Veal Parmigiana the Old-School Way
Veal parmigiana is the dish that separates a real Italian restaurant from one that just plays the part. It requires better ingredients, more skill, and more care than the chicken version. Most restaurants in Orlando do not even bother putting it on the menu because they cannot source the veal, or they cannot justify the cost of doing it right. The ones that do try often cut corners with lower-grade veal, pre-made breading, and sauce from a can. You can tell the difference from the first bite.
At Vincenzo Cucina Italiana, our Veal Parmigiana uses milk-fed veal, which is the most tender, delicately flavored veal you can get. Milk-fed veal has a pale, almost rosy color and a texture that is buttery soft. It is hand-breaded and pan-fried to a golden crust, then topped with our slow-simmered house marinara and melted mozzarella. The whole dish is served alongside handmade spaghetti. At $32, it is a dish built on tradition, quality, and zero shortcuts.
What Goes Into Every Plate
- ✦ Milk-fed veal, the most tender and delicate grade available
- ✦ Hand-breaded and pan-fried to a golden, crispy crust
- ✦ Slow-simmered house marinara with San Marzano tomatoes
- ✦ Melted mozzarella finished under the broiler until bubbling
- ✦ Served with handmade spaghetti, never boxed
- ✦ Prepared fresh to order, seven nights a week
Why Milk-Fed Veal Matters
The grade of veal changes everything about this dish. Milk-fed veal comes from calves raised on a milk-based diet, which produces meat that is exceptionally tender with a mild, clean flavor. It does not have the gaminess or toughness that lower grades of veal can carry. When you bread and pan-fry milk-fed veal, the crust gets crispy while the inside stays soft and almost melts on the palate. It is a completely different eating experience from the veal parm you might find at a chain restaurant using commodity veal cutlets.
Our house marinara sauce is the same recipe we have used since 1991. San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and time. It simmers until the acidity fades and the sweetness of the tomatoes comes forward. Combined with the mozzarella that bubbles and stretches under the broiler, it creates the classic Italian-American combination that has made veal parmigiana a staple of fine Italian dining for generations. We just refuse to take any shortcuts getting there.
A Menu Built on Craft
The Veal Parmigiana sits on a menu that includes Lobster Ravioli ($44) with Maine lobster and ricotta in creamy lobster sauce, Chicken Marsala ($27) with hormone-free chicken and portobello mushrooms in marsala truffle, House-Made Gnocchi ($30), Filet and Prosciutto Tortellini ($36), USDA Prime steaks, and fresh seafood. Every pasta is handmade. Every sauce is built from scratch. Every dish represents over thirty years of refining what Italian food should taste like in Orlando.
Vincenzo Cucina Italiana is family-owned and has operated since 1991. We are located at Vue at 360 on International Drive, minutes from ICON Park, Epic Universe, and the Orange County Convention Center. The restaurant features a full bar with craft cocktails, martinis, and an Italian wine list. Monday is all-night happy hour, and Wednesday is Wine Down with half-price wines by the glass. Complimentary valet parking every night.
Price
$32
Veal
Milk-Fed, Hand-Breaded
Location
Vue at 360, I-Drive
Hours
Open 7 Days, 5–10 PM