Disney's new Palo dishes feature traditional Italian fare prepared with modern flair

Palo's new Esperienza del Vino wine pairing menu features six courses, each paired with a glass of wine or spirit. All the dishes are new.

The evening begins with savory coppa (thinly sliced cured pork neck) on dressed fava beans, garnished with sharp pecorino cheese and micro celery. It's paired with a Venetian Bellini made with sparkling Prosecco, ripe white peaches and a hint of raspberry.

Four courses follow: gnocchi with nutty cep mushroom sauce; poached white asparagus with smoked anchovies, quail egg and truffle oil; and sea bass with spinach and buckwheat. The finale of the savory dishes is beef striploin—aged for 25 days, seared and roasted with rosemary—thinly sliced and served with dressed arugula.

Samples from Italy’s renowned vineyards highlight each course. In order, they are Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvee Brut, a rich blend of 30 distinctive wines; dry, flowery Elena Walch Gewurztraminer from the northern province of South Tyrol; La Scolca Gavi dei Gavi Black Label, crisp and acidic with undertones of almond and lime; and full-bodied Antinori Tignanello Marchesi, a potent Tuscan red with notes of spice, fruit, oak, licorice and rosemary.

The tasting menu is capped with creamy mascarpone mousse, enclosed in a delicate white chocolate dome and served atop fluffy rhubarb and grappa sponge cake in a bed of sweet consommé jelly. The dish is garnished with a floral and fruity flourish, and accompanied by a soft Alexander Platinum Grappa.

A stand-out addition to Palo's new dinner selection is a whole roasted chicken, marinated for 24 hours in lemon, sea salt and rosemary. The dish is presented in a copper serving dish with roasted baby vegetables, asparagus and potatoes, and topped with a Barolo wine reduction typical to the mountainous region of Piedmont in the northwest. Intended for sharing, this dish serves two.

From the seafood selection, a piquant Dover sole is fileted tableside and served with regional staples like capers, anchovies, sundried tomatoes and thyme potatoes. A Prosecco and black truffle reduction gives new life to classic sea scallops. And, returning to the menu with a new twist, seared ahi tuna steak is prepared with blanched green beans, roasted new potatoes and peppered quail eggs.

The enhanced dessert menu includes a variety of warm, cold, sweet and tangy offerings. Among them are light, creamy tiramisu and a limoncello tart. One thing that hasn’t changed is the signature Palo chocolate soufflé, prepared to order and served piping hot with vanilla bean and chocolate sauces, plus a scoop of ice cream.

Reservations are required for all Palo dining experiences and can be booked online or on board. There is a $30 per person charge for dinner, plus the cost of alcoholic beverages, and the Esperienza del Vino wine pairing experience is priced at $59 per person.