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Walt Disney World >> Animal Kingdom Lodge

Jiko: The Cooking Place

Jiko is Swahili for "the cooking place," and the cooking is on display here with the inclusion of two wood-fired ovens that are visible from the dining room. This signature dining location presents a fusion of African, Indian, and Mediterranean cuisines in a warm setting of yellow, red, and other earth tones.

Their extensive wine list highlights South African wines, and has won many awards including the Orlando Sentinel Foodie Best Wine List Award and the Wine Spectator Excellence Award for Most Outstanding Wine List.

The restaurant hosts a wine tasting every Wednesday night and a multi-course wine pairing dinner four times a year. Check with the restaurant to see what is scheduled during your stay.

General Information - Hide Section
  • Location: On the first floor (the lobby is on the third floor) in the direction of the swimming pool.
  • Date Opened: April 16, 2001
  • Seating: Indoor tables
  • Service Type: Table service
  • Children's Meals: Yes
  • Vegetarian Options: Ask for the special vegan or vegetarian menus provided at this location.
  • Annual Pass Discount: Tables in Wonderland accepted
  • Reservations: Recommended. Online or call (407) 939-3463 up to 180 days before your visit.
  • Dress Code: Business casual. Men: Dress slacks, jeans, trousers, or dress shorts and short or long-sleeved shirt with a collar required. Ladies: Jeans, skirts, or dress shorts with blouse or sweater, or a dress required. Not permitted in dining room: tank tops, swim suits or swim suit cover ups, t-shirts with offensive language or graphics, hats for gentlemen, cut offs, or torn clothing of any kind.
 
Menu Information - Hide Section

Menu as of November, 2012

Wood-fired Flatbreads

Realan's Duck Confit - Goat cheese, berbere-spiced oranges, and balsamic reduction. $12.00
KG's Peri-Peri Roasted Chicken - Lime chakalaka, lamb chopper cheese, and pickled sweet bell peppers. $10.00
Pickled Artichoke - Sun-dried tomatoes, piquillo peppers, goat cheese, ricotta, and parmesan cheese. $9.00

Appetizers

Grilled Wild Boar Tenderloin - with mealie pap, chakalaka, white truffle oil, and micro cilantro. $16.00
Crispy Beef "Bobotie" Roll - with cucumber raita, green mango atjar, and honey roasted groundnuts. $9.00
Inguday Tibs in Brik - Mushroom, spinach, and cheese in crispy Tunisian fil with apples and curry vinaigrette. $10.00
Taste of Africa - African-inspired dips with pappadam, poppy seed lavash, and house-made naan. $9.00
Artisanal Cheese Selection - Five tasting portions with accompaniments from around the world. $15.00

Soup and Salads

"Braai"-style Wahoo and Pork Belly - Arugula, mâche, frisée, fire-roasted Zellwood corn, and almond crisps. $16.00
Heirloom Tomato, Watermelon, and Radish Salad - with Persian cucumber and pecorino toascano cheese. $14.00
Jiko Salad - Bibb lettuce, blueberries, grapes, celery, pine nut brittle, and preserved lemon yogurt. $13.00
Mushroom Consommé - Ivory lentils, wild rice, and alba mushrooms. $10.00

Entrées

Grilled Swordfish - Roasted vegetables, ginger vinaigrette, and romesco sauce with toasted pine nuts. $38.00
Chermoula-roasted Nigerian Prawns - English pea nage and saffron rice with orange and olive salad. $35.00
Curry-rubbed Lamb Loin - Cauliflower purée, eggplant-artichoke "zaalouk", and red olive-walnut tapenade. $37.00
Seared Barbarie Duck Breast - with potato and spinach masala, royal trumpet mushrooms, and port emulsion. $39.00
West African Braised Beef Short Rib - Roasted peanuts, roasted vegetables, and spicy tomato demi-glace. $41.00
Oak-grilled Filet Mignon - Ancient grain pilaf, heirloom pole beans, and South African red wine sauce. $44.00
Guinea Hen - "Doro Wot" braised leg and berbere roasted breast, sweet potato, wilted greens, and ancho glacé. $34.00
Maize-crusted Atlantic Black Grouper - Vegetables of the moment and tomato-butter sauce. $39.00
"Bunny Chow" and "Falafel" - Durban curry vegetables with naan bread, mango ketchup, harissa mustard, and chickpea-lentil cake with cilantro yogurt, wilted greens, and peppadew-olive tapenade. $28.00

Desserts

Milk Tart - Port reduction, figs, and goat's milk balsamic ice cream. $11.00
Lime-scented Crème Brûlée - Key lime-mango chutney and vanilla meringue cookie. $9.00
Madagascar Vanilla Cheesecake - Strawberry-rhubarb compote and chocolate graham crust. $9.00
Chocolate and Tea Safari - Vanilla Rooibos-Tanzanian chocolate cake, free form "Kit Kat,," and green tea ice cream. $10.00
Cinnamon-Chocolate Flourless Cake - Sesame crisp, chocolate sauce, and herb-citrus salad. (This item is produced with no added sugar.) $10.00
Artisanal Cheese Selection - Five tasting portions with accompaniments from around the world. $15.00

Children's Menu

All meals served with choice of 100% apple juice, 1% milk, or small bottled water. Soft drinks available on request

Appetizer and Sides

Chopped Romaine with Tomatoes and Carrots - $4.00
Mixed Fruit Salad - $3.00
Carrot and Celery Sticks with Peanut Butter - $3.00

Entrees

Cheese Pizza - with tomato sauce. $8.00
Grilled Chicken Breast - with ancient grains and vegetables. $9.00
Seared Market-fresh Fish - with ancient grains and vegetables. $12.00
Grilled Steak - with ancient grains and vegetables. $12.00
Macaroni & Cheese - with white cheese sauce. $8.00

Desserts

Vanilla Ice Cream - $4.00
Jiko "Fruit-Fun" - Push pop and finger treats. $7.00
Safari S'mores - A Jiko version of a campfire favorite. $6.00

If a menu is presented here it is for guidance purposes only. Menus can change without notice and at some restaurants daily. If you have specific dietary needs or questions it is best to contact the restaurant directly for information. If you'd like to notify us that a menu has changed, or you can provide the complete information, please let us know through our email form.

Reader Reviews - Hide Section

The following are recent reviews for Jiko: The Cooking Place from our Reader Review system. Click the Show All Reviews link to see every review for this location. To browse all reviews in the system, please see this page.

Average Reviewer Rating: 4.2 out of 54.2 out of 54.2 out of 54.2 out of 54.2 out of 5
Number of Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge Reviews: 10
Show All Reviews
4.0/5.04.0/5.04.0/5.04.0/5.04.0/5.0   April 26, 2008
Reviewer: OneForTheTeam Boston, Massachusetts     May 02, 2008
This is the fourth time my wife and I have eaten at Jiko in three years and they have yet to let us down. They are absolutely one of the best restaurants in WDW.

This time we tried the flatbread and the ostrich appetizers. Both were very good, but the ostrich could have been pork.

Our entrees, the Berbere Braised Lamb Shank was very good and the Braised Beef Short Ribs are to die for. I hope they never take the short ribs off the menu.

The service at Jiko is very good. The waitstaff know their wine, too. Our waiter did an excellent job of pairing a glass with each course.
 
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
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4.0/5.04.0/5.04.0/5.04.0/5.04.0/5.0   June 18, 2007
Reviewer: Chicago Wookiee Chicago, Illinois     July 29, 2007
Date: Monday June 18, 2007 with 9:20pm ADR.
Meal: Dinner.
Diners: Two adults.
Service: Attentive and friendly.
Price: $166 for two including wine and tip (used credits from our premium dining plan).
Value: Slightly overpriced.
Food: Good food served hot and quite attractive.
Atmosphere: Has a nice warm feeling but lacks some excitement and class for a high-end eatery.

First thing you need to know is that those on the Disney Dining Plan will be required to use two credits for each person. Those on the Disney Premium or Platinum Dining plans only use one dining credit. We made our reservations a full 180 days out and then changed to a later time just 80 days out without issue. When we arrived a couple had entered just ahead of us and was told that they had no spots available for that evening but did have available times just a few days out.

We were checked in for our ADR and seated within just a couple minutes. Our table was located near the front and close to the kitchen entrance right next to the wood burning oven. Our waiter engaged us soon after we sat down and focused in on some of the wine selections of which we settled on two glasses of a red wine that ended up being a little too strong for our liking.

For appetizers we ordered the Taste of Africa (Kalamata Olive Hummus, Durban Tikka Masala, and Malay Spinach-Lentil Dip with several breads) and the Maize and Sweet Potato Tamales. The spreads were quite good with the hummus being mild and the other two being more flavorful with a more complex array of spices. For the description of corn and sweet potato tamales I was surprised how much I liked them with a perfect balance of flavors and moisture to make everything come together quite nicely.

First entrée was the Chermoula Roasted Tanglewood Chicken that was not very memorable and had a plain flavor. Second was the Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with macaroni and cheese that was better than expected with a thick rich cheese used with the macaroni and the meat was perfectly cooked and quite tender.

Desserts were good but we were filling up quickly. The first dessert was the Jiko Dream Pyramid that consisted of white chocolate mousse inside a dark chocolate pyramid with roasted banana and pineapple that was very rich and also quite beautiful to look at. We also had the Pistachio Crème Brulee that was layered with a fine cookie chocolate bottom. This crème brulee is not at the top on the list of our dessert favorites at WDW but the unusual chocolate bottom made it different enough that I would consider ordering it again.

There were almost no children there creating more of a quiet and more romantic setting and we were allowed (if not encouraged) to linger over our meal. The complete dinner took just under two hours and was one of the most relaxing meals we had on the trip. Some of that may have come from the late ADR we made but the warm atmosphere and service would be the same most any time.
 
9 out of 10 people found this review helpful
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5.0/5.05.0/5.05.0/5.05.0/5.05.0/5.0   10/28/05
Reviewer: burnell316 Elizabethtown PA     December 07, 2005
Dined at Jiko on October 28, 2005. The waitress, the appetizer, the dinners, and the desserts were among the best I have even experienced. The server was very attentive and knowledgeable. The flatbread appetizers were extraordinary. My wifes entrée of African Grains was all vegetarian and with bold unique spices and flavors. I had a spicy shrimp dish that was simply marvelous. The Crème Brule dessert was on a chocolate layer and was one the best desserts I have ever had, and I had never really liked Crème Brule before this! Jiko is a well rounded dinning experience, far FAR superior to the over-hyped lousy California Grill..
 
8 out of 10 people found this review helpful
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