The night my son and I arrived to Orlando, Florida, we were treated to a magnificent meal at Vivo Italian Kitchen on the Universal CityWalk®. I am a sucker for some really good Italian, and not all Italian is really good Italian. I can say for certain that Vivo fits that bill. How can you go wrong when a meal begins with freshly made bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar?
The lighting was not great for pictures, but hopefully you can get an idea of all of the deliciousness we ordered. We started off with bread (of course), hand-pulled mozzarella and caesar salad. I loved the food presentation, and frankly, one of the best caesar salads I’ve ever had. Such great flavor.
The ambience of Vivo was perfect for a late night. Dimmed lights, fun decor with jars filled with different ingredients, and a spot right next to the kitchen. It was fun to watch the bustle of the chefs and servers, in addition to the fresh hanging pasta.
Now for the entrees. Entrees range from $11-$32, from pasta dishes to meat and seafood dishes. The big boy ordered Fettucine Carbonara, and he loved it. He hadn’t ever had any type of carbonara, but he ate quite a bit and even had enough leftovers for dinner the next night. Lucky for us, the Cabana Bay Beach Resort had a refrigerator and kitchen for us to keep and heat up the leftovers. In case you aren’t familiar, Fettucine Carbonara is made up of a parmesan cream sauce, grilled chicken breast, peas and pancetta. Yum!
I ordered the Fiochetti, and this is a dish unlike any I’ve ever had. Forget about tortellini – these gorgonzola and pear stuffed pasta purses are AMAZING! Tossed in a brown butter sauce with walnuts and sage, there is a ton of flavor in every bite. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I am so glad I went with my waitresses recommendation on this one.
No Italian meal would be complete without dessert. My boy and I decided to get a couple of dishes and share. On the left is zeppole – an italian custard filled pastry with fresh fruit and marsala zabaglione sauce. This light and creamy dessert is big enough for two. I loved this yummy treat to finish off our meal. In the center is a rich piece of shaved dark chocolate. Delish! To the right is sfringi – a combination of cannoli and eclair. How can you go wrong? These Soft cream-filled pastries are topped with rich, thick ricotta-based cannoli cream, and served four on a plate for sharing. We saved a couple for the road.
If you are headed to Universal Studios, be sure to make a stop at Vivo Italian Kitchen on the Universal CityWalk.
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