’t qualify because of the oval shape of the “Mickey” head), but I never really saw it until our last visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As you walk by, the sign and portholes make their own Hidden Mickey that disappears as you walk further on.

As you walk by, Min & Bill's Dockside Diner creates a Hidden Mickey.

Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner used to sell more substantial food items and I believe sundaes, but somewhere along the line they switched over to the current menu line up of pretzels and shakes. How many actually know who “Min and Bill” are? In keeping with the original “golden age of Hollywood” that Disney first portrayed in the Studios, Min and Bill are a direct nod to the 1931 movie of the same name. Min owns a dockside hotel and Bill, the captain of a fishing boat, lives there. Just a fun nod to movie buffs, which is why my Dad always loved that park the best – the old movies he grew up loving had a new home there. For more fun, check out the cargo boxes to the left of the Dockside Diner – especially to whom the boxes are addressed. Disney IS in the details after all…