Skip to main content

Il Mulino at the Swan Resort


The Swan and Dolphin Resorts are just slightly off the beaten path, but offer a ton of great dining establishments worth a visit.  On my recent trip, we were able to secure a same-day reservation for Il Mulino at the Swan and thought it was the perfect opportunity to give a new restaurant a try.  This isn't the only location of this restaurant in the country as the original location can be found in NYC and it has quite a following for great Italian food.

We had dinner on the early side because we had places to be later that night. So when we arrived, it was very empty in the restaurant. The restaurant itself is spacious and upscale. A great retreat from the busy park dining options. The décor was really just lovely and sophisticated, perfect for a date night or quiet retreat.  It did fill in as we dined but it stayed a nice retreat, never getting quite as hectic as many Disney establishments tend.
Our meal started with an eggplant amuse bouche which was a nice touch. Eggplant isn’t my favorite but other people might like it if they are a fan of the vegetable. We got cocktails and appetizers next since we wanted to get a full experience here. We chose the Arancini which were delicious. The bread was also so good, we love good Italian bread! The food was off to a good start overall.  The cocktails were good but forgettable. We switched to wine with our entrees.
Amuse Bouche

Arancini di Carne - Italian Rice Balls stuffed with House-made Bolognese over Spicy Marinara Sauce
For our main course we decided to get three half pastas to try a little more variety. My husband's choice was the Risotto al Fritti de Mare which he enjoyed but some of the shellfish was a bit on the slimy side unfortunately. My choice was the Tortellini Alla Panna which was right up my alley and delicious. And then we shared the Rigatoni con Fungi and took our servers recommendation to add sausage. It definitely had a spicy kick but was also so good. 
Risotto al Fritti de Mare - Arbrio Rice with Mixed Seafood

Tortellini Alla Panna - Meat Tortellini and Peas in a Cream Sauce

Rigatoni con Fungi -Rigatoni with Wild Mushrooms, Spicy Cherry Peppers, Garlic and Truffle Oil with added sausage
Even though we had ordered the smaller portions, we were still so stuffed by the end of the meal so we didn't get to try dessert on this visit. All in all we had a lovely meal but I won’t be going out of my way to return here since there are so many Italian choices on property. However, if I had a larger party I'd love to try their piatti per il tavolo, or family-style dining, with delectable platters of potato dumplings, fresh salads and rigatoni with wild mushrooms for parties of four or more.  I think that could be a great way to experience this restaurant!
 


Maci Schau
Maci is an avid foodie and loves trying out new restaurants and seasonal food offerings in the parks.  You can email Maci at maci@kingdomkonsultant.com.

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Cruising with a Baby: A Complete Guide

You took a baby on a cruise!? Yep, and I'd do it again knowing what I know now. So, say goodbye to months of research - Everything you need to know is here!! One of the biggest challenges of traveling with a baby is planning what you need to bring. I wanted to share what worked for us, and hopefully help others who are planning their cruise! Remember, babies can only cruise after their 6-month birthday on sailings from the U.S. If you are going transatlantic, or have more than three days out at sea, they must be 12 months old by the first day of your cruise. Pre-Cruise   We flew to the cruise port, and I couldn’t bring all the food and snacks I needed, so I placed an Instacart order for pick up near the port. I chose Publix in Cocoa Beach which is a few miles from Port Canaveral. I placed the order a few days before we left home, and set the pickup time to 11:00 a.m. I ordered formula, a box of diapers, swim diapers, bottle brush, dish soap, baby food, and baby snacks. I also broug

The Villas at the Disneyland Hotel Review

I love staying at the Disneyland Hotel so when I got the opportunity to stay at the new Villas at the Disneyland Hotel during opening weekend, I couldn’t pass it up. Because it was opening weekend, we were greeted in the entrance way of the lobby with balloons and many photo opportunities. When we arrived, there was a mural of the Haunted Mansion. I love how the seats in the main lobby were designed like the teacups in the parks. You can check in using the Disneyland app, drop your bags with bell services and head into the parks or use the amenities why you wait until your room is ready. When your room is ready, the resort will send you a text and you can use the Disneyland app on your mobile device to unlock the room. We dropped off our bags and went straight to the parks. We received a text around 1PM that our room was ready. In the new Discovery Tower (the Villas), you'll find that the lobby is very spacious with many places to sit while you read or wait for your family. Th

Complete Guide to Disney's Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point

Disney's new Bahamian island destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point is a pristine, secluded paradise reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests. The cruise port is located on the island of Eleuthera (pronounced uh-loo-tr-uh) at it's southern tip, amidst a nature preserve called Lighthouse Point. Far from any towns, Lookout Cay feels like a tropical oasis that is separated from the outside world by mangrove forests. The landscaping is gorgeous with flowers like plumerias, and tall swaying palm trees. Whether you want to just kick back and relax or go for a thrilling banana boat ride, this port has something for everyone. There are family friendly areas as well as those reserved specifically for adults. Expert Tip: If you want a view of the island from your stateroom, be sure to book a starboard (right) side stateroom. Disney Magic docked at Lookout Cay After disembarking your Disney Cruise ship, you'll cross the pier to the island on foot. (It looks longer in