Kevin - can you run to Tusker House and compare to Boma?

[Elmo888]

I enjoyed your Boma review, and I'd like to hear how you compare it to Tusker House!

I know that it probably won't be until late fall (when AK isn't a sauna!), but I'd love to hear a side by side comparison. I had understood that Boma was Tusker House on steroids. I loved Tusker House (lunch). so I thought that I would love Boma even more. I'm vegetarian, and I was stuffed at Tusker House - so much to choose from! Your food choices at Boma seemed to lean more to my preferences, so I'd love to hear your view of the two.

Between the two, Tusker House is much more convenient if you aren't staying at AKL or AKV, which is why we tried it. When we did make the trip to AKL, we went to Jiko, which was worth the trip!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I know I'm not Kevin, but I feel that both Boma and TH are quite similar.

 

[jlindemer]

After all that talk about Texas De Brazil, I was hoping Kevin and John would take one for the team and review it!

 

[doconeill]

We've done TH twice now for lunch, and Boma once for dinner.

The food is similar, but we much prefer TH in general. Less crowded, less noisy. We've generally found the selection of food varied enough that you end up stuffed just from wanting to try everything, as opposed to just loading up on a couple items.

 

[DisneyKevin]

After all that talk about Texas De Brazil, I was hoping Kevin and John would take one for the team and review it!

Make no mistake about Texas de Brazil gets a rave review.

 

[DEA]

I am also not Kevin, but I have recently eaten at both restaurants (within the last month), and can speak to the similarites and differences.

I'll start with Tusker House, as that is the restaurant with which you have some experience. Tusker House is a delight, in my opinion. It has a few more pedestrian choices than Boma (like the sandwich fixin's at lunch, for example, and the Caesar salad) while still throwing in some excellent African-themed tastes and dishes. The dessert selection is great, although it doesn't have its own "signature dessert" like Boma has.

Boma shares the same layout of the Tusker House buffet in terms of having "pods" of foods arranged along the buffet. Because the layout is a little more linear than that of Tusker House, you end up having a pile-up at the far right of the buffet, where the carving station is. Because you are a vegetarian, you can probably hop right past this and move on to veggie-er pastures. You will find some similar ingredients as those used at TH; the TH mealie bread shows up at Boma, for example. You will find several vegetarian dishes, including fruit salad and a few varieties of hummus; my daughters pretty much ate these exclusively at Boma.

The big thing that Boma has over TH is its soup selection. I especially like the mushroom soup. The selection varies each night; it might be worth checking beforehand so that you can go in knowing what to expect. They also run a culinary tour of Boma and Jiko at 4pm if you would like to get a closer look at the offerings for that evening.

The Boma desserts are a bit fancier than those at Tusker House, including the iconic Zebra Domes. They also have cookies, passionfruit panna cotta, and some sort of cobbler, if I recall correctly. Personally, I find the offerings at TH more to my taste, especially the baklava. My DW loves the panna cotta, though.

All in all, you'll find similar flavors, and then some, at Boma. I think TH wins for breads, salads, and overall value. Boma wins on soups, meats (not a concern for you), and, for some, desserts. I, too, love Tusker House for lunch, but I can't say that I love Boma more.

 

[jlindemer]

Make no mistake about Texas de Brazil gets a rave review.

It sounds wonderful!

 

[BriarRosie]

The big thing that Boma has over TH is its soup selection.

Ding ding ding! That was my impression, too. I really enjoyed Tusker House, but I did wish it had soups like Boma.

All in all, you'll find similar flavors, and then some, at Boma. I think TH wins for breads, salads, and overall value. Boma wins on soups, meats (not a concern for you), and, for some, desserts. I, too, love Tusker House for lunch, but I can't say that I love Boma more.

I thought TH had a more user-friendly buffet compared to Boma, for the reasons I cut out of the quote. The linear layout at Boma is bad. Has been bad in terms of effeciency since 2001.

I'm going to give the edge to Tusker House.

 

[FireDancer]

Boma dinner and Tusker House lunch are my two favorite WDW meals. TH is definitely a better value because you get the lunch pricing. I found the flavors to be less intense then Boma and the use of spices a bit toned down. I think anyone who is a little apprehensive about Boma could try TH first and get a very close meal for less money. If you end up liking TH I think you will like Boma.

 

[myweegirls]

I'm with my husband (DEA) on this one. As I'm not a huge soup person, though, my edge easily goes to TH. I don't get stressed out at the prospect of going back to the buffet there, whereas it's just an ordeal at Boma, and I always feel like I'm cutting the line by ducking in for seconds of something in the middle. The TH layout just seems to work better, especially with kids.

XO
Liz

 

[mainegal]

Boma dinner and Tusker House lunch are my two favorite WDW meals. TH is definitely a better value because you get the lunch pricing.

Plus, if you time your lunch right, you get better seats at Finding Nemo!

 

[fall08CP]

Boma dinner and Tusker House lunch are my two favorite WDW meals. TH is definitely a better value because you get the lunch pricing. I found the flavors to be less intense then Boma and the use of spices a bit toned down. I think anyone who is a little apprehensive about Boma could try TH first and get a very close meal for less money. If you end up liking TH I think you will like Boma.

What he said.


We like to call TH "Boma but better" I literally loved everything there, and was full before I got to try it all!

 

[DEA]

Plus, if you time your lunch right, you get better seats at Finding Nemo!

This is, by the way, what I consider to be the second best* "freebie" associated with dining at WDW. I waited in line for the Nemo show once, and it has been so much better since we started taking advantage of this perk.

* Best freebie is the culinary tour of Africa they run at Jambo House through Boma and Jiko.

 

[deekaypee]

I'll second - third? - what DEA and Frank have said in general. I prefer Boma, even though it's busier/chaotic, as the food is spicier and thus more to my liking BUT TH is more convenient, a great value, and there's the "Finding Nemo" perk.

I'm a vegetarian and, like you, there was plenty to sample and savor for me at TH (and Boma). My DH thought most meat/poultry/seafood dishes were good at both places, but prefers Boma as well. FWIW, he was underwhelmed by the Seafood Stew at TH (bland) but liked the version at Boma. At Boma, the carrot and ginger soup is delicious!

And in my experience, even the picky eaters find enough to satisfy at both restaurants.

The thing I was least impressed with at TH are the desserts. They all seem pretty standard to me. DEA mentions the baklava, which would be my recommendation. But then again, I don't think I've ever met a piece of baklava I didn't like.

I can't recommend the zebra domes at Boma, not vegetarian, but many of the other desserts there are tasty.

I know that other folks aren't as excited by Boma as I am, and feel it's overhyped (with some valid criticisms about price/noise, etc.). But I truly think if you're a vegetarian who enjoys international cuisine, you'll be very happy with it. (And with the knowledgeable chefs.)