Are you looking to dine at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House and Kadani Village? This unique hotel has some amazing restaurants. Read on to learn more.
Jiko – The Cooking Place
This delicious African themed restaurant is exclusively available for dinner. From 5:00pm to 9:30, guests can enjoy an exotic, South African inspired cuisine.
My favorite appetizer is the $16.00 Jiko Salad. It’s served with crisp Gem Lettuce, Quinoa, Radish, Petite Vegetables, Market Fruit, Pomegranate, Tangy Cashew Cream, Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette. My favorite entree is the $59.00 Oak-grilled Filet Mignon. It is served with Four-Cheese Macaroni, Seasonal Vegetables, and a Chocolate-Red Wine Demi-Glaze. Yum. My favorite dessert is the $12.00 Melktert. This is an African Milk Custard Tart. It’s seasoned with Cinnamon and Cardamom accompanied by Fresh Fruit. If you are looking to enjoy a glass of wine with your dessert, the Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Constantia ’08 comes highly recommend. At $250.00 a bottle, it is pricey, but delicious. Enjoy Jiko!
The Mara
If you’re looking for a delicious quick service location, The Mara is the place for you!
It is open from 6:30 am to 11:00 pm daily. It serves Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Late Night Dining options. My favorite menu item here is the Zebra Domes. They are absolutely delicious. What is a Zebra Dome? An Amarula Cream Liquor mousse is dipped in panna cotta-esque white chocolate and drizzled with chocolate and chocolate shavings. Is your mouth watering yet?
Breakfast is not one of my favorite meals of the day, but when I am staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge, I can’t pass up the $10.99 Ancient Grain Power Bowl. This delicious bowl is served with Farro Wheat, Quinoa, Seasonal Berries, Greens, Sweet Potato, Feta, and a Hard-boiled Egg. It’s simply delicious! Lunch and Dinner have several similar selections. I would opt for the Tamarind Barbecue Pork Sandwich. For $11.29, guests get a Tamarind-seasoned Barbecue Pulled Pork on a Brioche Bun with Kool Slaai (Coleslaw) topping on the side and served with French Fries. Yummy!
Boma – Flavors of Africa
This delicious all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet-style restaurant is open for breakfast from 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM and dinner from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM. Breakfast is $37.00 for adults and $22.00 for children. During this time, guests can get a variety of pastries like waffles, muffins, and pancakes. There is also an omelet station. For dinner, there is a carving station with yummy additional options like tabbouleh, chicken bites, herbed crushed potatoes, Roast Pork Ribs, and Butternut Squash Soup. If you enjoy Zebra Domes, then for dessert, you can have as many as your heart wishes. Take it from me, the Zebra Domes are worth the dinner reservation alone.
Sanaa
This delicious restaurant is truly one of a kind. It is open for a quick service breakfast. My favorite breakfast item is the Shahi Tukra French Toast. For $11.29, guests will get saffron-scented Sultan Raisins, Whipped Chai Cream, and Almonds. The restaurant is also open for a sit-down lunch and dinner. Sanaa is very popular, so reservations are strongly recommended. The restaurant is open from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM for lunch and 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM for dinner. My favorite item on the lunch and dinner menu is the ever-so-popular bread service. The bread service is $22.00. It comes with Five Breads and Nine Accompaniments – Traditional Naan, ginger naan, Spiced Naan, Onion Kulcha, or Paneer Paratha. Accompaniments – Cucumber Raita, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Mango Chutney, Tomato-Date Jam, Tamarind Chutney, Coriander Chutney, Garlic Pickle, Red Chile Sambal, or Spicy Jalapeño-Lime Pickle. It is absolutely delicious. For an entree, I recommend the $28.00 Zanzibari Vegetable Curry with Chicken. It is served with savory Seasonal Vegetables with Fragrant Rice.
Sanaa Lounge
This lounge is open daily from 11:30 AM to 11:00 PM. The lounge serves a variety of drafts, cocktails, and mocktails. My favorite drink at this location is the $4.99 Sparkling No-Jito. It comes with Lime Juice, Pure Cane Sugar, and Mint topped with Soda Water.
Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar
This location is open from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM daily. It can be found near Jiko and serves some of the best drinks on Disney property. This location serves a variety of drinks. My recommendation is the $4.99 Minnie Mouse. This is made with Sprite and Grenadine Syrup. Another good drink is the Victoria Falls Mist. It has Van-der-Hum Tangerine Liqueur, Melon Liqueur, Banana Liqueur, Citrus, and Sprite. These mouthwatering drinks cannot be missed.
Victoria Falls Lounge
This lounge is open from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm every day. I recommend the $16.00 Prickly Pear Mule. It has VUSA African Vodka, Belle de Brillet Pear Liqueur, Prickly Pear, Ginger Beer, and Lime. The $16.00 Whiskey Breeze is also good. It has Old Forester Bourbon, Cointreau Liqueur, and Lemon Juice with flavors of Guava and Mango.
Uzima Springs Pool Bar
This pool bar is open from 11:00am to 9:00pm daily. It offers drinks that are a delightful experience for all. It has the standard wine, beer, and frozen drink offerings. My favorite non-alcoholic beverage here is the $6.29 Lava Smoothie. It has a raspberry purée blended with coconut and pineapple flavors. Trust me, it is to die for.
Maji Pool Bar
The Maji Pool Bar is open from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. It has cocktails, wine, beer, lunch options, and snacks. For a snack, I recommend the Warm Pretzel with Cheese Sauce for $7.79. For an entree, I recommend the $12.99 Short Rib Grilled Cheese. It is Braised Beef Short Rib, Gouda, and Pickled Onion on Challah Bread served with Seasoned Chips.
Overall, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House and Kidani Village are home to some incredible food offerings. So, let your tastebuds run wild the next time you visit the resort. Whatever you eat, you’re in for a treat.
Photo: Emily Murray.