Overall an Average Experience at Jiko
Written: Mar 21 '06 (Updated Mar 21 '06)
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Pros: Attractive location and ambiance, great appetizer, unique concept
Cons: Some food was surprisingly bland, overpriced for the quality, service just ok
The Bottom Line: My meal wasn't bad, but I probably wouldn't visit this restaurant again. I'll try Boma next time!
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| chelledun's Full Review: Jiko - The Cooking Place |
Before cruising out of Port Canaveral near Orlando last weekend, I was able to get in my quickie Disney fix via a meal with friends at the Jiko: The Cooking Place. This restaurant is very much hyped by Disney and I know many people who enjoy it. I found some of the food to be good and some ok, but on the whole my husband and I agreed we wouldn’t necessarily return to dine here. There are many better restaurant options on Disney property for the same price.
General Information
Jiko is located at the Animal Kingdom Lodge at the Walt Disney World Resort. It is accessible via car for non-Disney guests. If you are staying on Disney property, you can get to the hotel by bus from any of the major or minor Disney theme parks. Don't confuse this restaurant with Boma, also located at the hotel. That is a more casual buffet restaurant.
Reservations are almost always necessary at Jiko, especially for dinner. I made mine a couple of months in advance but they can be made as far as 6 months ahead of time by calling 1-407-WDW-DINE. As of July 2005, Jiko has changed its dress code to “business casual” along with a handful of other Disney’s more upscale restaurants. By Disney’s definition this means no hats, swim suits, swim suit coveralls, tank tops, T-shirts, torn clothing, or flip flops. Jeans are perfectly fine, which suggests Disney’s definition of “business casual” is much looser than mine.
Ambience and Service
I enjoy the restaurant’s location in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Walking through the hotel’s majestic atrium with African décor put me in the mood. The hotel itself has high ceilings and a color palette of blacks, browns, and reds. Our table’s location was a little bit too close to those around us for my taste. The wine racks were giant and very impressive. I think my father would have wanted one in his basement if he’d have been there with us.
The service at Jiko was a little disappointing to me. Our server tried to be friendly, but she was a little over the top and lacked the polish of the wonderful servers I’ve had at Le Cellier, Les Chefs de France, or Victoria and Albert’s. We just didn’t have a great interaction. The drinks went without being refilled on several occasions. The gentleman bringing us warm towels for our hands offered them to the guys first, and then commented that he had forgotten he was supposed to offer them to the ladies. None of these things were a huge deal to me, but other Disney upscale restaurants have really spoiled me in terms of service so I expected the same here.
The Food
Jiko offers what is basically American style cuisine with African flare. If you are expecting authentic African cuisine, you will probably be disappointed. On the other hand, many dishes here will be at least partially familiar, and even children and picky eaters should be easily able to find something to eat.
Appetizers are broken down into those “from the cooking place”, to be shared, and individual soups or salads. Our choice was Taste of Africa, which I highly recommend. It is a sampler platter of Kalamata Olive Hummus, Malayan Spinach Lentil dip, and Moroccan Chermoula. Several types of bread are included for dipping. All three of the dips were flavorful and interesting. The olive hummus was the unanimous favorite of all four members of our group. Some free bread is also served to all tables, so we were able to use that to scoop up the rest of our dip. Other appetizer options include Flatbreads of several varieties and Maize and Sweet Potato Tamales. Each selection costs from $7 to $9 and serves two or more people. If I do visit Jiko again, I think I might just order several different appetizers and skip the entrée.
I appreciated the diversity of the entrée selections. The menu includes ribs, beef, chicken, fish, and vegetarian options. My friend and I both selected the Chermoula Roasted Farm Raised Chicken. It came with really great red-skinned mashed potatoes of a unique consistency. The chicken itself was huge in portion but the quality was just ok. Although the skin was well seasoned with garlic and herbs, the meat inside was fairly bland. My husband tried the Pan-Roasted and Maize-Crusted Halibut. His meal actually looked the best, and I don’t even like fish! The halibut was lightly breaded and very attractively displayed. It came with “vegetables-of-the-moment” which looked to be artichokes at the particular moment he ordered his meal. Each of these dishes cost $26. The last member of our group ordered the Wood-Grilled Filet Mignon. Red wine sauce was liberally applied on and under the steak. He really enjoyed it, although those expecting a traditional steak might find it a little too smoky in flavor. This dish came with the coveted macaroni and cheese. I had been eying this item on the menu, but the macaroni was disappointingly a little cold and didn’t have a lot of flavor. The filet is priced at $34.
After our meals, our server brought out a dessert menu. I had been fully prepared to order dessert but quite honestly nothing looked too appealing. Although the menu I saw online had advertised an apple dessert and a hot fudge sundae, neither was on the menu the night we visited. Most of the desserts cost about $7.50. Options included a pistachio Crème Brulee, some type of chocolate cake, and a few flavors of ice cream and sorbet. We might have enjoyed dessert, but after sinking a lot of money into our meal already we decided to just go out for ice cream afterward.
After Your Meal
Don't rush out of the resort after you dine either at this restaurant or Boma, the buffet downstairs. If you head out the back door of the resort you can check and see if the animals who roam the grounds are visible. We saw zebras and wildebeast, although the giraffes were hiding for the night. There is a quaint campfire surrounded by seats for guests who wish to sit and linger.
Overall…
My meal at Jiko: The Cooking Place definitely wasn’t bad. The appetizer was fabulous, some of the meals were good, and the restaurant is pretty. However, the overall experience just wasn’t up to the standards I would expect for $35 or $40 a person with no alcohol. There is better food and better service to be had at the Walt Disney World Resort, so I probably won’t be dining at Jiko again.
*Want some really GOOD food? Check out my Top Ten Places to Eat at Walt Disney World!
Recommended:
No
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Taste of Africa
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