CUAISRITNE AFRICA AT DISNEY Jiko—The Cooking Place W hen it comes to dining, Walt Disney World has By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman Photography by Gram These Seared Hokkaido Sea Scallops were served with a a knack for giving its chefs and general managers enough wiggle room to make their restaurants unique, welcoming and delicious. For years, Jiko—The Cooking Place in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has been one of our favorite places to dine for reasons that range from the quality of the food to the restaurant’s dynamic décor. However, since we knew that Chef Daniel Sicilia had taken over and added his personal touches, we decided to visit Jiko and experience any changes that might have been made. Although the theme is African and the wine list features more than 130 wines from South Africa, the cuisine is a blend of traditional African flavors and spices with Indian and Mediterranean preparations of steak, chicken and seafood. The bold cooking style used at Jiko also makes its vegan and vegetarian offerings mouthwatering delights. By trying a variety of items from the menu, we discovered butternut squash smear, wild mushrooms, chermoula herb sauce and a piece of braised pork belly. 170 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017 Moroccan-style Lamb shank prepared in a Tagine style must have weighed at least 2 pounds without exaggeration. The Seared Hokkaido Sea Scallops were served artistically with a red Kuri squash smear and a piece of braised pork belly. We enjoyed these dishes with an Ashbourne Cape Blend and a Morgenster Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion Blend, respectively. The desserts were creative concoctions. We had the Safari Sunset that was a form of carrot cake with a multitude of additions that ranged from candied carrots to lemon cremeux and a Tanzanian Chocolate Mousse with Cacao Nib Crunch. Jiko’s has a children’s menu and a full bar. We recommend that you call for a reservation, as the demand to dine here is high because of its top quality food, service and hospitality. 9 EDITOR’S NOTE: Jiko—The Cooking Place is in the Animal Kingdom Lodge at Walt Disney World, (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463). that the vibrant spices, tantalizing flavors and special presentations made us feel as though we had been transported to Africa. Two starters that we found to be excellent were a Grilled Wild Boar Tenderloin with a Mealie Pap, Chakalaka tomato bean relish and Truffle Oil that tickled our tastebuds, and a spiced beet salad with Asian pear that was exciting, refreshing and filling. For wines, we chose an Old Bush Vines Pinotage to accompany the perfectly cooked boar and a Storm Pinot Noir to go with the beet salad. While waiting for our entrées, we nibbled on three different flat breads from their twin wood-burning ovens, dipping them in a variety of accompaniments that ranged from fresh hummus to chutney. We could have made a meal of these goodies, alone. Our entrées were outstanding. The
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