Here’s part 2 of my Disney World review. On our second night at Disney World we ate at Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano at Hollywood Studios. We were lucky enough to get a 4:30 reservation with the Fantasmic package. This package includes lunch or dinner and vouchers for guaranteed seating at the Fantasmic show in a reserved seating area. Since we were all on the meal plan the Fantasmic package was included with our table service credit so it was a really great deal.
The Backstory
Like all Disney restaurants, Mama Melrose’s has a colorful backstory. It seems that one day a young girl from Sicily came to Hollywood to become a famous actress. However, after making her family’s secret recipes for her starving actor friends, she figured out her real talent was in cooking. She decided to open a restaurant in a vacant backlot warehouse filled with old movie props and posters. She became so famous they nicknamed her Mama Melrose and there you have it. The restaurant looks like your traditional Italian restaurant with dark wood, brick walls and dim lighting. It has a very cozy feel and all the decorations come from….you guessed it……movie props and posters.
The Service
We were seated within 10 minutes of arriving, which I thought was very good considering the entryway was packed with people waiting for their tables to be ready. We had a very knowledgeable and friendly waitress who knew everything about the allergy menu. Since we had other dietary restrictions, including corn, that weren’t on the menu, the chef still came out to speak with us. Honestly though, I would have felt perfectly safe taking the advice of the waitress if we only had gluten issues at the table.
The Food
The waitress brought out a plate of gluten free rolls with dipping oil, which everyone liked, while we figured out what to order. I decided on the wood grilled chicken and penne pasta. It came with a four cheese sauce that was very creamy and rich. The pasta was done al dente, which is the way I like it.
My son had the spaghetti bolognese which he really liked and said was not too spicy.
My mother in law had the saltimbocca which was pork tenderloin topped with prosciutto and fontina cheese with mashed potatoes and broccolini on the side. It looked absolutely delicious and she loved it.
With the meal plan we had the option of getting either a salad or dessert but since we’d eaten here before I knew they had a gluten free flourless chocolate cake that was my favorite gluten free dessert in all of Disney, so no salad for me! Since there were no dessert options for my niece, the chef offered to make her a special lemon sorbet that he had been working on, which wasn’t on the regular allergy menu. I felt as though the staff here really knew what they were talking about and tried to go the extra mile in pleasing us.
Overall Impressions
Being an Italian family we have very high standards for Italian restaurants. I have to say Mama Melrose’s did not disappoint. The food was so good that we all stuffed ourselves and practically rolled out of the restaurant. Of course everything was up to Disney standards, so no one was sick the next day. This restaurant is definitely on our Disney to do list for future trips.
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copyright 2018 Gluten Free Birdie
