cheese sampler vs flatbread at Jiko & Cali Grille

[lissiesmum]

I notice that both the California Grille and Jiko offer both the cheese sampler platter and assorted flatbreads. Would you recommend one restaurant over another for the cheese? For the flatbread? Would you get flatbread at both restaurants? Any flatbread that you would recommend?

 

[Uncleromulus]

I'm very fond of cheese but haven't the pleasure of ordering the cheese sampler at either spot. For me, I find that most cheese plate portions (at all restaurants) are quite small, so I don't order those.
Flatbreads are another matter! I always get them at Jiko and at CG. THose at CG change quite often, but last time out I had a Reuben Flatbread which was quite good. And their BLT flatbread is good also.
At JIko I always get the BBQ Chicken/Kenya Coffee flatbread and it's a winner.
Many folks will tell you that the flatbreads are large enough to share, and perhaps that is so in most cases. But I can easily polish of one myself as an appetizer.

 

[Pakey]

I usually get flatbreads at Jiko and cheese at CG. I don't think the flatbreads are necessarily better at Jiko but at CG, I have to have room for sushi. I have the cheese plate for dessert.

 

[TDC Nala]

The cheese board at California Grill is wonderful, but it now costs $20 (at least it did in December) and it is not worth $20 for such small portions of cheese.

 

[katiebelle21]

The BBQ Chicken at Jiko is delicious! I would definitely recommend trying it!

 

[Mom of 2 Wife of 1]

Does anybody know if the cheese boards are available as an appetizer and/or a dessert using the DxDP? Or is this another one of those situations wherein each restaurant handles it differently and it depends on which CM you get?

 

[lissiesmum]

Does anybody know if the cheese boards are available as an appetizer and/or a dessert using the DxDP? Or is this another one of those situations wherein each restaurant handles it differently and it depends on which CM you get?

I will also be on the DXDP and as far as I've found out, you can order the cheese board as an appetizer!

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I've heard good things about the cheese boards/samplers..but keep in mind, they're tasting portions. They're not meant to fill you up, only give you a nice taste of each cheese offered. Most guidelines for serving sizes of cheese will say 2oz of cheese per person TOTAL, not 2oz of each cheese. An ounce is approx. the size of your pinky finger.

Also keep in mind that most of the cheeses offered are cheeses that retail from $10 to $25 a pound (I work in the specialty cheese section at a grocery store in the Northeast so I know most of the cheeses offered and their price ranges) So while those little portions don't equal out to "price per lb" and what you're paying for that plate, you're paying for the look of the plate and the ambiance of the restaurant and all that fun.

 

[aubriee]

Does anybody know if the cheese boards are available as an appetizer and/or a dessert using the DxDP? Or is this another one of those situations wherein each restaurant handles it differently and it depends on which CM you get?

Yes, they are at most restaurants. I know at both California Grill and Jiko they are. Last Sept I was too full for dessert at California Grill, so ordered the cheese plate to go. I've also ordered the cheese plate to go as dessert at Flying Fish once and my husband has ordered the cheese plate for dessert at both Narcoosee and California Grill. I love the sushi at California Grill, but also feel they have the best cheese plate on property so like it for dessert.

 

[TDC Nala]

We had one recent report that Jiko was no longer allowing dining plan users to order the cheese board as either an appetizer or dessert. It was just one report though.

 

[TDC Nala]

I've heard good things about the cheese boards/samplers..but keep in mind, they're tasting portions. They're not meant to fill you up, only give you a nice taste of each cheese offered. Most guidelines for serving sizes of cheese will say 2oz of cheese per person TOTAL, not 2oz of each cheese. An ounce is approx. the size of your pinky finger.

Also keep in mind that most of the cheeses offered are cheeses that retail from $10 to $25 a pound (I work in the specialty cheese section at a grocery store in the Northeast so I know most of the cheeses offered and their price ranges) So while those little portions don't equal out to "price per lb" and what you're paying for that plate, you're paying for the look of the plate and the ambiance of the restaurant and all that fun.

Still not worth $20. I was okay with it at $14, $16 and $18 (and I can't remember how many cheese boards I've ordered at Ca. Grill - a lot, so it's not like I've never seen one) but $20 is the breaking point. No more cheese for me at Ca. Grill.

 

[TangaroaTiki]

Never been to Jiko, but the cheese board & Three Cheese (Asiago,Provolone & Romano) flatbread at Cali Grill is MUST have for us each time

 

[BCV23]

We love the flatbreads at California Grill. The three cheese one is always offered and our younger son often orders that. As Uncleromulus said, the others change often. I think I've enjoyed each one I've ordered over the years.

Ditto on the BBQ chicken flatbread at Jiko.

We've had the cheese plate at both restaurants as a dessert on the deluxe plan in the past. However, a year and a half ago we were told we couldn't get the cheese plate as a dessert at Narcoossee's on the deluxe plan even though it appeared on the dessert menu. Another restaurant advised us of the same thing last year some trip... I think it was Flying Fish but it may have been Jiko. Wherever it was, our server told us it was a property wide policy at that time. So if you want the cheese plate, I would ask right away if you can order it as a dessert to avoid disappointment at the end of the meal.

The cheeses change all the time so I think it's very hard to ask about other's experiences with them.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

We always share a flatbread when we dine at CG & Jiko. CG seems to change theres more often then Jiko does. We ate at both again last month and shared great flatbreads again. I would always order flatbreads over cheese samplers.