Via Napoli, Italy Pavilion, Epcot

In Which Jay and Bendy Roll the Dining Dice and End Up with a Cheese Baby!!!

Although Jay and I do enjoy pizza ... and in my case that's an understatement because I could eat pizza every day of my life and never grow weary of it ... we do not usually eat it while we're on vacation since it's something so readily and tastily available at home. But people whose opinion we value kept telling us that Via Napoli, which just opened its doors in August of this year, was serving up some terrific "authentic" Italian-style pizza at Epcot that would make our bellies very happy. Added to that was the lure of their reportedly strong, tasty sangria, available by the pitcher.

Pizza and fruity wine?

What's not to like?

The only potential problem - and considering how wacked the food scene is at Disney during the Food & Wine Festival it was a big problem - was that we didn't have a reservation for Via Napoli because it wasn't on my dining radar before we left Stinktown. If we were going to sample their wares it was going to have to be an early lunchtime visit during the week; in our experience that's about the only time guests without reservations can nab a table at some of the more popular Epcot eateries. On this particular day we were supposed to have visited the Animal Kingdom and then popped over to Sanaa so Jay could enjoy some spicy African-themed cuisine. But we never made it there for a whole host of reasons and that's how we found ourselves in Via Napoli's lobby about ten minutes before they opened for business, asking if there were any way we could have a table for two.

Imagine our happy surprise when the young lady behind the reception desk told us it would be no problem. We were among some of the first guests seated that afternoon, and found ourselves near the back of a very large restaurant at a two-fer table next to a frescoed wall. Via Napoli is bright and open and airy with charming touches designed to make it seem as if guests really are in Italy - terra cotta floors, hand-painted tiles, and the above-mentioned frescoes. But the best design element in the entire place is the wood-fired ovens in which they cook the pizzas. Each oven has been named for one of Italy's famous, or infamous, volcanoes: Stromboli, Vesuvio, and Etna.

Lobby chandelier


Restaurant section we were seated in


Stromboli


Vesuvio takes a punch!


Etna ... belching fiyah!


We had a terrific, friendly serving team - an experienced server as well as a new staff-member he was training. They made some great suggestions and seemed thrilled that Jay and I were going to share a pitcher of sangria, which they both told us was "just like it is at home."

All I can say is wherever those guys are from, they make some damn fine sangria!!

Sangria ... so good!


Because it sounded really refreshing, and our vegetable intake was somewhat lacking on this trip, we split a house salad which included a mix of fresh greens, tomatoes, peppers, and olives with a red wine vinaigrette. I picked around the olives and peppers but thought this was a great start to our meal - the greens were truly fresh and really tasted good while the vinaigrette added a nice tartness. And gawd bless them for not drowning the salad with it, but just lightly drizzling it over the top before tossing everything together. It was perfect!

You don't win friends with salad ...


There was never any doubt that we would share a pizza, but I would like to let everyone know that there are plenty of non-pizza options on Via Napoli's menu. I do think it's important to note, however, that this place is first and foremost a pizzeria - if your primary crave is for pasta I really think you should go next door to Tutto Italia. That's just my take on the Italian dining situation at Epcot and I'm sticking with it! Having said that, Jay and I ordered a large Quattro Formaggi - a wood fired four-cheese pizza made with mozzarella, parmesan, fontina, and provolone.

The portion size was huge for two people, but somehow we managed to put it all away which was why, at the end of the meal, we joked that we were both going to give birth to a cheese baby. And as for taste ... this was honestly one of the best pizzas we've had in a long, long time. The crust was light and crispy while the cheeses blended together in a tangy, flavorful baked pool of goo that made my toes curl with happiness.

Quattro Formaggi


Cheesy does it!!


We're convinced ... Via Napoli is the real deal - tasty, simple food; great service; and a casual, relaxed atmosphere. As long as they stick with their current formula it should be a very successful operation because the menu and setting will likely please just about anyone who walks in the door be they kids or adults. If you love pizza, the next time you visit WDW you have got to give this place a try ... I dare you to be disappointed!

An Illuminations Cruise ... For Us???

Sunday, October 10th, Disney's Yacht Club Marina - Sometimes Life Keeps the Lemons and Smacks You Over the Head with a Free Fireworks Cruise Instead.

And now for something completely different ... in which there is no food or booze.

You have been warned.

I had this great, sappy post written about the reasons that Jay and I enjoy spending so much time vacationing at Walt Disney World ... then I re-read it, promptly gagged on my own bile, and hit the delete key faster than you could ask, "Who farted pixie dust?" The truth of the matter is that we visit WDW so often because we have ridiculous fun and are able to spend time with great friends there, all the while drinking like fools and eating like pigs.

Ahem.

But sometimes, when you least expect it, a wee bit of magic creeps into your trip. The most wonderful surprises, some very small and others capable of taking your breath away, can fall into your lap at any given moment ... even the laps of snarky old curmudgeons like us. Which leads me to the the tale of how, while enjoying a leisurely stroll around Crescent Lake one beautiful evening, Jay and I were approached by a cast member who worked at the Yacht Club Marina.

"Hey guys," he said with a smile. "Do you have any plans tonight?"

Well, that certainly got our attention. A number of thoughts zipped through my mind including: "I shouldn't have worn the 'I Don't Bite' t-shirt ... this dude thinks we're swingers!" Luckily Jason was much more calm and rational than me; he shrugged and replied, "We're just out for a stroll to enjoy this amazing weather."

"Would you like to take an Illuminations Cruise?"

Whaaaaaa - ?

For years one of the fondest wishes of my greedy little vacation heart has been to take an Illuminations Cruise, but like so many WDW specialty tours they are expensive; Jay and I usually opt to spend our vacation funds on items of a more chewable and drinkable nature. We looked at each other again while the cast member waited for our answer and then I blurted out, "Sure we'd like to take an Illuminations Cruise, but how much will it cost?"

Crass, yes; but better to know the toll upfront than to find yourself out in the middle of the lake $350 (plus gratuity!) short and with no way to access your ATM.

"No charge; it's free."

This time Jay and I exchanged the raised eyebrow look with each other, the one that means: you're not falling for this, right?

The cast member laughed. "There's no catch, I promise. The family that had the cruise booked for this evening called us and said they were too tired to keep their reservation. Since the boat's ready to go it's yours if you want it."

Jeebus pleezus ... of course we want it!

And just like that, with a whole lot of "wow, thanks!" and "really? we can't thank you enough!" we were boarding a pontoon boat that seats up to ten guests and pulling out of the marina into the middle of Crescent Lake on our way to Epcot. We obviously weren't prepared for picture taking, so the few photographs I have to share aren't the best quality but they do offer a glimpse into what it's like to experience an Illuminations Cruise. I don't know why this cast member honed in on Jay and me when there were so many people wandering around the marina and boardwalk that evening but we will always be grateful for the gift he gave us. Illuminations has always been our favorite fireworks show and having the opportunity to watch it on the lake together like this was amazing - we will never forget this night and the good karma that was visited upon us by the great and glorious vacation gods!

Pinch us!


It's the Boardwalk ...


Following the Friendship into Epcot ...


I think that's the bridge between England & France!


Yep; definitely the bridge. And the other boats left us a parking spot!


You better pinch us once more ...


England ... the lower tier of the Rose & Crown


More England ... sucks to be on land, huh?


This is way cooler than being at home getting ready to go back to work!


The globe ...


The after-effects with all the fireworks fallout in the air.

Serendipity 3; Sleazer's Palace, Las Vegas

You Scream, I Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream ... Or a Frrrrrrrrozen Variation Thereof.

Like so many Vegas establishments, Serendipity 3 is a Sin City transplant. The original New York eatery has been in business since 1954 and is famous-amos for its Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. I have no idea when they opened a location in Vegas, nor do I know why, but once I had a chance to review their menu it was a foregone conclusion that Jay and I were going to pay our respects.

Serendipity is located in the Caesar's Palace complex, but is not inside the hotel; it's a free-standing building situated on the upper terrace along Las Vegas Boulevard. There are bright pink and orange awnings and banners along the facade, and pink stairs leading up from the strip to the restaurant's main entrance. There is a full service dining room that serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert along with a well-stocked bar for the thirsty among us. Serendipity also has a couple of quick service windows where patrons can order their famous desserts to go.

Since Jay and I had just finished a lengthy and very satisfying lunch at Mesa Grill there was no reason for us to go inside; the weather was fantastic so we ordered some frrrozen delights "to go" and enjoyed them on the terrace. I went with the traditional Frrrozen Hot Chocolate which blends 20 different types of chocolate into an unbelievably decadent, icy cocoa drink. Jay opted for the Peanut Butter Frrrozen Hot Chocolate ... same as the original with peanut butter cups thrown in for good measure.

Stop waving and order something!


Can't miss it ... once you know what you're looking for!


It's like an ice cream shrine ...

Original Frrrozen Hot Chocolate to the left; Peanut Butter to the right.

It's not often that a chocolate drink will leave me speechless, but this one did. I have never tasted such an amazing blend of rich chocolate flavor in my life and with the addition of peanut butter it actually approached nirvana. I can't speak to the food they serve at the restaurant, but this dessert totally lived up to the hype and I would recommend it to any of you chocolate lovers out there the next time you're in Vegas or New York.

And if you really feel like splurging when you visit Serendipity, order their $1,000 Opulence Sundae which has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most expensive dessert. It's supposedly served in a crystal goblet and includes five scoops of Tahitian Vanilla ice cream, rare chocolates, and exotic fruits; it is finished off with edible gold leaf. All I ask is that you take lots of pictures and write a review if you decide to dive into this dessert delight!!

Stratta; Wynn, Las Vegas

Stratta: A Casserole? A Quiche? A Bread Pudding? A Pretentious, Overrated Not-So-Goodtime-Fun-Eatery? You be the Judge!!

A last ditch effort for a final cheese plate led me to ask Jay if we could stop here for a drink and a snack one night. We'd had such great success doing this at the now defunct Boulud's that I, for one, just assumed that great food, service, and atmosphere would be waiting for us again.

Welcome to disappointment.

Population: Us.

Stratta is billed as an Italian-style eatery; they are open for lunch and dinner, as well as late night, and maybe that explains why we thought their menu was so boring. The restaurant itself seemed rather small to us and it is open on all sides to the casino and main hallway that leads from the Wynn to the Encore. Their bar struck us as small and cramped - just a bar and nothing more. While there are tables all around the area that might make a person think that's part of Stratta's so-called lounge, we were informed by a rather snooty young lady that those tables were for paying customers.

Oh?

Do patrons at the bar eat and drink for free? 'Cause if they do sign us up and call us regulars!

She had to backtrack rather awkwardly then and explain that those tables were being used for dinner patrons and if we didn't have a reservation our only option was to sit at the bar ... where we unfortunately still had to pay for our food and booze.

View from the casino / lobby


The bartender was over-worked but tried his best - and he did make a pretty good drink. One of us ordered a Capri Cooler: Grey Goose Citron, Limoncello, Ginger Beer, Lemon Juice, and Basil leaves; while the other ordered a Pear Cosmopolitan: Absolut Pear Vodka, St. Germain, White Cranberry juice, and Lime. Both drinks were refreshing while packing a nice punch, but I preferred the Capri Cooler just a bit more because it wasn't quite as sweet as the Pear Cosmo.

Capri Cooler


Pear Cosmopolitan


The menu listed the cheese plate as a selection of artisan cheeses with a seasonal compote and warm cranberry-pistachio bread. We received a cheddar, a pepper cheese, and a blue cheese along with what looked like chunky applesauce and some very pretty, very nutty bread. So much for Eye-Talian inspired cuisine ... there's not a single cheese on that plate that can trace its milk of origin to Italy. This was, without a doubt, the lamest, least inspired cheese plate we tried during the whole trip.

Cheese plate with bread slugs ...


I honestly don't know what else to say. With the exception of Daniel Boulud's restaurant, all of our experiences with restaurant staff at the Wynn were mildly unpleasant to downright infuriating. We were amazed at the difference in staff demeanor between the Wynn and Encore considering that they are "sister" hotels and thanks to that noticeable difference the next time we are in Vegas we will not be frequenting any establishments at the Wynn. They may be under the impression that their shat don't stank, but I'm here to tell 'em different!

Terrace Pointe Cafe; Wynn, Las Vegas

When You're too Lazy to Leave the Hotel and too Cheap to Order Room Service, Terrace Pointe Cafe will Do in a Pinch.

Terrace Pointe Cafe is located pool-side at the Wynn - it offers indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the pool and gardens and serves breakfast and lunch daily. Jay and I stopped in one day after spending the morning at the pool - we were hungry but didn't want anything too extravagant or filling because later in the evening we had plans to dine at The Mansion. The cafe is very bright and welcoming and they must serve some of the best waffles in Vegas because even though it was lunchtime it seemed like someone at every table was chowing down on a monster serving of Belgian's with a can of whipped cream on the side.

We ordered hummus and pita bread to start and then had some cheese sliders and fish tacos, all of which was washed down with a couple of beers. The food was plain old fine - nothing spectacular and nothing awful - and the service was terrific. There's not much else for me to say about this location - it's convenient if you happen to be visiting or staying at the Wynn or Encore, but we wouldn't go out of our way to dine there again. Maybe we would feel differently if one of us had ordered waffles!

Humina, humina, hummus!


Slip sliding awaaaaay ....


Generous serving of fries that neither of us wanted.


Fish tacos, with Mahi to be specific.