Finally had a chance to eat at Il Mulino, the new Italian restuarant at the Swan that replaced Palio. It was an interesting experience, especially because 1 week earlier I had eaten at the original Il Mulino in New York City, which IMHO is the best restaurant in the world (it is truly worth the price of plane tickets to NYC just to eat there).
As far as the outpost at the Swan goes, it is indeed affiliated with the NYC original (I confirmed this in a discussion with the manager in NYC while I was there), but is different in some significant ways. To start with, the Swan location is not nearly as upscale as the NYC location - no white tablecloths or staff of tuxedoed waiters.
They've done some extensive renovation, such that it's hard to tell that the space used to be Palio. The addition of a bar is nice. I do miss Palio's strolling musicians, though.
At the Swan, they do present a few appetizers to the table when you arrive, but not nearly as many as in NYC. At the Swan, we got a few pieces of salami (similar to NYC), and a roasted eggplant dish (far inferior to the roasted zucchini in NYC). Missing were the fabulous tomato bruschetta, the mussels, the fresh garlic bread, and the parmigiano reggiano served in NYC (although at the Swan, you can get the parmigiano and the garlic bread for an extra fee). The general bread service is similar, although unfortunately they did not quite get the sublime foccacia breadsticks quite right (not enough olive oil or garlic).
The wine list at the Swan is less extensive than in NYC, but contains a nice selection of Italian whites and reds from a number of different regions. The menu is also quite different, and there are fewer daily specials at the Swan (in fact, there were none that we were told about the night we were there). Most disappointing was the absence of any of the special ravioli dishes for which Il Mulino in NYC is justifiably famous. Portions at the Swan were also quite a bit smaller (although prices were correspondingly lower). The food itself is certainly very good (far better than any other Italian you'll get at WDW), but again, not up to the excellence of the NYC location.
In the end, I think they are targeting a different crowd than the NYC location. In NYC, a meal at Il Mulino is an event, and easily lasts for several hours. At the Swan, I'm sure they have a need to turn tables more quickly, and are catering more to tourists and conventioneers. Nonetheless, I would recommend trying it if you are in the mood for Italian that rises above the Chef Boy-ar-dee/Olive Garden fare at most WDW "Italian" restaurants.
As far as the outpost at the Swan goes, it is indeed affiliated with the NYC original (I confirmed this in a discussion with the manager in NYC while I was there), but is different in some significant ways. To start with, the Swan location is not nearly as upscale as the NYC location - no white tablecloths or staff of tuxedoed waiters.
They've done some extensive renovation, such that it's hard to tell that the space used to be Palio. The addition of a bar is nice. I do miss Palio's strolling musicians, though.
At the Swan, they do present a few appetizers to the table when you arrive, but not nearly as many as in NYC. At the Swan, we got a few pieces of salami (similar to NYC), and a roasted eggplant dish (far inferior to the roasted zucchini in NYC). Missing were the fabulous tomato bruschetta, the mussels, the fresh garlic bread, and the parmigiano reggiano served in NYC (although at the Swan, you can get the parmigiano and the garlic bread for an extra fee). The general bread service is similar, although unfortunately they did not quite get the sublime foccacia breadsticks quite right (not enough olive oil or garlic).
The wine list at the Swan is less extensive than in NYC, but contains a nice selection of Italian whites and reds from a number of different regions. The menu is also quite different, and there are fewer daily specials at the Swan (in fact, there were none that we were told about the night we were there). Most disappointing was the absence of any of the special ravioli dishes for which Il Mulino in NYC is justifiably famous. Portions at the Swan were also quite a bit smaller (although prices were correspondingly lower). The food itself is certainly very good (far better than any other Italian you'll get at WDW), but again, not up to the excellence of the NYC location.
In the end, I think they are targeting a different crowd than the NYC location. In NYC, a meal at Il Mulino is an event, and easily lasts for several hours. At the Swan, I'm sure they have a need to turn tables more quickly, and are catering more to tourists and conventioneers. Nonetheless, I would recommend trying it if you are in the mood for Italian that rises above the Chef Boy-ar-dee/Olive Garden fare at most WDW "Italian" restaurants.