Boma... was very different than I expected. I was a bit hesitant to eat there for a couple of reasons. One, even though there were glowing reports, the food just did not seem appealing to me in print. Two, I wasn't sure how my DDs would react. As it happened, I was stuck with a non-park meal to plan, so I made a last minute ADR here.
Before I detail the reasons why, let me tell you we LOVED it. First of all, the presentation of the lobby of AKL with the aromas wafting from the restaurants was nothing short of mouth watering. We checked in for our ADRs, got a beeper and proceeded to wander through the lobby.
The decor was so unusual yet welcoming. We found the atmosphere very pleasant, the dark wood theme beautiful, and many large tables celebrating. We sat down and despite everyone referring to the food stations as Pods, it's very much like a regular buffet. Because it was a buffet, I really felt free to try a bit of everything, and I was very glad I did. I discovered that the most distinguishable aroma we smelled as we entered AKL came from the spice rub on the ribs. They were wonderfully prepared and spicy without being overpowering. Even my kids were raving over the food. Some of my favorite items were:
coconut rice
coconut curry chicken stew
watermelon tomato salad (even got the recipe for this one)
salmon
coconut tiramisu (anyone sensing a trend here?)
ribs
hummus dips
couscous
I know I had more that I liked. My DD12 said they had the best mac and cheese on WDW property. I will defer to her expertise in that area. We all loved Boma and my kids have asked to dine there again.
Try it!