Jiko
Attention The Mouse For Less Readers: We are still looking for restaurant reviews. Please help us by filling out the restaurant review form. We appreciate all reviews! Please send any pictures of restaurants, menus or food that you would like to share with other Disney lovers to menu@themouseforless.com.
Who: Anna and Jim Skamarakas
Where: Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge
When: August 25th, 2005
What: Dinner, which included:
An appetizer sampler of duck and pork firecracker, Lamb Patis, Lentil Pastilla, Open maize and sweet potato tamale
A Taste of Africa sampling of several native breads with dipping sauces
Tamarind braised beef short ribs with potato gratin
Seared sea scallops with mealie pap and chaka laka sauce
Creme Brulee
Approximate Price of Entrees: We spent $100 for both of us, and the creme
brulee was offered as a gift for our 15th wedding anniversary.
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 5
Service: our hostess gets a 10, but the server only a 3. He filled the
drinks quickly enough but he was very cool and made us feel like we were
bothering him when we asked questions about the food or the wine.
Atmosphere: 5
Okay for Children: We did not take our children, but there were children
there. I do think this restaurant is more geared to adults, though
Okay for Couples: Definitely - could be a nice romantic meal
Be Sure to Try: the short ribs were melt in your mouth delicious - we could
not rave highly enough about this delicious meal. And the potato gratin was
underneath the ribs, so the potatoes soaked up all the delicious flavor from
the ribs - oh man, unbelievable!!
General tips: f in need of help, ask the hostesses!!! The hostesses all
were from parts of South Africa on the evening we were there and they were
much more helpful than our New York waiter. They were very happy to explain
the food to us, and to offer their suggestions about choosing something that
they might truly eat at home so that our experience could be more authentic.
One hostess actually seated a woman who had visited her hometown in South
Africa and she came back to the table with two other cast members also from
the same home town and they chatted and laughed - it was a pleasure to hear
them!
TheMouseForLess tips: We used this as an anniversary meal, and the restaurant
offered us a creme brulee dessert for two to help us celebrate. We also
received a lovely card, signed in swahili, from the cast members, which was
a nice FREE souvenir. We each ordered an appetizer that was for sharing -
and with all that we got, we could have easily shared an entree.
Extra Comments: My husband likes to try restaurants that offer foods we do
not usually get at home, but his big complaint (like say at a Chinese
restaurant) is that most of the places have just added ethnic flair to
American food. When we go to a restaurant that offers a different type of
cuisine, he likes to get the most authentic foods. Our hostess told him
that the short ribs are something they might have at a family BBQ or get
together, and she highly recommended them. She also recommended the
scallops, not because of the seafood, but because mealie pap and chaka laka
is something very typical of what they would eat at home. I cannot say
enough about how helpful the hostesses were - and so friendly. Everyone of
them came to our table at some point to wish us a happy anniversary.
Who: The Waite Family Š Mary and Bob
Where: Jiko at the Animal Kingdom Lodge
When: May 26, 2005
What: As an appetizer, we had the Kalamata Olive Flat Bread which was made with four cheeses and goat cheese -- $8.75. Bob ordered the Tamarind-Braised Beef Short Ribs with the Idaho and Sweet Potato Gratin and Tamrind-Onion-Garlic Sauce -- $24.75. I had the Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with Macaroni and Cheese and a Red Wine Sauce -- $33.00. Bob had Coffee -- $1.99 and I had a Diet Coke -- $1.99. Our total before the Disney Dining Experience discount was $75.07 and with the DDE card, our total was $60.05
Approximate Price of Entrees: See above
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 3
Okay for Children: Maybe -- some kids may like it -- some may not. You should know your individual kids and how they will react to dining in a place like Jiko. But the kids menu did look quite good -- so I certainly don't want to discouarage anyone from bringing their children. :o)
Okay for Couples: Yes
Be Sure to Try: The food was very good, but some may find the price a little high.
General tips: My meal was quite good. But to be honest, I did not think it was worth $33. Even though our server bent over backwards to please Bob, he didnÕtÕ feel his meal was worth it either. The portion sizes were appropriate. In other words, donÕt order the Filet and expect to share it with someone unless you truly eat like a bird. :o)
TheMouseForLess tips: If you have a DDE card Š use it. We were able to save $15.02 on our meals. I would suggest ordering a couple of the flat bread appetizers and the Duck and Pork Firecrackers and sharing those and then each person ordering their own dessert. Then the cost wouldnÕt be so out of reach for some.
Extra Comments: We were seated next to the window so it was kind of distracting to see people coming in and out the door heading from the pool or Mara to either Jiko or Boma or just inside the resort in general. The back wall of the restaurant is supposed to represent the savannah at sunset and as the evening goes on, supposedly the lights in the ceiling and the wall change to reflect this. But it was too early in the evening for us to notice any difference and with our location, IÕm not sure we would have anyhow.
Who: Lemmon Family - John, Marie & June (26)
Where: Jiko @ Animal Kingdom Lodge
When: November 2003
What: Dinner for three: My daughter had quail with sauteed veggies my husband and I had Filet Mignon with macaroni and cheese (not Kraft). We had a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and for desert we had June-Pineapple, pineapple, pineapple - Pineapple sorbet, pineapple salad and pineapple crisp with vanilla sauce; Me - Tanzanian Chocolate Candies- Dark chocolate filled beggar's purses with White chocolate and Orange Van der Hum Dipping Sauce.
Approximate Price of Entrees: $178 for all 3 of us without gratuity
Rate the following (1-5, five being the best!)
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Okay for Children: No, more for the older crowd.
Okay for Couples: Definitely
Be Sure to Try: The Filet Mignon with macaroni and cheese. The macaroni and cheese is made with 5 imported cheeses and is definitely worth trying.
General tips: We shared our meals so as to get to taste other items too. June and I enjoyed the desert and we loved the wine even thugh neither one of us drinks red wine.
Dollarless tips: Try to sit at the counter where they cook your food in front of you.
Extra Comments: Don't sit near the door where all the traffic from the pool is.
|
