Time: Mid-May 2022
Place: This is one of the dining reviews from my vacation at Emporio Resort in Cancun. I also left a review of my stay at the resort overall if anyone is interested! This is one of the dining options available to guests at Emporio. I did the all-inclusive package, so I have no insight on pricing. This is an Italian restaurant inside of the resort. We went here for dinner one night and it was a fancier atmosphere than the other dining places at the resort. The place is very stylized to look like a stereotypical Italian pizzeria. It had red and white checkered table clothes, brick accents, wine bar, and brick-fired oven. The place usually requires RSVP for seats, but when we went for dinner it was not busy so we were able to get a table without one. Service was very attentive and quick, although the wait for the food was a bit long. We didn't mind the wait for the food though because the starter bread was so good!
COVID Precautions: patrons and staff were required to wear masks. There is also a hand sanitizing station that also scans for your temperature. All diners were required to use the station prior to being seated.
Food: The pasta selection was not very good, but maybe I am just used to Italian-American menus. They had a lot of interesting appetizers selections and some pizza options too!
- Starter bread: Delicious! Warm and fresh out of the oven, they were a great start for our post-swim dinner. We dipped it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Octopus Carpaccio: Thinly sliced octopus (cooked) with a drizzle of oil and vinegar. There was also a lemon to squeeze over the dish. I thought the sauce was really good, but I wasn't a fan of the octopus. My friend enjoyed this dish more than I did. I am just not a huge fan of most seafood (particularly shelled seafood) because of the fishy/oceanic taste that comes with it. While the raw ocean taste wasn't too prominent in this dish (masked by the sauce), I could still taste it in some bites so I wasn't a fan.
- Seafood pasta: This dish was pretty good. The pasta was good and thin, but not anything special. The sauce was the best part of this dish. It had a light heat that builds and it had a creamy depth to it despite being a red sauce. The seafood in the dish was also good.
- Steak: I liked that the steak was cut up into pieces, but it made the dish feel more like an appetizer rather than entree. The steak was cooked well (medium rare), with the perfect amount of pink in it. The arugula paired well with the steak and cheese. The sauce was light and appetizing.
Overall, the atmosphere and service was very nice and it felt like a decent, fancy Italian restaurant. The food wasn't the best I've had, and I was not wowed by their pasta selection or taste. I've had better Italian food elsewhere, but it is a good spot to try out if you tire of the other food options at the resort. read more