Monday, March 22, 2010

Special Event

We finally got back to Disney this weekend after two trips being canceled due to crappy weather. We wanted to have a special dinner in honor of Jarrett's Arrival Day (the anniversary of the day he joined our family). We picked a restaurant in Animal Kingdom Lodge that has been on my list for quite some time.

We sandwiched in the dinner between Animal Kingdom and Epcot. What a meal break it was!



We arrived at Jiko (translation - the cooking place) - a few minutes early and ready to have what we hoped would be an amazing meal. AKL, one of my favorite places ever.



Love those birds in flight light fixtures.



We were seated near their wine display and the windows overlooking the outdoors. First we were offered hot rose water scented towels to refresh our fingers.



First came out honey wheat and focaccio style bread with tandoori butter which Jarrett loved. Look at the pretty beaded basket from Kenya. It is all seed beads.



We started with the Taste of Africa - 3 breads (flat crispbread, pita style and Naan) with 3 dips (sweet curry, olive hummus, pesto curry). So good.



The seasonal salad - romaine, cherry tomatoes, jicima, and pine nuts with a blood orange vinaigrette. Tasty and oh so pretty.



Spiced tomato soup with a spiced butter sauce and olive bread croutons. The guys loved this and I liked it too as it did not taste tomatoe-y but more squashlike.




BBQ chicken flatbread with apple/jimica slaw on top. Baked in their wood fired oven. Seriously yummy.



Chermoula chicken over goat cheese mashed potatoes with olives and preserved lemon. So moist and delicious - plate licking good.



In preparation for dessert Joe ordered the coffee. The coffee service was so pretty.



Joe felt like a king and loved the coffee (even decaf!)



Jiko Trio dessert - flourless chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate mouse with a drizzle of caramel sauce and chocolate sculptural topping and ...



stamped in chocolate - the african savannah. OK, you know I went nuts for the arts and crafts on the plate!



Apple tarte with cinnamon ice cream, vanilla sauce, walnuts and sugar tower. Wow.


What a wonderful meal and a memorable way to commemorate Jarrett's Arrival Day.

2 comments:

Grace said...

Aww what a wonderful occassion! I have not been there to eat...yet! Your pictures were wonderful I want to hop on a plane and come..too much going on right now! Ugh. Hugs Grace

Bobbie said...

Yum, yum, yum!

(I love your storytelling, and that inspired by you... I now document the day to day too.)