Jiko is one of my favorite signature restaurants, but it hasn't always been that way. I think the fact that my mom is from South Africa used to make me extra critical of Jiko, since the food wasn't as "authentic" as we would've liked. Of course, Jiko still continues to serve "African fusion" cuisine, which uses African dishes as inspiration without replicating the original concept. But over time, I've learned to appreciate Jiko more. African food is hard enough to find in the United States, so why penalize a restaurant that actually tries to incorporate African flavors? And of course, there's the exclusively South African wine list, which is an awesome concept (even though I can't enjoy it yet
). Overall, I think Jiko does a great job of using African flavors in a creative yet approachable way.
Here was the menu during our visit:
Our server was Nasser (who used to work at Marrakesh in Epcot - how cool!), and he provided great, friendly service during the meal. He brought over some warm hand towels which had a soothing scent of lavender. The towels are a small touch, but they always get the meal going on a pleasant note.
We also received Jiko's bread basket, which contains dabo bread (Ethiopian honey-wheat) and a flaxseed focaccia.
Here's the tandoori butter that's served along with the bread. Personally, I love Jiko's bread basket. The flaxseed focaccia has a nutty flavor and slight crunch from the seeds on top, the dabo bread is sweet and fluffy, and the butter has a sweet flavor and extremely light dexture - quite a contrast from the dense, semi-solid butter topped with sea salt at other signature restaurants. The bread basket at Jiko sets the stage for something different - no sourdough or white rolls here.
We've tried many of the current appetizers at Jiko, including the chicken flatbread, boar tenderloin, beef bobotie roll, Taste of Africa, and cheese plate. This time, it was time for something different: we decided to split the beef "Seswaa" flatbread, with Botswana-style braised oxtail, Zellwood corn porridge, and smoked tomato harissa. The last time I had oxtail was actually in South Africa, so I couldn't wait to see how the chef transformed this dish into a flatbread.
We loved it. The oxtail was hearty and tender, which was a nice contrast from the creamy, cheesy layer underneath. Combined with the smokey tomato harissa (a Tunisian chili sauce, which wasn't too spicy) and the refreshing crunch from the greens, this flatbread was awesome.
Next up is my entree (or my "appetizers"). I was torn between two entrees - the vegetarian dish (a combination of "bunny chow" and "falafel") or the roasted chermoula head-on Nigerian prawns. But instead of narrowing it down to one entree, I took the easy way out and avoided the decision entirely.
I ordered the Jiko salad and the ahi tuna "biltong" as my entree, allowing me to taste two unique dishes.
Here's the Jiko salad, with Bibb lettuce, sorrel, blueberries, peaches, celery, pine nut brittle, and preserved lemon yogurt (on the side).
This was a delicious salad. I loved the use of seasonal fruits such as blueberries and peaches, while the celery and pine nut brittle added a crunch to contrast with the softer fruits and lettuce. But what really made this salad was the tangy lemon yogurt - it just added another layer to the dish, while still maintaining the lightness, freshness, and summery feel that I wanted. There was a second dressing on the plate as well - it was a vinaigrette of some sort, and I liked the acidity it added.
The other appetizer, the dry-cured ahi tuna "biltong", was more of a risk. I've had biltong in South Africa and absolutely love it - biltong is kind of like beef jerky, except it's savory and peppery instead of sweet. Honestly, I far prefer biltong over jerky (which can be cloyingly sweet and chewy IMO), but I'd never seen biltong made from fish. I was excited to see how this dish would compare with my biltong experiences.
Here's the dry-cured ahi tuna "biltong" with pickled hearts of palm salad, crispy pappadam, and smoked mackerel aioli.
And here it is after I moved the top layer to get a better look at the tuna.
I still don't really know how to describe this dish. Given that the dish was called "biltong", the tuna wasn't as dry as I expected (which I actually think was a smart decision - I can't imagine the tuna tasting better if it was completely dry). Between the fish and the aioli, there was a satisfyingly smokey flavor (although one that I don't often associate with sushi-grade dishes). Combined with the seasoning and the crunch from the pappadam and salad, the dish gradually began to remind me of biltong after a few bites. I appreciate the fact that this dish challenged my taste buds, even though I'm familiar with biltong.
My mom went with her favorite entree at Jiko: Sikhumbuzo's peri peri chicken with herb-crushed potatoes, french beans, mango sambal, and onion jus (I love this dish as well, but I always like to pick different things). Peri peri chicken is extremely popular in South Africa. Although its origins are mixed (Africans introduced the Portuguese to the piri piri chili when they arrived in Mozambique; the Portuguese turned it into a sauce), peri peri chicken is a dish that reminds me very much of South Africa, and it's nice to see it on Jiko's menu.
As usual, the dish was great. The chicken is moist and nicely spiced, but it isn't very spicy (in terms of heat). My mom asked for the chicken to be "crispy" and they prepared it perfectly - thankfully, it wasn't burnt or charred. Combined with the sweet mango sambal (which my mom said is a perfect accompaniment for peri peri chicken), sweet onions, crunchy beans, and the potatoes, she said this is the best incarnation of the dish she's had at Jiko. I tried some of it and loved it as usual, and those potatoes are especially fantastic. They had a smooth texture and a flavor that reminded me of olive oil (unlike the overly creamy, buttery, heavy potato sides that I'm used to at Disney).
Our meal at Jiko was off to a great start. From the oxtail flatbread to the peri peri chicken, the food successfully combined unique flavors, seasonal ingredients, and creative preparations. However, desserts at Jiko have been inconsistent for me ever since they removed the malva pudding (a South African dish that I love). Would dessert manage to end the meal on a high note?
Although the description of the "Bunny Chow" doesn't sound bad, I still don't like the name. (I think it might have something to do with a certain pet rabbit that my DS had a few years ago that we all hated...even my DS! 
Disney restaurants can definitely change course in a few months, let alone 3 years. 
We had an extremely underwhelming meal at Citricos in January 2011, and then enjoyed it in July and August of that year. Narcoossee's served us okay food last summer (along with horrible service), while it managed to wow us this year. And over the course of one year, we've seen Yachtsman begin serving up some creative, inspired dishes that are unlike the offerings of a typical steakhouse. Even then, sometimes there are 'exceptions' to the general trend (I'm hoping jabead's fatty short rib was an exception).
