Jiko: A Dinner Review

Abby Earl dines with friends at Jiko

- Abby Earl, January 16, 2011

Arrival at Jiko

After getting drenched in a torrential downpour at the Animal Kingdom, I returned to the Lodge with my friends Jun and Caitlin to dry off and get cleaned up for dinner at Jiko.

This was my (and their) first time dining at Jiko. I was excited because I had heard so many good things about the cuisine.

When we checked in at the podium, I was upset to hear they couldn't find a record of my ADR. But I had no reason to worry. It wasn't important, they told me, since Jiko wasn't busy that night and they'd be able to fit us in shortly. Phew!

We were seated about five minutes later at one of the booths near the counter by the wood-fired ovens. It was a great location. We were able to watch the chefs preparing some of the appetizers (and smell them!).

Our server Lucius greeted us promptly and told us were in for a treat that evening. After he fetched our drinks, we decided to split two appetizers among the three of us.

I had taken the Jiko Culinary tour on a previous trip. As part of the Tour, I was able to sample Jiko's Taste of Africa, a selection of three breads and three dips. It was really good so I pushed for it as one our selections. Caitlin and Jun agreed with me. Coming up!

Appetizers

Our first appetizer, the Taste of Africa, came with three breads (Naan, Lentil Papadam, and Whole Wheat Lavash) and three dips (from left to right: Durban Tikka Masala, Malay Spinach-Lentil, and Kalamata Olive Hummus).

All the breads and dips were great, but without a doubt my favorite bread was the Naan. It was soft, light, warm, and salty, but not overly so. They bake them in the wood-fired ovens and you can really taste a huge difference. I am undecided on my favorite dip - they were all equally yummy!

For our other appetizer, we chose the BBQ Chicken Flatbread with Apple-Jicama Slaw, African BBQ Sauce, and Four Cheeses.

This was another winner from the wood-fired ovens. The tang of the sauce contrasted wonderfully with the sweet and crunchy apple-jicama slaw, and the gooey, melty cheeses hit it out of the park for me.

After our appetizers and shortly before our entrees arrived, Lucius brought out the standard Jiko Bread with Tandoori Butter for the table.

It was very fluffy, wheaten type of foccacia. Just OK. The butter was flavored with Tandoori spices, which I like, though not in butter. I was glad we had already eaten our Taste of Africa breads and so weren't tempted to take more than a couple of bites of this bread.

Entrees

For his entree, Jun chose the Roasted Lamb Loin with Herbed Couscous, Sun-dried Cherries, and Red Curry Sauce.

Jun ordered it rare, and it came out cooked perfectly to his liking (okay, maybe not quite: he's Japanese and prefers his food still moving!). But he ordered it rare and it came out to the American standard of rare, just as he had expected. I tasted it but don't really remember much about it. Jun loved it and gobbled it down.

Caitlin got the vegetarian entree, a Seared Maize Pudding with Chakalaka and Basil Buerre Blanc.

This was AMAZING! In Caitlin's words: 'light as a cloud'. It was a square of shockingly airy corn pudding, seared to give it a bit of crust - so smooth and light, not at all what I would expect in a corn-based dish. The chakalaka was a delicious mix of spicy vegetables that paired perfectly with the maize pudding. Add in the basil beurre blanc and this was a winner all the way round.

I applaud Caitlin for her choice: it sounded a little boring on the menu, but man, did she do a good job picking it out! It suprised me that she ordered a vegetarian dish because this is a girl who adores meat, so I would think in a nice restaurant she'd want to have some! No regrets, though.

For my entree I chose what the menu called an appetizer: Seared Ostrich Filet with Kamut, Mushrooms, and Truffle Vinaigrette.

Another hit from Jiko for us! The Ostrich was sooo tender and delcious. It tastes similar to beef, but more.... 'iron-ey' and gamey. That sounds like a bad thing, but trust me, it wasn't. The Kamut is an African grain that tasted like a cross between barley and brown rice. I really liked it, especially with the truffle vinaigrette, which gave the dish an amazing earthy aroma (is there any other word to describe the smell of truffles besides earthy?).

As stuffed as we already were, we decided to soldier on and order dessert.

A Break for Tea

Before dessert, Caitlin and I shared a pot of Loose Leaf Vanilla Rooibos Tea.

The teas are sold as single-person servings, but since the pot held 2-3 cups, it was easy to share.

The description of Vanilla Rooibos on the menu was certainly tempting: 'Vanilla bean sweetens this Rooibos, producing a round, full cup which is ideal with a spot of milk'. It's even caffeine-free!

Caitlin and I both thought it was a fantastic tea, especially when paired with our desserts. Rooibos is a medium-dark, somewhat full-bodied tea, and the vanilla made it taste naturally sweet. I drank it plain, no milk or honey. It didn't them.

Room for Dessert

Jun chose the Pistachio Creme Brulee for dessert.

It had a chocolate layered bottom! I tasted it and while I love pistachio and creme brulee, I wasn't big on their marriage. It was a very unique taste. Jun seemed to really like it, though.

Caitlin went for the Roasted Apple Tarte Tatin, the evening's sugar-free selection.

The Tarte Tatin was served with vanilla sauce and cinnamon ice cream. I tasted it, and while I could find no fault with it, the dish just didn't do anything for me. I guess I usually prefer a more decadent dessert. But Caitlin enjoyed it.

For my dessert, I had the Jiko Trio - Flourless Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Mousse, and Caramel Ice Cream.

Everything about the dish was good, but for some reason it just didn't 'wow' me like the appetizers and entrees had done. Dessert was a bit of a let-down at the end of an otherwise spectacular meal. Again, there was no fault in the dish... but for me it lacked that 'OMG' factor.

How It Went Down

Lucius was a good server. He wasn't all that personable, but we were never left wanting for anything and he fulfilled all of our requests in a timely manner.

And he was right - we did have quite the treat that evening and I look forward to returning to Jiko! Score: A-.

P.S. Don't fall too much in love with most of the dishes I reviewed. Jiko just got a new chef and the menu has changed a lot. The only things we ate that are on the current menu are the Taste of Africa (now with four dips!), the Flatbread, and the tea.

Abby Earl is a student living in North Florida. As a child, she took frequent family vacations to Walt Disney World. After snubbing Disney in her teen years, her affection for the Mouse returned and she is now a seasonal pass holder. She writes frequently for Disney Dining Discourse.

Don't stop there! Check out more Disney Dining Discourse...