"I've always had a passion for Africa," says Gray, pulling out an overstuffed scrapbook from the trip she made across South Africa three years ago. People unfamiliar with African cuisine (which, let's face it, is just about everybody) often assume that it's overly spicy. "I don't like bland food," admits Gray, but the Jiko menu won't have you gasping and gulping water. "I like to say that it's spiced, not spicy, because the seasoning is subtle," she explains.
Despite the unique ingredients, nothing at Jiko is presented in a froufrou manner. Take the Roasted Butternut and Acorn Squash Soup, which is poured tableside over spiced farmer's cheese and julienned spinach. The soup manages to be both unusual and familiar -- somehow the combination of vegetables and cheese reminds me of the casseroles my grandmother took to Sunday-night church suppers. But my grandmother never dished out anything like the incredible Lemon-Marinated Tuna appetizer with heirloom beans, black barley, and tangy yogurt sauce.
Moroccan influence is obvious in the rich Berbere Braised Lamb Shank with toasted couscous and baby spinach (berbere sauce is eaten throughout Northern Africa). And if you think only the unadventurous order chicken, try Chermoula Roasted Chicken, which arrives in a cast-iron plate with an enormous dome. The dome is pulled back to release a cloud of aromas -- chicken, potatoes, garlic, olives, and lemon. "Best chicken on Disney property," swears our server Michelle.
Needless to say, you don't follow up such showstopping entrées with a simple bowl of vanilla ice cream. There is, for instance, a Pistachio Creme Brulee that has a layer of chocolate on the bottom and a surprising crunch of nuts in the smooth brulee. Still, it is the simple Walt's Gala Apple Crumble, a combination of apples, golden raisins, and caramel sauce, that keeps drawing my spoon back, even after I am way past full.
One of Jiko's claims to fame is its 100-percent South African wine list, the largest collection of such wines in any U.S. restaurant. During the years of sanctions against South Africa, these wines were not available in the Western world; Jiko now serves as a sort of ambassador for these boutique wineries. More than 80 wines are currently on the list, with more than 50 of them offered by the glass. The wine-savvy servers eagerly offer tastings, bringing out bottles so that enterprising guests can sample a couple of wines before they choose.
"South Africa has the climate of California and the soils of France," says manager Keith Landry. "So if someone says they like Napa Valley's Cakebread Chardonnay, for example, their server can steer them toward something like the Delaire Chardonnay, which is quite similar."
As I finish my meal, I think of my 12-year-old son's perpetual postprandial question: "Was it good food or was it weird food?" Since Jiko's menu runs the gamut from chicken and potatoes to fig sorbet with pomegranate seeds, it can satisfy picky eaters and confirmed foodies alike. Where else can you try foods you've never experienced--and still suspect they have your grandmother stashed away somewhere in the kitchen?
