Dining Wars: Drinking's Edge - An August 2018 Dining Report - Updated 2/18: Completed

Episode XVII: Dining Wars – The Last Jedi Meal

After 8 glorious days in the World it was sadly our last day. But we intended to make the most out of it. Before checking out we finally got some pool time in and then bid the Scaffolding Club farewell.

Yes the balcony behind all of that lovely scaffolding is in fact our room. Disney "deluxe" at its best :P

We walked over to Epcot and immediately saw Belle coming out with no line. So we said bon jour…

…and only later did I realize that @suse66 was in line in front of us. We talked for a few minutes, but didn’t get a picture. Like the a falling tree in the forest if two diser’s meet without a photo did it happen? :confused3

For lunch we were able to score a reservation that morning for one my favorite places in all of the world: Via Napoli.

Meet my boyfriends, otherwise known as the Via Napoli Pizza Ovens, Stromboli, Vesuvio, and Etna. I'm mostly of a Vesuvio kinda girl but don't tell the others :P

We were seated quickly and soon enough we had our last Disney drinks in hand.

That’s a Pinot Grigio that looks deceptively like water for me and a Meroni for Jason :drinking1

To start I spied a new item on the menu that I had to try.

This is the Cimarola a fried artichoke stuffed with stracchino cheese and prosciutto. Those of you who know me well know that artichokes are my absolute favorite food and thankfully this did not disappoint. The artichoke was fried to perfection in a light tempura like batter and it went well with the melted cheese and salty prosciutto. It was one of my favorite dishes of the trip and my only complaint was that I needed MORE!

For our entrees this is the one and only place that Jason and I consistently get the same things to eat, because to separate from the most perfect pizzas ever would be sacrilege.

For Jason his usual is the Brocolini with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, porchetta, robiola, and broccolini. The porky and salty porchetta is the perfect compliment to the slightly bitter broccollini and ooey gooey cheese.


In a surprise to no one I got the Carciofi Pizza with artichoke, fontina, mozzarella, truffle oil and as always I added arugula.

The rich and creamy fontina and mozzarella are the perfect foil to the fresh artichokes and luxurious truffle oil. The arugula adds a bit of bitterness and some crunch to an already perfect combination. Serve all of this on top of a decadent crust that somehow manages to be simultaneously both dense and crispy and is chared in only the best of ways. I’ve eaten a lot of pizza in my life (you don’t look this good by only eating salad) and this is unequivocally the best I have ever had.

I’m told Via Napoli has something besides pizza on the menu but no chance I could ever divert from pizza perfection. Casey on the other hand went out on a limb this time and got the kids Bocconcini aka mozzarella bites.

I didn't try them, but she was clearly a satisfied customer.

Too full for anything else we paid our bill, got our last Tables in Wonderland discount of the trip (18.20 this time), and bid adieu to Disney dining with the most content of bellies.

After lunch we wandered around world showcase for a while, met some "Norwegian" Princesses....



....Raced around a track...

...And met an apocalyptic moon????


.
At this point it was time to head towards the Scaffolding Club to catch the Magical Express but faced with getting to the airport 3 hours early for no apparent reason and more Disney time, we of course picked….

...Getting our best Disney Mr. Roboto on!!!


We then explored earth on a spaceship and then soared around it...

Before filling our bellies with a last bit of Disney yumminess.

We then hung out with our imaginations and did some more world showcase wandering.

Eventually we went back to the hotel and ubered to the airport getting there a very acceptable 90 minutes early. We made it home with no issues and before too long were on our couch drinking more wine and reflecting on our amazing adventures.

Up next we’ll recap this tipsy trip and more importantly catch you up on our trip in just 10 days!
Mmm yum looks like a fantastic last day!!
 
Via Napoli is always a winner for us, my sister remembered it from 2016 and asked to go again!

I’m with you getting to airport so early is not needed. Spending as much time in the park is the way to go!

I could go for some delicious pizza right now!
 
The artichoke pizza at Via Napoli looks and sounds amazing...I wish they did gluten-free crust! (Are they the only place at Disney that doesn't have GF version of everything?!)...

I always enjoy your reports - we have a lot of the same favorites (Nomad, Jiko, Yachtsman, Cali Grille).

We skipped Magical Express back to the airport last weekend too, 3 hours is way too early to be picked up. Did you get your Uber for ~2 hours before flight?

Can't wait to hear about your next trip and culinary adventures!
 
Great report! Looking forward to the next one. Have a great trip and make sure to check out the Deconstructed Reuben at Epcot next week!
 


Okay I got really behind but then the Dis did some kind of time warp and brought me to page 23. So I will eventually have to go back and see what these forums so kindly skipped on my behalf... now take your time machine back to page 23 and prepare for these comments!
Jason had surprised us with tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Because if it's August in Disney World it is clearly almost Halloween.

Seriously though this was a big surprise as this is very uncharacteristic of him – as I usually do the surprising – and he’d even thought ahead and had bought a costume for Casey and snuck it into the
oh my goodness that is so sweet! And wait, was it your birthday? :P Husband points!!!

After dinner the party was kicking into full gear, but first Casey needed one last thing to make her costume perfect.

The cast member clearly did an amazing job and I’m shocked with the party starting we were the only parents taking advantage of this
Wow this turned out great! Was it a special thing they were doing or just at one of the regular face painting stands?

dinosaur? chicken? lizard?
pretty sure it is the Snoop-Dogg-famous dinoslizzicken

Zero Pumpkin Sundae which is Pumpkin Waffles with Vanilla Ice Cream, Springs, and Caramel.
Ummmm this sounds amazing! I wish they would do more seasonal treats other than cupcakes at the various snackeries of WDW!

I didn’t realize the buggy didn’t close completely and out of our vehicle went an entire bag of candy. Casey of course ensured I knew this was my candy bag.
:rotfl2:
I can only imagine the calamity! And... Ummm... I am ashamed to admit the Barney song “if all the raindrops where lemon drops and gum drops oh what a rain that would be” immediately came to mind! I wonder if the custodial crew kept any of your treats. :rotfl:
 
Time machine, crank it up to page 24! :car:

This good idea started looking even better when our driver took us to what I thought was a secret back entrance to Animal Kingdom. Turns out he just had no idea where he was going and we were at some kind of gardening center on the backside of Animal Kingdom.
:rotfl: Why do I think this was the same driver that took @ariane37 to “The Grand Resort Kissimmee”???

“Okay lady, just jump that fence, outrun the zebra, and you’ll be in Harambe before you know it!”

This was unquestionably the best counter service meal to have ever graced our lips (cause you know I was stealin’ some of this).
I can’t believe we still haven’t eaten there! We have been inside and ordered soda but I always end up wanting Yak & Yeti at Animal Kingdom

And for $10 for 22 oz these were a relative Disney steal.
Gimme them big beers!!!
I think I read that they are made by Terrapin and you know a Georgia beer is the way to my heart :lovestruc

We were also a tad bit hungry so we also got some Smoked Pork Ribs with Sweet Soy-glaze, Toasted Sesame.
I just ate dinner and I could still go for some of these. They’re so good!!!
 
Oh, how I love Via Napoli. That pizza is perfection, and, like you, I can never tear myself away from it to try something else. The people who complain about the char on the crust and/or that it is “foldable” pizza just don’t know pizza or how to eat it! Oh well, more room for us! Good call on ubering to the airport - more time in Disney is never the wrong choice!! So sad to see this report drawing to a close but thrilled to hear you’re heading back soon!!! More tipsy notes!!!!!
 


"only 2 onion Y Y Y" :sad:
YYY?!

I love this and am totally going to start using it. Wonder if I could get away with it in emails to my clients.

“U send me too many crazy emails Y Y Y”

"leap blackberry uper jammy need to open legs for days ned to age but fret with steak."
Wow, who knew jammy wine was such a - ahem - leg opening experience?

(Right, keep your comments to yourselves people)
still fill perfect rear need salt first time love xtreme taters
Please please tell me that the yachtsman has renamed the potatoes gratin to XTREME TATERS!!! You and Jason should really work on a restaurant. He can create everything what with his chefery experience and you can make tipsy notes on everything to pen the menu.

“Madam may I recommend for the perfect rear steak a side of our XTREME TATERS and both pair well with the Stag’s Leap. It will open your legs for days!”

Hmm, kind of like our Lyft driver who took us all the way through some back HS parking lot on our way to meet you at the GF, AFTER Steve gave him the wrong resort name and we ended up 10 minutes past the Gaylord Palms.....
Called it!!

I had totally forgotten about that. Maybe it was the same guy??? But unlike Steve I had most definitely not given them the wrong name

CALLED IT!!! :rotfl:

man after all these wonderful TRs I’m starting to feel a bit creepy...

I may need to stop reading for the night as R seems to have fallen asleep and I can’t stop laughing ;) GREAT updates!
 
There is an amazing restaurant in Key West that we love called Blue Heaven but I have no idea how that would/could relate to this.
Yes! I've been there. Pretty sure that's also the place where chickens run lose? :laughing: Or am I thinking of another stereotypically Key Westy restaurant? :rotfl:

Yes the balcony behind all of that lovely scaffolding is in fact our room. Disney "deluxe" at its best :P
I still can't believe this :sad2:

…and only later did I realize that @suse66 was in line in front of us.
What!? How cool. I love a nice chance encounter at Disney. That's how I first met Su-Lynn :goodvibes

For lunch we were able to score a reservation that morning for one my favorite places in all of the world: Via Napoli.
I SO badly want to get here. I could have mediocre pizza twice a day, so the-best-pizza-in-the-world?! Sign me up.

P1000312.jpg
I have no words to describe how much I think I'd love this :cloud9:

Ugh! Bummer for last days - I barely tolerate reading about them :sad:, let alone living them. But... at least you're in single digit dance territory for your next trip! :thumbsup2
 
Yahooo trip in 10 days!!!!

I think I’m the only one who doesn’t eat at via Napoli.... starting to feel left out m
 
I so love Via Napoli's Carciofi pizza, too, and I discovered it by way of you, so I will always be grateful! :love: I hate when your trips, and thus your dining reports, come to an end! :sad: When is your next one?
 
FABULOUS TR as always!!! Thanks for keeping me entertained and helping pass the time until our next trip - which right now is 3 days!!!

Can't wait for your next one!
 
I absolutely love Via Napoli -- in fact, it was the second reservation I made for our April Trip (after bottomless brunch at the Contemporary!). I'm allergic to tomatoes, so the Carciofi has been my choice forever, but you inspired me to add arugula the last time I was there, and I feel like I should say thank you.
 
Looks like a lovely last meal! They had that artichoke dish at the Wine vs Beer pairing and it was good and I don’t usually eat artichokes! Can’t blame you for wanting to stick to your normal pizzas - sometimes it’s just nice to go with what you love even if you have reviewed it many times!

Happy you finally got some pool time in your refurb room! Hopefully you get a better view your next trip!
 
Yea finally pool time :beach: . As much as we love pizza we have yet to get to Via Napoli. Our Epcot day used to be Chef's( when they had a lunch menu) & then the restaurant formerly known as Capt. Grille for a lobster roll. But Jason's pie is making me hungry, sorry artichokes are something DH & I have not yet developed a taste.
Looking forward to the next round of tipsy notes.
 
Tipsy dining makes an already awesome trip report even more awesome-er! Feel free to incorporate tipsy dining into your upcoming trip (an excellent excuse for some adult dining and beveraging). Have a fabulous trip!!!
 
Brilliant trip report :thumbsup2 Thanks for sharing your tipsy reviews and that awesome balcony view with us :rotfl:
Your Via Napoli meal looks delicious . So delicious it’s making me hungry but grandson asleep at the kitchen end of the room and I’m not hungry enough to risk waking him so I shall starve a while longer:rotfl2::rotfl2:
Can’t wait to hear all about your epic trip. No doubt there’ll be plenty of shenanigans to keep us all entertained!
Have fun for all of us not there:goodvibes
 
Awesome report!! I'm a binge reader for dining reports and it was a fun 28 pages. :) Glad y'all had a great trip!
 

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