No, I didn't forget that I already reviewed Jiko - I ate there two nights in a row
The plan for this evening was to meet my new DIS friend Connie and her friend Kim for dinner at 9pm. I was a little bit early and didn't see them in the lobby so I stopped at Victoria Falls for a drink. I couldn't NOT stop there since I had to walk through it to get to Jiko
I had some kind of Mojito - I think it was the Passion Fruit Mojito? I can't remember now, but it was good!
I didn't order another drink since I figured by this time Connie would have arrived. I went back to the lobby and didn't see them. Hmmm. I sat for a little while, went up to the main lobby to see if they maybe were waiting up there, walked outside to see if they were walking over (they were staying at Kidani), no sign of them. I called Connie's phone but it wasn't turned on so I left a voicemail saying that I was waiting, but if they didn't show by 9 I would just eat without them - I wasn't missing Jiko!!! I even checked with the manager to see if they had maybe checked in already and were seated, but that was not the case. I waited for another 10 minutes or so and just gave up on them.
I went to the desk and told them that I didn't have a reservation under my name but would like to be seated if possible. There was no trouble getting in. The girl asked if I was staying at AKL, which I told her I was and she took my room number. Weird...since the night before I had said that I was staying there and the guy checking me in didn't take my room number. Then she asked if I would mind sitting at the Cooking Place. I said, "I would LOVE to!!!"
She brought me over to the Cooking Place and Andy from Namibia, the appetizer chef, introduced himself. While poor Andy was in the middle of talking, the manager, Rob, came over and started his own conversation with me! I think he felt bad that my friends had not shown up for dinner, but I assured him that it was okay since I was already having a great time getting to sit at the Cooking Place with Andy! We talked for a while about living in the Northeast and insurance, two things we had in common, and then my waiter, Khadim from Morocco, came over and took my drink order. He too made conversation about me eating alone, but I assured him too that I was just happy I got a chance to have another meal at my favorite restaurant.
Khadim started me with a complimentary Carrot and Ginger soup which he said was given as a thank you to all the guests who were staying at AKL. I should have gotten one of those the night before, but I didn't - sad! I really enjoyed it and could probably eat a whole bowl instead of just the small taste that I was given.
Andy asked if I had any food allergies and what I was planning to order. When I told him he then asked if I would be okay with him making me some on the house appetizers. I said that he could make me whatever he wanted!
He went to work and a short time later delivered a plate with two appetizers for me:
Tibs Watt in Panekoeke and the Crispy Savannah Rolls.
The Tibs Watt is more or less the same thing as the Short Ribs, but obviously a much smaller portion rolled up in a pancake. The Crispy Savannah Rolls are filled with corn, bitter greens and goat cheese and served with a curried vinaigrette. The Savannah Rolls were probably my favorite part of the meal!
For the non free part of my meal I started with the Ostrich Filet again.
It was not as good as the one from the night before. It was too spicy, almost like they had a bunch of spice crust left over and because it was getting late they put it all on my ostrich. I finished it, but didn't enjoy it as much as I did the first one I had. Once again I left the chickpeas untouched which Khadim teased me about. I told him I was saving room.
Andy told me that when he was a boy he tried to ride an ostrich and it kicked him off in about 5 seconds. I asked him if he ate it as revenge
The problem with this meal was that there were about 100 things on the menu that I wanted to try, but I was already kind of full from what I had eaten so far! Instead of a full entree I decided to get a salad and a flatbread.
The Jiko Seasonal Salad had butter pears, candied walnuts and little edible flowers all in an apple vinaigrette. It was delicious! The pears really made it interesting and tasty. Funny enough I had been craving a salad with walnuts before the trip, so when I saw this one I knew I had to have it!
The flatbread was the Chef's special - goat cheese, peppers and portobella mushrooms. There was way too much goat cheese on it and I just couldn't finish it. I couldn't finish the salad for that matter either. I had Khadim box both of them up so I could eat them later. He wasn't convinced that I would, but I promised that I wouldn't let them go to waste!
I did save a little bit of room for dessert - I needed to have that Lemon Mousse again!
I managed to finish it off but I was now beyond full. I couldn't eat another bite if you had paid me. If I was going to eat at the Cooking Place again, which I sincerely hope that I do, I wouldn't order as much food. I really overdid it especially with all the complimentary snacks I got.
I was pretty much the last person in the restaurant so after I finished I said goodnight to Khadim, Andy and Rob and went back to my room with my leftovers. I didn't make it far though as Khadim chased me up the stairs to give me a knife and fork for my leftovers - what a guy!
This was a great experience and although I would have enjoyed eating dinner with Connie and Kim, I'm kind of glad they didn't show as I imagine I wouldn't have been able to sit at the Cooking Place and receive the same first class treatment that I got. If I wasn't hooked on Jiko for life already, this meal surely did it for me.
