Disney4me Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 Can you feel that Mediterranean breeze blowing our way? We’re taking a trip to the brand new Disney World DVC property, Disney’s Riviera Resort, to experience dinner at Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera. Disney’s Riviera Resort Opening nightly at 5:00 PM, this rooftop restaurant features signature dining complete with fireworks views, so advance dining reservations are strongly recommended. Topolino’s Terrace is inspired by cliffside restaurants in France and Italy, and cuisine features regional mediterranean favorites. Head to the Mediterranean coast with us as we explore this brand new dining option. Topolino’s Terrace Atmosphere This restaurant is located on the rooftop of Disney’s Riviera Resort and features an outside terrace complete with amazing views of the Fireworks at Epcot and Hollywood Studios. the view from Topolino’s Terrace The outdoor patio is for dinner guests only, so unfortunately you can’t just come up and visit for a drink. The patio at Topolino’s Terrace The patio is complete with its own separate bar. Looks like the perfect setting to kick back and enjoy some libations while taking in the jaw dropping sunset. The outdoor patio bar at Topolino’s Terrace It also offers stunning views of the resort. View from the patio at Topolino’s Terrace You can see in the distance the Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. View from the outdoor patio at Topolino’s Terrace String lights adorn the patio and add a touch of romance. The indoor bar operates in similar fashion to the California Grill lounge. It is first-come, first served and guests must check in at the podium. You can return for fireworks viewing with your receipt. Indoor bar at Topolino’s Terrace Inside the restaurant, you’ll find sleek tables and booths, with large windows that’ll allow you to enjoy the beautiful view while dining on Mediterranean delights! The table settings are very simple and classic. Topolino’s Terrace While the tables and seating tend to lean towards a minimalist approach, the beauty is in the details, like the stunning ceiling light fixtures. Is that a Hidden Mickey we see? Light fixtures at Topolino’s Terrace Some of the tables even have their own sweeping chandeliers above them. Looks a bit like pasta, right? Light fixtures at Topolino’s Terrace On display, you’ll find fresh pastas, cheese, and wine (ready to indulge?)! Topolino’s Terrace | Photo Courtesy @carlyewisel You can first-hand see the hustle and bustle of the restaurant yourself with the open-air expo kitchen. Expo kitchen at Topolino’s Terrace It’s a clear contender for date night for sure! But let’s see what’s on the menu! Eats Dinner at Topolino’s Terrace offers seafood and meat dishes, handmade pasta, and desserts “infused with French and Italian flavors” in a rooftop signature dining experience. Every dish is prepared in their exclusive expo kitchen or wood-burning grill. The menu at Topolino’s Terrace The menu is broken down into several sections: Antipasto, Starters, Hand-crafted Pastas, Seafood and Meats, and Endings. The Dinner Menu at Topolino’s Terrace There is an Allergy-Friendly menu available upon request. Allergy-Friendly Menu For the little ones, they also offer a kids’ menu that features a Create-Your-Own-Meal offering. Kids Menu at Topolino’s Terrace The beverage menus feature Specialty Drinks and Cocktails, Wines, and Featured Beers. Non-Alcoholic beverages feature a selection of Mocktails in addition to a variety of Caffeinated beverages. Specialty Cocktails include the Pomegranate Paradiso with Figenza Vodka and the Modern Fashioned featuring Knob Creek Rye Whiskey. The extensive wine list features selections from all over the world, including Napa Valley and Tuscany, available by both bottle and glass. Drink menu at Topolino’s Terrace We started things off with several beverages from their Specialty Cocktails menu. First up, The Modern Fashioned. This drink features Knob Creek Rye Whiskey, Appleton Estate Reserve Blend Rum, Vanilla Bean, and Bitters. It is priced at $17.00. Modern Fashioned The coolest thing about this cocktail is the resort branded ice cube. It’s also basically straight booze, so watch out with this one! Modern Fashioned The Pomo d’Oro Cocktail features Elijah Craig 12 yr Small Batch Bourbon, Busnel VSOP Pays d’aude Calvados, Lillet Blanc, Brown Butter Tincture, and Demerara Sugar. It is priced at $18.00. This option was refreshing for a Bourbon drink and we enjoyed the light apple flavor. This is also a lighter cocktail. Pomo d’Oro Cocktail The French Rose is a refreshing cocktail featuring Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka, Combier Creme de Pamplemousse Rose Liqueur, Raspberry, Agave, Lemon and Soda Water. It is priced at $14.00. This one is very light and dangerously easy to drink. No particular flavor stood out, but overall it’s a refreshing option, perfect for an Orlando summer evening. French Rose If you’re feeling fancy, the Champagne Cocktail features Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut, Aperol, and Carpana Antica Formula Vermouth. This is the most expensive of the bunch and priced at $21.00. This is a lovely drink, but it’s got legs, too. The strongest taste is still the champagne, but the bitterness from the aperol balances out the sweetness. Champagne Cocktail Dinner started with complimentary bread service. The bread is the same you’ll get at breakfast, and made in house from a classic French recipe. Bread Service It’s intended to be served communal style, so tear a piece and pass it on. Bread Service It is served with two olive oils, one French and one Italian, which add nice flavor and depth to the fresh bread. Olive Oils For an Antipasto, we started with the Burrata con Panna. This dish features Burrata cheese, Black Winter Truffle, Italian olive oil, seed lavosh, and sea salt. It is priced at $18.00. Burrata Con Panna This was delicious and enjoyed by our entire table. What’s not to love about a giant ball of cheese? But in all seriousness, it was excellently done and we loved the Black Winter Truffle shaved on top. Burrata con Panna We also chose the Gnocchi from the Antipasto menu. This dish features duck confit (YUM), pesto bianco, garden kale, and pine nuts. It is priced at $16.00. Gnocchi We went NUTS over this dish. The duck confit is ridiculously wonderful and full of flavor, obvi. Gnocchi Next up? The Ricotta from the Antipasto menu, of course — and on our server’s recommendation. The dish features tomato, aged balsamic, cracked pepper, basil, and Epi (the special in-house bread). It is priced at $14.00. Ricotta The highlight of this dish was emulsified tomato in the form of a chutney. The whole dish was enjoyable, but unless your table is very hungry, we’d suggest sticking with the gnocchi and one cheese option. Ricotta Antipasto For the Starters course, we went with the Escargot en Coquilles and the Winter Pumpkin Ravioli. The Escargot en Coquilles is classic baked escargot with butter, garlic, lemon, and parsley. It is priced at $17.00. Escargot This is your classic presentation of the dish. Straightforward and swimming in garlicky deliciousness with the snails prepared to a perfect texture. Escargot Those of us who are escargot fans devoured these! But note that if you don’t have escargot devotees in your party, there’s nothing here to hide the truth of this dish. They’re even served in snail shells. So…maybe not the best option for a first-time escargot newbie. Escargot The Winter Pumpkin Ravioli has wild mushroom conserva, brodo, and pumpkin seed oil. It is priced at $16.00…and it’s BEAUTIFUL. Don’t you just want to dive into that? Winter Pumpkin Ravioli The broth in this dish was absolutely divine. It was full of a rich flavor and we even dipped some of our leftover bread in it. Winter Pumpkin Ravioli Note that this one is very similar in presentation to the Goat Cheese Ravioli at California Grill, so if you’re eating as a duo, they may be able to split one into two different plates for you! Of the Hand-crafted Pastas, we went for all four dishes, of course! Pastas The Bucatini is served with Pomodoraccio tomatoes, basil, Calabrian chiles (yessss), and Pecorino Toscano. It is priced at $30.00. Bucatini This was the lightest of the pasta options. It was very fresh with the basil and tomatoes, but we noticed the tiniest bit of spice thanks to those chiles. Bucatini The Rigatoni is served with a braised chicken sugo, dandelion greens, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. It is priced at $32.00. Rigatoni This was a big ol’ bowl of comfort food! The chicken tasted like dark meat to us — REALLY flavorful. The sauce was thick, creamy, and tasted great — and the cheese on top really set this off. Rigatoni The Linguine Scampi is served with shrimp, San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, lemon, Italian olive oil, verbena, and bottarga. It is priced at $36.00. Linguine Scampi The shrimp were cooked peeeeerfectly here. The sauce was deceptively rich with a lingering spice! We really loved this dish. Linguine Scampi The Herb Fettuccine is served with cockles, mussels, squid, vino blanco, lemon, and pesto Genovese. It is the most expensive of the bunch at $40.00. Herb Fettuccine This was a HUGE portion! Our shellfish were perfectly cooked. The squid was well cooked but a tad chewy (it IS squid and all!). The sauce tasted so fresh and fantastic. Herb Fettuccine This was one of our table’s favorites! Now here’s an interesting diversion. Before our next course we were brought little hand towelettes, which kind of DIY ;-D. DIY hand towelette Simply pick it up and drop it into one of the little water-filled wells in this fancy contraption… Towelette Contraption …and then your towel plumps up with water to clean your fingers before your main course! Fancy. Plumped Towelette For the Seafood and Meats course, we first ordered the Tomahawk Veal Chop with Potato-Torpedo Onion Gratin and Lemon-Veal Jus, because it’s the law to order any Tomahawk cut that exists on a menu (IMHO). This one was $52. Tomahawk Veal Chop This was truly delicious. Perfectly cooked and excellent flavor. And the potatoes were NEXT LEVEL with all that cheesy-oniony goodness. This is comfort food at its finest. Potato-Torpedo Onion Gratin Now the price tag is significant, but the cut — a Tomahawk — is substantial. This was worth the price in our “Disney steakhouse context” opinion. We also ordered the Bouillabaisse with Red Snapper, Branzino, Cockles, Mussels, Fennel, and Epi with Saffron Rouille. Cost on this was $48. Bouillabiasse Here’s a close-up of that gorgeous Saffron Rouille that came with the bread for dipping. Saffron Rouille This one is another lighter dish that would be perfect for an Orlando summer date night. The Saffron Rouille was the bomb here when it came to flavor, and the fish and seafood were tender and tasty. This was the favorite of the night for one of our taste-testers. (Minus the squid. Our table was NOT in the mood for chewy squid tonight.) Now, this one was pricey as well, but for a seafood fan it’s a no-brainer. Moving on to DESSERT! The menu wasn’t too compelling — lots of standard Disney signature restaurant-type desserts here… Topolino’s Terrace Signature Dessert Menu Dessert Menu Digestifs and Dessert Wines Coffee and Tea …but FORGET WE SAID THAT. Because WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE! First, let’s DISCUSS the House Fromage Board with Artisanal Cheeses, Mostarda, Preserves, and Seed Lavosh for $18. Cheese Cart!!! Tableside Cheese Cart OK wow. This one is served table-side and LOOK at the size of those portions! Cheese Board…hubba hubba Our cheeses were Montegrappa from Italy, Pecorino Camomilla from Italy, Brunet from Italy, Saint Andre from France, and Roquefort from France. Cheese close-ups This was a great mixture of savory and sweet to end the meal, and we loved the gooseberries! Cheese accompaniments And the Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Caramel Center, Chantilly, and Raspberries for $14 was a thing of beauty. This reminds us a little of the Chocolate Souffle on Disney Cruise Line…except with CARAMEL! Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake with Caramel Center, Chantilly, and Raspberries This one is crazy rich, and — in Disney signature meal parlance — a nod to the volcanoes of Italy. This is definitely a sharing dessert — it would be tough to eat alone after a rich meal. CARAMELLLLLL Finally, the Profiteroles — Chocolate, Caramel, and Pistachio Gelato for $13. Hello there, little bundles of yum that don’t at all look like the sad little weak profiteroles we were expecting!!! These bbs are ROBUST! Profiteroles Salted caramel was our winner, flavor-wise; and the pistachio is the lightest — yummy because it’s not quite as rich. The Gelato is from Muse — a local Orlando company. Profiterole We ended the meal with a lovely — and very necessary — Espresso! Espresso Fireworks Viewing OK, let’s talk entertainment. Throughout the evening, we were able to see fireworks shows happening at Hollywood Studios and Epcot. Stunning, but a little far away, they did offer a little diversion — though not nearly as substantial or destination-worthy as California Grill’s close-up Magic Kingdom show. Hollywood Studios Fireworks Unfortunately, no fireworks soundtrack was piped in during our evening. But the best show view was definitely at Epcot. Epcot Fireworks View Just like at California Grill, you can return to the restaurant with your receipt to see the fireworks in the evening if you dined earlier. Epcot Fireworks View Overall If you’re looking for a top notch dining experience with an inviting atmosphere and jaw dropping views, Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera, is the spot for you. The menu is inventive yet approachable with safe options for even the pickiest of eaters. Service was impeccable and what we’ve come to expect from Disney’s Signature Dining locations. Now, as for timeframe, our meal was LONG, but we ordered a ton of food. Our wonderful server said that most tables are turning in 90 minutes or so. So know that you can have an experience if that’s what you’re looking for — if you’re in for a leisurely date night or celebratory meal. But if you have little ones who need to get to bed, you can move through a meal here quickly. But I know your REAL question is: Where does this fall on the signature dining rankings in Disney World? Our reviewers are adamant that this is a recommended fancy-dinner-opportunity. One reviewer noted that Jiko will always be her ride-or-die, but that this trumps California Grill for her. Another noted that Topolino’s is recommended, and that the resort as a whole is destination-worthy to check out. The cocktails were excellent, the food was fresh and innovative, and, again, we have to compliment the service. Discounts include Annual Passholder, Disney Vacation Club member, Club 33 member, and Golden Oak residents. There are no cast member discounts as of now. For those on the Disney Dining Plan, dinner here requires 2 table service credits. Note that, on the Disney Dining Plan, guests will get to choose one option from Pasta or Entrees, plus Dessert, plus Drink. The Deluxe Dining Plan guests also get to choose between one Starter or one Antipasti. Advanced Dining Reservations are now open on the Walt Disney World Website and by calling (407) WDW-DINE. Do you plan on dining at Topolino’s Terrace on your next Walt Disney World vacation? Let us know! Related posts: Full Dinner Menu Pricing Revealed for Disney’s Riviera Resort’s Upcoming Topolino’s Terrace! Review! Let’s Do Breakfast AND Lunch at Disney’s Riviera Resort’s Primo Piatto! Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Disney’s NEW Riviera Resort View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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