Editor Pick
Mama Della's Ristorante: The Taste of Italy
- April 15, 2009
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Troobabiee7 from Brooklyn, New York
If you want to feel as if you're in the middle of an Italian grandmother's kitchen on your trip to Orlando, look no farther than Mama Della's Ristorante. Located in the Portofino Bay Hotel at the Universal Orlando Resort, Mama Della's is arguably the best Italian restaurant in all of central Florida. People always balk at a statement like this due to the fact that the restaurant's in a theme park resort, but it's true. Not only is the food here fresh and delicious, but the atmosphere is cozy and comforting. Being from New York, the experience transported me right in my Italian grandparent's kitchen back in Brooklyn, and it doesn't get more authentic than that!
The restaurant is themed after a warm Italian home. No, not the stylish Mediterranean homes of Italy itself, but more of the old-world Italian living rooms and kitchens in houses around the Northeast. The furniture is dark and heavy, with mix-matched chairs and oven mitts hanging on the wall adding to the "Welcome Home!" atmosphere. You're even "welcomed home" by Mama Della herself on every visit. We ate here twice on our last trip, and the same Mama Della welcomed us each time, remembering us on our second visit and providing us with an extra-warm welcome. I'm not sure if Mama Della is actually involved in the kitchen or is simply a hired actress, but she fit the part perfectly! She spent the night mingling with (and laughingly loudly amongst) the guests, making periodic stops in the kitchen along the way to make sure our food was being prepared exactly as ordered. It was a fun touch.
Speaking of the food, it's top-notch at Mama Della's. The menu is large enough for everyone to find something that fits their tastes, and the portions are huge... mainly because this is a family style restaurant. I'm not a huge fan of family style restaurants since I'm an admittedly picky eater who likes to order my own dish, but my family had no trouble finding food for everyone here thanks to the huge amount of variety on the menu. Appetizers include Caesar salad ($9.25), fried cheese ($7.75), minestrone soup ($7.00), and fried calamari ($10.75). Pastas (Fettuccine Alfredo, four-cheese ravioli, and Fiocchetti Di Gorgonzola) all run for around $18. The huge assortment of entrees includes linguine with red or clam sauce ($22.75), lasagna ($21.50), a seafood stew ($31.25) and eggplant Parmesan ($20.25). All prices reflect the family-style sized portions, and additional portions of each ordered dish are available for around $2 less.
The food here is absolutely delicious. It all tasted fresh and was free of the overdosing of salt with which so many Italian restaurants like to complete their dishes. As previously mentioned, we liked the food so much that we decided to come back for more a few nights later. While the restaurant is relatively unknown to those who don't frequent the theme parks, it isn't a completely quiet spot. It's extremely popular amongst the tourists and locals alike who are privy to it's secret, so reservations are definitely recommended and are taken up to ten days in advance. Don't miss this place if you're visiting Universal Orlando, or are just in the central Florida area, with a big group of family and friends!
From journal Universal Studios Resorts: Get Swept Away