If I love Boma, will I like Jiko?

[Brygida]

I love Boma!

On my trip next month, I am traveling solo, and have an opportunity to try Jiko. Should I?

At Boma, while all the dishes are probably exquisite, a few have been too spicy for me. Which is okay... because its a buffet and I can try something else! There are always multiple things I love.

I am worried that at Jiko, ordering one entree and maybe an appetizer... what if I guess wrong and it is too spicy for me. Can comeone compare the food who has tried both?

Thanks!

 

[Pakey]

We've dined at both many times and I feel that Boma's food is more adventurous than Jiko's.

The appetizers at Jiko are more adventurous than the entrees. The only entrees I have found to have unusual spices are the tandoori chicken (pretty spicey) and the short ribs (they definitely have a coffee flavor to them so if you don't like coffee, you might not like these). I've had the filet mignon and various fish entrees and never found them spicy at all.

The appetizers are outstanding. I cannot recommend one more than another.

 

[aussietravellers]

Not sure I love Jiko and Love Boma breakfast only, I'm not a fan of their dinner. But Jiko is a must do on our WDW trips.

 

[Dziactor]

Jiko is my wife's favorite restaurant. I love the BBQ Flatbread Appatizer and the Steak for dinner with the Macaronni. I know we prefer it to Boma, and were still disapointed we cant work it in on our May trip this year with my whole family.

 

[Pygoplites]

I've eaten at Jiko a bunch of times and can't think of anything that was too spicy. If anything, I think Jiko plays it a bit too safe. I LOVE their food anyway, and I don't think it would be "challenging" for anyone unless they are extremely restricted on their likes. One of my favorite restaurants anywhere and in an entirely different league than Boma (but still my favorite buffet in WDW).

 

[Steamboat Girlie]

I heard recently that Jiko is the top rated restaurant on property. 4 diamonds by AAA. I tend to agree. I think the food it top notch, and if you know wine, their wine list is phenomenal. Biggest selection of South African wines outside of South Africa!
If you are dining solo, ask to be seated at the cooking place, right by where they are preparing the food. It's a wonderful experience. I also love sitting in the wine room. It's a bit more quite and more intimate.
I would have to say that Jiko is my favorite dining experience in Disney, and maybe even outside of Disney as well. It is not to be missed!

 

[jamstew]

If you know wine, their wine list is phenomenal.

Love, love the DeToren Fusion V--absolutely outstanding wine.

 

[Steamboat Girlie]

Love, love the DeToren Fusion V--absolutely outstanding wine.

On two occasions we had the Cederberg Bukettraube. I fell in love, and have been trying to get it at local wine shops around Boston but with no success. Gives me reason to return to Jiko I guess!

 

[Pygoplites]

Love, love the DeToren Fusion V--absolutely outstanding wine.

That's what I ordered last time i was there! Better than many wines that cost twice as much (or more). I also had a white wine blend that was amazingly complex and delicious, but I can't recall the name.

 

[jfinke]

Jiko is great. However, I would agree with some of the previous posters in that I think they are more conservative and cater to the American palate.

 

[TillyMarigold]

If you love Boma, do yourself a favor and order something African at Jiko (i.e. not the filet, which I'm sure is good, but why go to an African restaurant for steak?).

We had some sort of egg roll with corn and bitter greens and a curry dressing; the seared maize cake with piquillo peppers sauce; and the Swahili curry shrimp. All of them were about the same level of spiciness--between "mild" and "medium" at most Indian restaurants, "mild" at most Thai restaurants, considerably milder than normal New Mexican food.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

we love Boma breakfast but we did not really like dinner that much. We love Jiko and had an amazing meal.

 

[kathie859]

You'll like Jiko....but like a previous poster mentioned, order something interesting (not the freakin' filet!) They used to have a lamb shank that was to die for It's not on the menu anymore I've always found the servers to be excellent guides in making suggestions for both food selection and wine.

 

[jenjersnap]

Well, I like Boma and love Jiko!

I've never had anything very spicy there, even the shrimp curry was flavorful rather than spicy.

 

[jamstew]

I love the restaurant, the ambience, the wine list, etc., but I'm not crazy about African flavors. OTOH, I think they have the best filet on property, so why shouldn't I order it?

 

[aubriee]

I love the restaurant, the ambience, the wine list, etc., but I'm not crazy about African flavors. OTOH, I think they have the best filet on property, so why shouldn't I order it?

Maybe because we can get better steaks here in Texas! Hi Jamie, sorry, couldn't resist. While I agree Jiko has a good steak, my first thought the first time I ordered it was, 'hey I can get a steak just as good back home'. I've ordered Jiko's steak twice and while I enjoyed it, I really enjoyed the fish I had there more, simply because it was different.

I love both Boma and Jiko, but find them nothing alike. As others said, Boma is a little more adventuresome than Jiko. Jiko plays it a little too safe. I work with two people from Africa (one from South Africa and one from Zimbabwe). I've shown both of them the menu at Jiko and they look at me like I'm crazy and say that's not what they eat. They both (at different times told me to order the savanna rolls, taste of Africa (dips and bread), curry shrimp or maize pudding if I wanted anything even close to African cooking. One of my coworkers then proceeded to bring me a beef stew and some homemade bread the next night to show me how they eat.

 

[Brygida]

Thanks all for comments. I think I have an idea about the place. And I definately want to try new places. I do tend to go for my tried & true list of places that the whole family will LOVE!

This time I am traveling on my own and can try the high-end stuff I may have avoided due to the cost and schedule.

 

[Hollymom1229]

Jiko is far and away our favorite restaurant on property. The flatbreads are wonderful, we love to try the specialty one each time we go. Also on our first three visits we had the filet with mac and cheese which was wonderful, but this last visit we went outside of our comfort zone and didn't regret it one bit. I've never had anything less than amazing on their menu. Boma is good, but it's a buffet, the same level of quality just isn't there as far as the food.

 

[jamstew]

I really enjoyed the fish I had there more, simply because it was different.

You're the second person to recommend the fish (redbudlover really liked it, too), so I might be willing to try that next time

I

They both (at different times told me to order the savanna rolls, taste of Africa (dips and bread), curry shrimp or maize pudding if I wanted anything even close to African cooking.

I had some kind of corn or maize pudding-type stuff at Boma. It had something green in it. I remember joking that I had now had my green veggies for the day. Whatever it was had a lot of sugar, and I liked it a lot. One of the soups, too -- the one that your mom said had a lot of sugar in it--I liked that one. And, of course, the hush puppies (mealie bread?) I guess I just don't care for the African spices, although I don't mind curry sometimes. I think Mark and I both ate prime rib, right

 

[TillyMarigold]

I love the restaurant, the ambience, the wine list, etc., but I'm not crazy about African flavors. OTOH, I think they have the best filet on property, so why shouldn't I order it?

You should ... but the OP was going to Jiko because she loves the African flavors at Boma, so she shouldn't. She should order something with African flavors. Make sense?

I see a lot of people who say "I love the flavors at Boma, then I went to Jiko and was disappointed" and most of the time, they ordered the filet! I just don't get it. If you're trying an upscale African restaurant because you like African food, of course you're going to be disappointed if you intentionally order the least African thing on the menu.