So whats all the hype about BOMA?

[My2QTs]

This rest. is actually one of the places on my "maybe" list. I just can't seem to get into the menu when I read it. I am not real adventurous with my tastebuds, but I do like different food if its not freakishly different. I am not big on weird spices (i.e. rosemary) or spicy foods. I can't imagine I would like this food, but everyone is raving about it. I feel like if we don't go we will be missing out on something big. I also have two kids (9&3) and I don't know if they will enjoy this food. I really don't want to take them there to eat chicken fingers if thats all they can eat because the regular menu is so bizarre....

any thoughts???

 

[Swmhc]

I think I can safely say this is my husbands FAVORITE place to eat. We usually hit at least one breakfast and one dinner every time we are at WDW. They have a lot of "regular" foods as well as ones with an African flare. My daughter was 10 the first time she went and she is rather picky and she loved it too. She still talks about the "frunch" she had with breakfast 3 1/2 years ago (a breakfast fruit slushee). The prime rib is the best I have ever eaten....so tender you can cute it with a fork. The desserts are to die for. They have lots of fruits and veggies, from plain to unique dishes. I don't think you will be disappointed !

 

[jonestavern]

There is a wide variety there, very wide.
More vast than CP, or Biergarten or Tusker, to name a few.
You won't know until you try it.
Everyone is going to have a different opinion.
I'm not really an adventurous eater, but I think the spices are tame.

Rosemary a 'weird' spice???


Jean

 

[Safari Queen]

It's our #1 favorite. We've brought a lot of people to Boma, including children and picky adults, and they've all found plenty to eat. There's prime rib, chicken and fish, lots of different salads, rice and potato dishes, and FABULOUS desserts. The kids menu includes pasta,meatballs and several other things besides chicken strips. If you go with an open mind, take a small portion of anything that's appealing, then go back for what you like, you should have a really nice experience. The wait staff and chefs are also really good about helping you choose if you have any food allergies or issues. Give it a shot!

 

[belleatheart]

We really liked BOMA, it is an amazing place to go, and even get to tthe AKL a little early and go out and see the savvannah, and you can watch it from inside the restaurant. They just have different foods and then stuff that you can eat if you do not like the african infused foods. We like it because you can find something for everyone there! and the zebra domes are killer!

 

[branv]

Normally I'd say that most anyone can find things they'd like at Boma. But honestly, if you think simple ol' Rosemary is weird or unusual, I don't know. That's a new one and my head is still reeling a little . I can't even imagine what you'd do with curry, and there's plenty of that at Boma.

Boma has a lot of flavor mixes that would probably weird you out (ex. cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger or an added sweetness in what you might normally think of as savory items).

Maybe it would help if you quantified what you think isn't strange?

 

[Laura]

This rest. is actually one of the places on my "maybe" list. I just can't seem to get into the menu when I read it. I am not real adventurous with my tastebuds, but I do like different food if its not freakishly different. I am not big on weird spices (i.e. rosemary) or spicy foods. I can't imagine I would like this food, but everyone is raving about it. I feel like if we don't go we will be missing out on something big. I also have two kids (9&3) and I don't know if they will enjoy this food. I really don't want to take them there to eat chicken fingers if thats all they can eat because the regular menu is so bizarre....

any thoughts???

Rosemary is a perfectly normal, everyday herb to me. I suppose if it seems weird to you, a lot of the food at Boma isn't going to be your cup of tea. But honestly, Boma is not particularly exotic. No restaurant at WDW is. There are things there you will recognize, and if you try some things that seem "bizarre" or "freakishly different" to you (which may seem normal to me), you may turn out to like them.

I say live a little, give it a try. If you hate it, you hate it. Everyone has their own tastes, and it's hard to judge how a person will like a particular dish. One person's adventurous is another's boring.

 

[luna99]

a big group of us went last september (11 people) and it was about 75% liked it and 25% didn't.

DH and I LOVED it. In fact DH said if he didn't get to eat at Boma on our next trip to Disney then he just wasn't going. As long as we are eating at Boma, he doesn't care where else we eat and I get to choose all the other restaurants.

My mother/father didn't care for it too much. They are picky eaters though while DH and I LOVE trying new things with new flavors.

My sister COULDN'T eat there because she was going through some medical things and was only allowed to eat bland food.. so I think she didn't eat at all.

My brother in law and his girlfriend liked it ... actually, his girlfriend loved it.

My sister in law loved it and her husband as well, their two little kids (5 and 7 - both boys).. not so much.. which is suprising because they usually eat unusual food like sushi and seaweed (korean food). I think they ended up sitting and playing their hand held nintendo games through dinner.

I think the best things on the menu are the soups (the soups are AMAZING), and the meats, and the desserts. Seems to me the side dishes like rice and potato type things are hits and misses. I think if you are even slightly interested in going and like to try new things you should try it at least once. Make sure you look around AKR while you are there, walk outside, and look at the animals.... that way at least your trip there won't be a total wash if you don't like the food.... but I can't imagine that happening. It's really one of the best restaurants (In my opinion) on property.

have fun!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

I've taken a large family group there, and one of the members was particularly sensitive to strong flavors (much like our OP) and he was not happy with anything there. He was picking up on the (to him) unusual spices and herbs combinations. He didn't even like the desserts.

I'd say if you are concerned about dining there, then why put yourself through something less than wonderful? There are plenty of places to dine at Disney.

Having said all that, I've seen the chefs at Boma work closely with guests who could not (would not ?) eat what was on offer at the pods, and make an entirely custom ordered dish.

 

[septbaby]

Go look at the kid's menu there is probably plenty there that you'd like. The other option is to go for breakfast, they will make an omelette to order.

The other "hype" about Boma is its location. With several children in your group it's a great place to spend some time before or after the meal. There is animal viewing, story time around the fire pit and an evening drum parade the children can participate in too.

 

[Sorsha]

I've taken a large family group there, and one of the members was particularly sensitive to strong flavors (much like our OP) and he was not happy with anything there. He was picking up on the (to him) unusual spices and herbs combinations. He didn't even like the desserts.

That was my DH when we ate there last September. He is very picky, and really didn't like one thing that was served. In HIS opinion, they even "ruined" the prime rib. It was all about the unusual or different herbs and spices, they were just not what he was used to. He also does not like sweet and savory combined.

I, on the other hand, really enjoyed it. I love sweet and savory, and I enjoy trying new things. My kids, not so much; they ate the "normal" stuff on the kids' bar and dessert.

We won't be returning to Boma, although if I am ever at WDW with friends, *I* may go again and let DH take the kids somewhere with "normal" food.

 

[Lynne M]

There are SO many restaurants at WDW....why eat at a place you're not sure you'll like? Sure, Boma is popular, but just like any restaurant, some people love it, some people don't.

Usually, I'd recommend giving it a try. But if a common herb like rosemary is outside your comfort zone, I'm pretty sure you're not going to like Boma.

Vacations are supposed to be fun, filled with things you enjoy doing. There's just no point in going to a restaurant because you feel like you 'should'. Millions of people have wonderful vacations at WDW without ever going to Boma....it's not a necessity.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Boma is the only buffet that we care to dine at. We have tried all of the buffets at WDW and we always come back to Boma. We like all the different selections that you don't get at other buffets.

 

[My2QTs]

Thanks for all the great feedback. I am sorry so many people were "blown away" by my aversion to Rosemary. I hardly doubt my entire vacation would be miserble if we went to BOMA and I didn't really care for the food. Its not that big of a deal to me if it does not become my fav. after going once. I know DH will love it, and from what everyone is saying, the atmosphere makes it worth it. I do like different foods, just not strange spices. I love chinese, japanese, mexican, italian, german....so its not like Im a chicken fingers and mac and cheese girl (much to the contrary actually), Im probably just a little more finicky when it comes to "odd flavors."

So I guess we'll try it. It sounds like we can't lose either way. Im sure the experience will make it enjoyable. If it doesn't go well, then so be it. Im sure we'll find something we like, even if we have to go completely american on the buffet. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Goofyzgurl]

It's our favorite hands down. The food is just awesome. Dh has asked to dine there twice our next trip.

 

[crisi]

I've been twice. The first time was terribly disappointing - more due to expectations than anything else. The food is OK - but it isn't great (I will admit to being a food snob). It is not spicy, but it is often "unusually spiced" - the Lodge is worth a stop, but the restaurant doesn't have an atmosphere worth really going to (you can't see the animals from inside the restuarant, which is a relatively open, colorful and noisy buffet). I'm not sure if the atmosphere is "worth it" - (I happen to think that the atmosphere at the Sci Fi is 'worth' subpar food and high prices - but not Boma). Add to that how inconvienent the restaurant is to get to unless you are staying at the lodge, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you are sure. The soups that time were excellent however.

The second time I went with more realistic expectations, this time the soups that had been so good before were disappointing, but the rest of the meal was good. That time I went because I was on a business trip with a coworker, and wanted to try and explain to him what Disney was. AKL is a great place to say "here they do theatre on an impossible scale."

 

[LSchrow]

first time we went, DD & i loved it . DH (aka the pizza man" ~ who eats pizza literally every day ), did not. DS was "just okay" with it.
DD & i have eaten there repeatedly since (leaving "the boys" to forage on their own ), & found it appears to get less & less "exotic" each time. we found the interesting & unusual flavors of the offerings have became more mainstream & amercanized. there is still an extensive selection, but less "WOW factor.
DH & DS would probably like Boma better now; unfortunately for DD & myself, the less adventurous tastes makes it less appealing.

whether you enjoy the food or not tho, the resort is stunning & worthy of a special visit

hth

 

[Stittsville]

This rest. is actually one of the places on my "maybe" list. I just can't seem to get into the menu when I read it. I am not real adventurous with my tastebuds, but I do like different food if its not freakishly different. I am not big on weird spices (i.e. rosemary) or spicy foods. I can't imagine I would like this food, but everyone is raving about it. I feel like if we don't go we will be missing out on something big. I also have two kids (9&3) and I don't know if they will enjoy this food. I really don't want to take them there to eat chicken fingers if thats all they can eat because the regular menu is so bizarre....

any thoughts???

Rosemary a weird spice??!! It's a classical pairing with lamb and other foods.

Geez, time to get out of that rut you are stuck in.

 

[My2QTs]

Actually Stittsville, "it's time" to get off the rosemary. Geez. I just made one comment about a spice I don't care for. I really couldn't care less what food it goes with, I don't like it. Does that mean Im in a rut? And anyway, I "thought" this thread was about Boma, not rosemary. For gosh sakes people....drop it already. And think of it this way: that just means more rosemary for you!!!

 

[Liljam]

And think of it this way: that just means more rosemary for you!!!

That was just too cute!

Actually I am glad I found this thread because I had the same question. My friend had went to visit last year the week before we did, and he was upgraded to AKL. When I called him to tell him about DVC and that we bought points, he said he did too! He asked where and I told him SSR because we like that resort a lot because of DTD he said he purchased at AKV based ENTIRELY on the close proximity to Boma! He said he could have saved a bit of money going with SSR but he wants to eat many dinners at Boma! I looked at the menu and wasn't sure what all the hype was either. I may try it one day just to see if it's something I'd like.