Palio
The Swan

EDITOR'S NOTE: Palio closed in 2006.

CZARINA'S ROYAL TABLE:

(EXPLANATION OF SORTS: The Czarina is a Real Person who eats -- a lot ­ at Disney World. She takes sole responsibility for all opinions stated below,
de gustibus non disputandum and chacun a son gout. Do let us know what you think about this column at eureka@eurekajim.org.)

*****

Palio is an Italian restaurant in the Walt Disney World Swan, not to be confused with Palo, which is a shipboard Italian restaurant on the Magic and the Wonder.

Palio, a hidden gem of WDW in the Czarina's opinion, is "Italian bistro" style, not too formal. The décor is unmemorable ­ it's just a large, comfortable room, basically pastel and nicely lit. (I don't know about you, but bright lights in a restaurant are a definite turn-off for me.)

I have recently had two memorable dinners there ­ one with friends (including Deb Wills, your fearless Editor in Chief), and one with the Czar at which we celebrated our (mumble) anniversary. The number of years we have been wed is quite appalling, really.

Anyhow, in comparing these two occasions one element of the experience stood out ­the servers. On the first occasion, we were served by a very pleasant but somewhat clueless young lady. This did not mess things up very much, the food and wine being as fine as they were; however, on the second trip we met Nick.

Nick is simply the finest server I have ever met, and I have met quite a few good ones. A tall person with small glasses, he is both unassuming and truly attentive to your desires, not obtrusive but able to figure out what you need before you even know it, incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and wine list, and willing to fill you in on some backstage stuff if you show an interest.

Upon arrival at Palio you are welcomed with a small amount of the house red wine in a "boccalino"(little ceramic jug) ­ a very friendly gesture.

Nick quietly took our drink orders, made sure we had water, etc. Upon returning, we told him we had both decided to try the "Taste of Palio"menu ­ a 5-course affair we had seen advertised outside. The cost of this was $55 per person without wine or $75 with five glasses of wine (one with each course). What the heck, it was our anniversary. Not wishing to be dragged out of Palio unconscious, we went for the without-wine option, though I did have a glass of red later.

"Well", said Nick, "Your first course is roasted figs with San Daniele prosciutto. The San Daniele prosciutto is a little different from Parma prosciutto ­ softer and a little sweeter. I think it complements the figs nicely. I hope you like it. I'll be right back."

Back he came in short order with plates of delicious roasted small figs draped with ruby-red prosciutto in a little pool of fig reduction. The subtle sweet-salty combination was irresistible. Parma ham would have been too salty. He was right.

At the table next to ours was an attractive young couple who were in the hotel business. "Good waiter, eh?" they said. We agreed.

Nick appeared to fill our glasses and whisk away our plates. "Next" he said, "I have for you a simple oil-and-garlic fettucine with touches of lemon." This was a small portion of lemony pasta graced with very fine olive oil and silvers of carefully toasted garlic. "I'd like to try a glass of red wine with my entrée", I said to Nick. "Let me research the
recommended wine with that" he replied, removing the plates again.

The next course was a green salad made with baby arugula and watercress. "This lemon dressing is outstanding" said the Czar. "Thank you"replied Nick. "I think lemon is sort of the theme of this tasting menu. By the way, I did the research on that wine. It's a blend that's filtered through crushed raisins. I believe you'll find it works well with the saddle of
lamb."

The saddle of lamb appeared, crusted with peppercorns outside and tenderly perfect inside, cooked exactly to order. It was served with kalamata olives, raisins and lentils. The wine, with its slightly raisiny undertone, was an absolutely perfect companion.

"So, Nick," we inquired, "How did you get to be so good at this?" "Oh, well", he answered modestly, "I started out as a pool waiter outside, and just worked my way in. I got interested in wine and, you know, one thing led to another."

We asked him if many people order the tasting menu. Apparently not; the Swan and Dolphin cater to a convention crowd, and most conventioneers dine in large groups where it¹s inconvenient for one or two people to have five courses while others just have an entrée and perhaps dessert. Nevertheless, there have been several different tasting menus, which vary with the season and the clientele.

Our final course was a homemade apple tart on nest of sinfully rich pastry, with paper-thin slices of apple and excellent vanilla gelato. We were thrilled. And Nick had paced our meal so artfully that we didn't feel stuffed or rushed in any way.

Palio does, of course, have a wonderful a la carte menu which features wood-fired pizzas, special risottos and veal in several different preparations, including Osso Buco. Entrée prices range from $15 for pizzas to $36 for an enormous veal chop in wine sauce.

"Thank you for coming" said Nick. "It has truly been my pleasure to serve you".

Truly, the pleasure was all ours.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Palio may be in a convention hotel, but the food has a handcrafted, artisan quality that sets it apart from most other Disney World places. Whether you want a casual pizza or a special dinner, we urge you to give it a try. NOTE: At the time of writing, substantial discounts were offered for Disney Club members and Annual Passholders.

CZARINA'S TOP TIP: Ask for Nick!

PALIO review date February, 2002

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