JayDubs
Here for Castles, Fireworks, and Magic
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2012
- Messages
- 58
Hey, all! This is my first dining review ever so...I hope you enjoy! Feedback on reviewing style welcome!
About The Author
My name is Jeff and I'm 30 years old and a big Disney fan! My Disney cred? This is my 5th trip to WDW. I've also been to Disneyland Paris twice and I'm a religious reader here at the DIS. This trip, I was staying with extended family at Pop Century during the first week of January.
A day off from the parks lead me to my first visit to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The rest of the extended family had gone their separate ways for the day, so this is a solo food safari!
Afternoon Snack at The Mara
I arrived to the Lodge pretty early in the day to hang out and explore Jambo House and Kadani Village. I decided to drop by the Mara food court to check things out, fill my refillable mug, and try some of the famous zebra domes! Now, when I visit with family and we stay on-property, we always stay at a Value Resort--so I am used to LARGE food courts, bustling with activity. Give my experience with the value resorts, I was surprised at how small and quiet the Mara is! I'm quite sure that this space is sufficient for AKL, since the resort has alternative dining locations, but I was surprised nevertheless. Not going to lie--I think I would miss all of the activity and options of the value food courts.
As for the famous zebra domes? Count me as a "meh." I know that review will make some people reading right now, but it is what it is! They were a nice dessert option. Tasty. No complaints and no regrets, but they didn't stand out to me as a Disney "must-have." I'd still prefer a Mickey Premium Bar over these to satisfy the sweet tooth.
Appetizers at Sanaa
After exploring Jambo House for a while, I headed over to Kidani to explore a bit. I decided to grab a seat at the bar and enjoy some South African wine and a little appetizer. At 5:00 on a Wednesday, there weren't a lot of people around the bar or the restaurant. Sanaa has a great atmosphere and I think I'd enjoy eating in the main dining room sometime. Service is the first impression and my first impression was, admittedly, mixed. There was a male bartender who first greeted me when I sat down. He was friendly enough, but he didn't seem very knowledgeable about the wine list...and I was here to try the wine! For some reason, as I was perusing the wine list and menu, the first bartender scooted off an was replaced by a female bartender. I don't remember her name, but I do remember that she was from the UK and that she was FANTASTIC. She made me feel very welcome as a solo drinker at the bar and was very apt at reading just how much conversation/chit-chat I was interested in and how much "just leave me alone with my wine" time I needed. She was much more helpful when it came to the wine list and was just very pleasant to interact with overall. She left me with a great impression of service at Sanaa.
I opted for the Johannesburg Wine Flight which included a pour each of Spice Route Chakalaka, Black Pearl Oro, Edgebaston Pepper Pot. All three were good wine, but my favorite by far was the Spice Route Chakalaka. Generous pours of all three selections. I decided I also wanted to try the famous Sanaa Naan, but didn't think one person could handle the full Indian Style Bread Service. I ordered just a single piece of Garlic Ginger Naan with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus. The Naan was absolutely amazing and lived up to ALL of the hype. It was a good think I decided to limit myself to one piece, as hard as that was, because if I allowed myself to order more I would have kept eating Naan all night and missed out on my dinner reservation. The Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus was good, but not great. Wish I would have gotten to try more of the dipping sauces, but I'm only one man after all!
Overall, a very worthwhile trip to Sanaa. Thoroughly enjoyed my wine flight and the Naan. Walked back over to Jambo House for my Jiko reservation. The walk didn't take long, but it's certainly not a very scenic stroll through the parking lot.
Dinner at Jiko
This is my FIRST dining experience at a Disney Signature restaurant. I've eaten at plenty of fine establishments during my travels throughout Europe, but I was HIGHLY ANTICIPATING my first Disney Signature experience. This was my personal splurge for the trip and I had been looking forward to it for weeks, having read so many awesome reviews online.
Service is always the first impression and the service here was spectacular. From the moment I checked in with the hostess to the moment I left, the service was impeccable. It really set the tone for this signature dining experience. I was seated right away, given the choice of a regular table or sitting at the cooking place. There were two couples already sitting at the cooking place, so it actually might have been a bit awkward sitting there solo between the four of them. The hostess recommended taking a regular table, but said she'd walk me by the cooking place and if I preferred to sit there I could. I opted for the regular table and was glad that I did. I'm sure the cooking place is an awesome experience when you get to interact with the chefs, but I enjoyed having a view of the dining room and really soaking in the awesome atmosphere. The rosewater hot towels were a nice touch and were a nice, luxurious touch to begin my Jiko experience.
Marty was my server and he did a fine job. Since I already had appetizers at Sanaa, I knew that I was going to go straight for the entree here. I ordered a Manhatten to enjoy while I perused the menu. I was pretty sure I already knew what I was going to order, but I wanted to check out all of my options anyway. Marty recommended the Lamb Chops or the Short Rib. But I came here for the filet and decided to go with that. In fact, the reason I ended up at Jiko at all was a search through the Disboards reviews for great steaks on property.
Taking the recommendation of fellow DISers, I ordered the Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with the Mac & Cheese and Asparagus. The filet was SOOO good and it far exceeded all of my expectations. I'm a fan of a good steak, and this was a good cut of meat that was cooked perfectly. The Red Wine Sauce was a perfect compliment to the filet, but what REALLY made this stand out was the spices they used to season the steak. Part of me thought that I was going to be missing out on the true "African culinary experience" by choosing the very American "red meat" option, but I couldn't have been more wrong. The spices they used on the steak gave it a distinctly african flavor which I enjoyed more and more with each bite. Literally, with each bite I noticed more and more the subtlety and complexity of the seasoning and I just really enjoyed it. Definitely one of the best steaks I've ever had. I'm going to say something that's not going to put me in favor of many of the Jiko fans around here though...the Mac & Cheese was nothing special. It was not bad, certainly, but I don't understand why it gets the rave reviews that it does on here. I don't regret ordering it, but I probably would have been just as happy with the spoon bread that comes along with the dish on the menu. I had a glass of the Morgenster Lourens River Valley Red Blend with my dinner. It was good, but not as good as the Spice Route Chakalaka that I had at Sanaa.
If you're gonna splurge, splurge! That's what I say! After that fantastic steak, I decided to spring for dessert. I took Marty's recommendation and ordered the Ghanian Chocolate and Kenyan Coffee Pot de Creme and a cup of coffee. This was a delicious finish to a delicious meal. The Pot de Creme was very rich but very good and really just the right portion size. I loved the coffee here as well! I think this is one of Joffrey's special blends that they created just for Jiko and it is so good. I'm a Joffrey's fan in general, but this was good. Actually considering ordering some to have at home.
This was certainly a splurge dinner. I can't afford to do this very often!! But it was certainly worth it. And to be honest, I expect to pay a decent chunk of change for a good steak no matter where I go. Considering that I also expect to pay an "upcharge" for anything that I do on Disney property, the price of this Disney Signature meal was not outrageous. If I hit the lotto, I'd definitely head back to Jiko in a heartbeat. The problem would be convincing myself to try something new--because I'd be very tempted just to order that amazing filet all over again!
Thanks for sticking with me for this LOOOOONG review of my AKL Food Safari. Hope you enjoyed it!
About The Author
My name is Jeff and I'm 30 years old and a big Disney fan! My Disney cred? This is my 5th trip to WDW. I've also been to Disneyland Paris twice and I'm a religious reader here at the DIS. This trip, I was staying with extended family at Pop Century during the first week of January.
A day off from the parks lead me to my first visit to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The rest of the extended family had gone their separate ways for the day, so this is a solo food safari!
Afternoon Snack at The Mara
I arrived to the Lodge pretty early in the day to hang out and explore Jambo House and Kadani Village. I decided to drop by the Mara food court to check things out, fill my refillable mug, and try some of the famous zebra domes! Now, when I visit with family and we stay on-property, we always stay at a Value Resort--so I am used to LARGE food courts, bustling with activity. Give my experience with the value resorts, I was surprised at how small and quiet the Mara is! I'm quite sure that this space is sufficient for AKL, since the resort has alternative dining locations, but I was surprised nevertheless. Not going to lie--I think I would miss all of the activity and options of the value food courts.
As for the famous zebra domes? Count me as a "meh." I know that review will make some people reading right now, but it is what it is! They were a nice dessert option. Tasty. No complaints and no regrets, but they didn't stand out to me as a Disney "must-have." I'd still prefer a Mickey Premium Bar over these to satisfy the sweet tooth.
Appetizers at Sanaa
After exploring Jambo House for a while, I headed over to Kidani to explore a bit. I decided to grab a seat at the bar and enjoy some South African wine and a little appetizer. At 5:00 on a Wednesday, there weren't a lot of people around the bar or the restaurant. Sanaa has a great atmosphere and I think I'd enjoy eating in the main dining room sometime. Service is the first impression and my first impression was, admittedly, mixed. There was a male bartender who first greeted me when I sat down. He was friendly enough, but he didn't seem very knowledgeable about the wine list...and I was here to try the wine! For some reason, as I was perusing the wine list and menu, the first bartender scooted off an was replaced by a female bartender. I don't remember her name, but I do remember that she was from the UK and that she was FANTASTIC. She made me feel very welcome as a solo drinker at the bar and was very apt at reading just how much conversation/chit-chat I was interested in and how much "just leave me alone with my wine" time I needed. She was much more helpful when it came to the wine list and was just very pleasant to interact with overall. She left me with a great impression of service at Sanaa.
I opted for the Johannesburg Wine Flight which included a pour each of Spice Route Chakalaka, Black Pearl Oro, Edgebaston Pepper Pot. All three were good wine, but my favorite by far was the Spice Route Chakalaka. Generous pours of all three selections. I decided I also wanted to try the famous Sanaa Naan, but didn't think one person could handle the full Indian Style Bread Service. I ordered just a single piece of Garlic Ginger Naan with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus. The Naan was absolutely amazing and lived up to ALL of the hype. It was a good think I decided to limit myself to one piece, as hard as that was, because if I allowed myself to order more I would have kept eating Naan all night and missed out on my dinner reservation. The Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus was good, but not great. Wish I would have gotten to try more of the dipping sauces, but I'm only one man after all!
Overall, a very worthwhile trip to Sanaa. Thoroughly enjoyed my wine flight and the Naan. Walked back over to Jambo House for my Jiko reservation. The walk didn't take long, but it's certainly not a very scenic stroll through the parking lot.
Dinner at Jiko
This is my FIRST dining experience at a Disney Signature restaurant. I've eaten at plenty of fine establishments during my travels throughout Europe, but I was HIGHLY ANTICIPATING my first Disney Signature experience. This was my personal splurge for the trip and I had been looking forward to it for weeks, having read so many awesome reviews online.
Service is always the first impression and the service here was spectacular. From the moment I checked in with the hostess to the moment I left, the service was impeccable. It really set the tone for this signature dining experience. I was seated right away, given the choice of a regular table or sitting at the cooking place. There were two couples already sitting at the cooking place, so it actually might have been a bit awkward sitting there solo between the four of them. The hostess recommended taking a regular table, but said she'd walk me by the cooking place and if I preferred to sit there I could. I opted for the regular table and was glad that I did. I'm sure the cooking place is an awesome experience when you get to interact with the chefs, but I enjoyed having a view of the dining room and really soaking in the awesome atmosphere. The rosewater hot towels were a nice touch and were a nice, luxurious touch to begin my Jiko experience.
Marty was my server and he did a fine job. Since I already had appetizers at Sanaa, I knew that I was going to go straight for the entree here. I ordered a Manhatten to enjoy while I perused the menu. I was pretty sure I already knew what I was going to order, but I wanted to check out all of my options anyway. Marty recommended the Lamb Chops or the Short Rib. But I came here for the filet and decided to go with that. In fact, the reason I ended up at Jiko at all was a search through the Disboards reviews for great steaks on property.
Taking the recommendation of fellow DISers, I ordered the Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with the Mac & Cheese and Asparagus. The filet was SOOO good and it far exceeded all of my expectations. I'm a fan of a good steak, and this was a good cut of meat that was cooked perfectly. The Red Wine Sauce was a perfect compliment to the filet, but what REALLY made this stand out was the spices they used to season the steak. Part of me thought that I was going to be missing out on the true "African culinary experience" by choosing the very American "red meat" option, but I couldn't have been more wrong. The spices they used on the steak gave it a distinctly african flavor which I enjoyed more and more with each bite. Literally, with each bite I noticed more and more the subtlety and complexity of the seasoning and I just really enjoyed it. Definitely one of the best steaks I've ever had. I'm going to say something that's not going to put me in favor of many of the Jiko fans around here though...the Mac & Cheese was nothing special. It was not bad, certainly, but I don't understand why it gets the rave reviews that it does on here. I don't regret ordering it, but I probably would have been just as happy with the spoon bread that comes along with the dish on the menu. I had a glass of the Morgenster Lourens River Valley Red Blend with my dinner. It was good, but not as good as the Spice Route Chakalaka that I had at Sanaa.
If you're gonna splurge, splurge! That's what I say! After that fantastic steak, I decided to spring for dessert. I took Marty's recommendation and ordered the Ghanian Chocolate and Kenyan Coffee Pot de Creme and a cup of coffee. This was a delicious finish to a delicious meal. The Pot de Creme was very rich but very good and really just the right portion size. I loved the coffee here as well! I think this is one of Joffrey's special blends that they created just for Jiko and it is so good. I'm a Joffrey's fan in general, but this was good. Actually considering ordering some to have at home.
This was certainly a splurge dinner. I can't afford to do this very often!! But it was certainly worth it. And to be honest, I expect to pay a decent chunk of change for a good steak no matter where I go. Considering that I also expect to pay an "upcharge" for anything that I do on Disney property, the price of this Disney Signature meal was not outrageous. If I hit the lotto, I'd definitely head back to Jiko in a heartbeat. The problem would be convincing myself to try something new--because I'd be very tempted just to order that amazing filet all over again!
Thanks for sticking with me for this LOOOOONG review of my AKL Food Safari. Hope you enjoyed it!
