Trattoria Al Forno – WDWNT Archive

REVIEW: Trattoria Al Forno Bon Voyage Character Breakfast Brings Tangled & Little Mermaid Couples to the Table

WDWNT on April 6, 2017

On Sunday, April 2nd, 2017, Trattoria Al Frono at Disney’s Boardwalk began serving a daily character breakfast instead of standard fare that they have had since opening a few years ago. Trattoria is a horrendously bad Italian restaurant for dinner, but featured a surprisingly great breakfast service despite that reputation. Sadly, that menu is now gone, replaced for the “Bon Voyage Breakfast at Trattoria Al Forno”.

The character dining experience costs $34 for adults, $20 for children. Please note: Disney Characters join guests for breakfast only. Character appearances are subject to change. Tables in Wonderland discounts and the Disney Dining Plan are accepted as well.

Upon check-in, guests are greeted by a pop-up shop of sorts, selling Princess merchandise. This is pretty much a first for a character meal, and does feel a bit cheap. That being said, I get it. Some family will probably impulse buy a dress for a cute picture, and it isn’t the world’s worst idea.

The interior of Trattoria Al Forno isn’t my favorite, as it is often quite dark and reminds me of Olive Garden, which provides me with marinara sauce PTSD upon sight.

The main event here is characters. Each of the four meet at tables individually and make separate, musical entrances into the restaurant before doing their meet and greet rounds. At various times, small parades with the characters and guests happen through the aisles, marching along to either Tangled of The Little Mermaid tunes. Yes, napkins are twirled in the air.

The characters offered are Ariel, Prince Eric, Rapunzel, and Flynn Rider (or Eugene). Our interactions with them were very nice, despite the fact that we were a table of grown men with large cameras asking to take pictures of the characters by themselves. If we could acquire a decent and lengthy interaction, that certainly you normal people can as well.

Before we get to the food, I want to talk about the atmosphere set by the background music. With adventure as the theme, the Bon Voyage event offers a music loop including songs from the Soarin’ queue, DINOSAUR, the Rocketeer, and more in the realm of inspiring scores. The music achieves the theme nicely, but feels out of place inside the soup, salad, and breadsticks aesthetic. Occasionally, the music changes to songs from the Tangled and Little Mermaid films, as you might expect, but only as and after the characters make their entrances.

Moving on to the meal, breakfast begins with your choice of a mixed berry parfait or fresh fruit salad, but also a frying pan of pastries featuring braided breakfast bread and clam shell pastries.

The twist was covered in chocolate chips, the clam shells were cherry turnovers, the Sun icon in the center was made of pastry crust, and the muffins were vanilla (despite being rainbow colored) and blueberry in variety.

The cherry turnover was the favorite of the table for the fresh jelly inside. It wasn’t the thick, gelatinous goo you find in most other Walt Disney World pastries. The chocolate chip twist was also very good, and the other desserts were standard fare, but all delicious.

As stated above, you also get a choice of fruit plate or yogurt parfait. Both are fine and what you would expect them to be, a nice way to start the meal. Each is topped with a small, decorative sugar cookie.

The main menu for adults is as follows:

“Shipwreck al Forno”
Calzone with scrambled Eggs, Soppressata, Bacon, Sausage,
Blend of Cheeses and Sunday Gravy

“Golden Frittata”
Prosciutto di Parma, Piquillo Peppers, Green Onion,
Pecorino Romano and Roasted Potatoes

“Tangled Eggs”
Tomato & Basil Scrambled Eggs,
Fresh Mozzarella, Sunday Gravy and Roasted Potatoes

“Two Eggs Poached Under Water”
House-made Fennel sausage, Parmesan, and Sunday Gravy
over Golden Polenta and Toasted Ciabatta

“Tower of Pancakes”
Seasonal Buttermilk Pancakes with Bacon or Sausage

“Royal Breakfast”
Oak-Grilled Steak, Cheesy Egg Torte, Asparagus,
Crispy Onions and Roasted Potatoes

“Swimmers di ‘light’”
Smoked Salmon Egg White Omelet with Spinach, Mushrooms,
Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Roasted potatoes

Here’s a look at the full menu below, including specialty and alcoholic beverages:

The Italian Ice Coffee is a holdover from the old breakfast menu which I really enjoy and recommend if you want a sweet, caffeinated start to your morning.

There are four breakfast options for kids as well. While we didn’t have a kids meal, they are either something standard like a Mickey Waffle or egg white omelet, and we will cover the steak and pancakes as adult entrees later in this review.

Despite still offering a Buzz Lightyear Punch, the glowing clip-on toy that comes with the drink here is Pascal, new to Disney Parks. To my knowledge, it is not available anywhere else. Our waitress was nice enough to just give me one with my meal when I inquired about obtaining one, even though I am almost thirty years old…

Kids (and kids at heart) can also have fun filling out an Adventure Journal that they will find at their table.

The Chinese Theater actually made it in to the artwork, which made me happy.

Alright, lets move on to the entrees…

“Shipwreck al Forno”

Calzone with scrambled Eggs, Soppressata, Bacon, Sausage, Blend of Cheeses and Sunday Gravy

The dish initially comes out with “King Triton’s Trident” in it, which the server then immediately removes. Apparently a large fork is considered more dangerous than a steak knife which is provided to most ordering food.

The portion is massive and the flavor is there, but I can’t imagine why this is a breakfast item. Nothing about this screams “what I want to eat at 9am”. I’m not sure Italians eat calzones for breakfast and this Italian American certainly never has. Either way it is good, but you need to be in the mood for a calzone and come very hungry if you are looking to conquer “the beast incarnate”.

“Tower of Pancakes”

Seasonal Buttermilk Pancakes with Bacon or Sausage

The pancakes are a tall order and they are quite thick. Apparently, the fruit used in the topping will change seasonally, but it was strawberry today. The compote was quite tasty with the pancakes, but otherwise they were the big, dry flapjacks you have come to expect at most Disney World eateries.

“Royal Breakfast”

Oak-Grilled Steak, Cheesy Egg Torte, Asparagus, Crispy Onions and Roasted Potatoes

Another large meal, the Royal Breakfast is Trattoria’s take on steak and eggs. The steak was fine, the potatoes and onions tasty, but the real winner was the cheesy egg torte which was delicious.

OVERALL

Trattoria Al Forno, cuisine-wise, falls somewhere in the middle when compared to other breakfast offerings on property. It’s not the best, and its not the worst, but it gets the job done. The pastries were fantastic, the fruit and yogurt parfait are fine, and the entrees are edible. Chances are, you will be coming here for the characters and not the food anyway, so it’s probably nice to know that you can at least digest their food, unlike Chef Mickey’s in most cases. The Bon Voyage Breakfast is a fine option (if you can actually find a reservation for it). While I miss the former breakfast menu, I understand the need for more Princess character dining and this is one of the better ones at least.

Trattoria Al Forno Restaurant Opens Today at Disney’s Boardwalk

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla – Featuring authentic flavors of Italy’s diverse regions – wood-fired pizzas, house-made pastas, hand-crafted mozzarella, imported charcuterie and cheese and a 100 percent Italian wine list – Trattoria al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort is inspired by farms in the Italian countryside with an open kitchen and family-friendly dining rooms.

Trattoria al Forno opens Dec. 18, 2014, at Walt Disney World Resort.

“Trattoria al Forno is true Italian cooking,” says Chef Lenny DeGeorge, executive chef, Concept Development, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. “We’ve challenged ourselves to come up with authentic recipes that will wow our guests – this restaurant is the next chapter in Disney dining.”

The space along the popular boardwalk is completely new, including several smaller dining spaces and a new wood-and-gas burning oven for grilling meats and fish and creating crisp Neapolitan-style pizzas. “Al forno” is Italian for “food baked in an oven,” and Trattoria al Forno will feature pizzas in the classic style of Naples, Italy, with simple tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella.

It’s the attention to quality and detail that sets Trattoria al Forno apart, says DeGeorge. “We’ve got an authentic prosciutto slicer, we’re making cavatelli pasta in-house, pickling peppers, making mozzarella, and serving spectacular pizza pies.”

Interior Showcases Love of Food, Family

Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Parks Food & Beverage Concept Development have crafted a backstory that builds upon the Disney legacy of storytelling and originality.

“The Trattoria al Forno story was inspired by the authentic Italian menu and the rich storytelling of the turn-of-the-century boardwalk setting,” says Missy Renard, Walt Disney Imagineering resorts art director.

The story holds that an Italian family ran a modest tavern and boarding house on the boardwalk, which expanded over the years into a popular restaurant. The menu’s mix of authentic and innovative dishes supports the story of the restaurant being handed down, with each generation adding their own touches to the meals and the restaurant’s design.

The new restaurant is arranged as a series of separate rooms, starting with the original Entrata, or entrance, where the story begins. An arched brick wall with an aged keystone medallion anchors the room and introduces the traditional building materials used throughout the restaurant. Along the back wall, a custom wine cabinet displays authentic regional wines offered on the menu. Vintage family photos line the walls and introduce the generational story. The color palette throughout is inspired by the fresh ingredients used to make the flavorful dishes.

“As the restaurant was growing, boardinghouse rooms were converted into additional dining spaces,” explains Renard. “There are four distinct dining rooms, with furnishings, finishes and lighting relating to the character of each original boarding house room.”

The first room, the Cucina, is designed as the eat-in kitchen for the boarding house guests. The forno, or oven, with its rustic wood mantle and copper hood, is the centerpiece. Next is the Sala da Pranzo, the formal dining room, which showcases the family’s fine silver, glassware and eclectic china in a grand hutch, with two crystal chandeliers above in the vaulted ceiling.

“The finishes are more opulent – carpet, draperies, settee-style seating and a communal table in front of the show kitchen,” says Renard.

The Sala da Pranzo leads into Salotto, or living room, of the old boarding house, now a dining area with tufted circular booths and upholstered chairs, and photos of vintage Italian market scenes decorating the walls. Finally, the Taverna is a secluded dining area located in the structure’s original tavern, where the mirrored back bar still hangs in front of exposed brick walls.

“The three main dining rooms are open to the show kitchen and to each other, but the styling differences in each create individual dining experiences,” says Renard. “The result is a combination of intimate and lively dining spaces with a tailored progression of storytelling.”

Classic Italian Cuisine

Trattoria al Forno showcases Old World techniques, including handcrafted mozzarella made daily and served with local heirloom tomatoes, cavatelli pasta (small shapes that resemble hot dog buns) and genuine Neapolitan-style pizzas baked in wood-burning ovens. A beautiful Italian flywheel slicer slices paper-thin Italian meats, served with a variety of olives and crisp bread.

Italy is just half the size of Texas but has wonderfully diverse cuisine, and Trattoria Al Forno will showcase dishes from Italy’s various regions – for instance, veal Marsala from Sicily, pizza from Campania, spaghetti alla carbonara from Lazio, Parmigiano Reggiano from Emilio-Romagna and risotto from Lombardy. Add classic Italian desserts with an after-dinner cappuccino for a perfect ending.

Chef Dee Foundoukis, who heads up the kitchen, says the chicken Parmesan is thinly pounded, cooked to order and served with fresh tagliatelle pasta. Whole fish is grilled and fileted tableside. The 16-ounce T-bone steak is served Florentine-style with a simple brush of herb oil. Ciabatta is made in-house. “We’re sourcing locally and making as much in our own kitchen as possible,” says Foundoukis.

Foundoukis says she is most proud of her “Sunday gravy,” a simple tomato sauce made with tomatoes, chicken stock, fennel, herbs and a dash of red pepper flakes – the perfect base for spaghetti and 100 percent beef meatballs. The restaurant’s beef Bolognese is a tender, stewed pot roast.

Italian-Style Breakfast

Waffles with espresso-mascarpone cream . . . caramel apple crumb pancakes . . . poached eggs with fennel sausage, Parmesan and tomato gravy over soft polenta . . . press-pot coffee . . . the breakfast menu at the new Trattoria al Forno offers American favorites along with some classic Italian tastes.

“Fresh ingredients are key,” says Foundoukis. “You can get a classic American breakfast with bacon and eggs, but we wanted to offer some Italian tastes, too.” Like the frittata and the scrambled eggs with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. Or cured Italian meats with tomatoes, hard-boiled egg and cheese with fonduta, a warm, cheesy sauce for dipping bread.

Simple flavors include vanilla-blueberry steel-cut oatmeal with maple syrup, seasonal fresh fruit and a granola yogurt parfait with berries.

Wines, Craft Cocktails

Wine with food is a way of life in Italy, and Trattoria al Forno’s wine list “takes guests on a historic journey through the Italian wine regions,” says Jason Cha-Kim, beverage manager for Disney Parks & Resorts.

“It’s unusual to have a 100 per cent Italian wine list,” says Cha-Kim, who curated a list of about 70 wines from Italy’s 20 wine regions. “From Tuscany, we describe Chiantis and Super Tuscans,” says Cha-Kim. “From Piedmont, Barolo and Moscato d’Asti . . . and we offer wines from regions that some guests may not be familiar with, so we add a description for every single wine, along with the region and grape varietal.”

Signature cocktails and Italian beers and sodas round out the drink menu, with a signature-blend Italian coffee roasted just for Trattoria al Forno.

Trattoria al Forno is open 7:30 a.m.-11 a.m. for breakfast, 5 p.m.-10 p.m. for dinner, and accepts the Disney Dining Plan. For reservations, call 407-WDW-DINE or www.disneyworld.com/dine.

Tag: Trattoria Al Forno