Seared Ostrich at Jiko (Just for Harra!)

[Craig]

Dina and I love Jiko. Is is one of our favorite restaraunts at WDW. When we went in August, they added Ostrich to the menu under appetizers. Here is the description lifted right off the menu:
Pokanoket Farm Seared Ostrich Fillet Creamy Vidalia Onion Fondue, Rocket Cream, and Cherries.

I have to say it was strange. The server said it was more like beef than poultry and I would agree. As a matter of fact, if I wasn't at WDW I would believe that I was getting scammed. Even at WDW I'm only 99.99% that it wasn't really some strange cut of beef.
By itself the ostrich has an initial good taste, followed by a very gamey aftertaste. I found that having it with the onion and cherry though, allowed you to taste the full ostrich, but covered up the gamey aftertaste.

So, I know that Ray and Nancy like different things to eat. I thought I would post this to see if they want to try this while dining at Jiko. Enjoy your meal, go hungry, and take your time. Jiko is a great restaurant and soon you will be craving it again and again!

[This attachment has been purged. Older attachments are purged from time to time to conserve disk space. Please feel free to repost your image.]

 

[Craig]

Oh and one more thing, for some reason we were seated in the wine tasting room. it is a very small room. We didnt mind at all, but if it is your first time to Jiko, and by some small chance you are taken to that small room, request to be moved to the main dining room.

You have to experience jiko in the main room the first time for the full atmosphere of the open kitchen area and to see the wall change colors of day.

 

[Jeff Fillmore]

Tried Jiko before- just not the Ostrich. The Oak-Grilled Filet Mignon with macaroni and cheese and red wine sauce is incredible. I wanted to lick the plate when I was done. :-*

Not the best picture- pretty dark in there.

 

[Craig]

The mac and cheese is Dina's favorite. she always orders a side of it. last time, though, they charged $3 for the mac and $1.50 for the red wine sauce!!

You are right about taking pics of the food in there! Mine isnt good either. f2.8 iso 1600 and it's still blurry!

 

[PolynesianMedic]

Still, I am hungry after seeing these images, and reading the descriptions. Thanks for posting.

 

[Dan]

I always order a side of the mac and cheese and then get something other than the filet. I've got what is supposed to be their recipe for it, but it never turns out right at home. I sort of cry when I go to Boma and find their typical kiddy mac and cheese on the buffet line.

Don't get me wrong, I still get some, I have this thing about eating macaroni and cheese at Disney World. I can't explain it, but it just seems so right. It's like my way of getting in touch with my inner child, I eat macaroni and cheese and suddenly I'm 8 again. But their kiddy mac and cheese is too bland for me, I want more cheese presence. According to one of those travel channel shows they show incessantly it appears that they ran taste tests and that is what kids prefer. If so, so be it, far be it from me to deny the kids their preferred style, but... I just wish that a batch of Jiko macaroni would get misdirected and end up at Boma sometime. I would love to have a plate of that stuff along with their prime rib and some of that yellow mustard sauce. With a touch of the spicy red stuff they have next to the mustard.

Regarding ostrich, I've had it numerous times, along with buffalo, in burgers. Both ground up in traditional hamburger style. I had no issues with gameyness (I won't touch duck after one taste test proved unpleasant), if anything I preferred both options to normal beef. Perhaps the filet was of a more strongly tasting part or something. I think I preferred the buffalo overall, but I did get that impression that the ostrich really didn't seem like a bird. The impression was sort of "hmm... yeah, that doesn't seem like beef, but it sure doesn't seem to bear any resemblence to chicken either..". There was a certain tang to it, but nothing unpleasant.

The thing that I always get a kick out of is that both buffalo and ostrich are healthier to eat. How often do you get healthier and better tasting together in the same option?

 

[jcvalenti]

I went to Jiko for the first time last July ... absolutely loved it. Probably my favorite place at WDW so far. I went with the chicken dish that came with the steamer lid. It was fantastic ... as was the Kalamari Olive flatbread appetizer. It all paled in comparison to that South African winelist, though ... man was that fabulous. I love me some pinotage.

Our waiter dragged the chef that night out of the kitchen so we could tell him how much we enjoyed it. He was a great guy, and gave me his business card so we could call ahead when we go down there in a few weeks for Food & Wine - he said he can do something 'rather special' if we give him 24 hours notice ... so we're looking forward to another engagement.

I don't know if I can bring myself to try the ostrich, but I do know this is one fabulous place to get a meal, and well worth a trip to the AK Lodge.

 

[Grumpwurst]

Sorry Craig,

Neither of us tried the ostrich this time. Unfortunately, this was a trip where we were watching our pennies. So, it was just entrée and dessert. Next time I'm sure I'll try it. But we had a great seat next to the Sunset Wall

 

[zackiedawg]

I missed Jiko last week - did Boma, but traveling solo I don't usually hit the nice restaurants. In December I'll be up there with a friend, so I'll be back to Jiko. Good to know they have something new to try.

I've had Ostrich a few times, including at Artist's Point in Wilderness Lodge many years ago when they had a great dish of 3 or 4 different exotic meats to try - buffalo, venison, and ostrich were among them. Venison is generally too gamey to me, but buffalo tasted like a good cut of meat, and ostrich turned out to be my favorite of the group...definitely more beefy than bird-like.

At Jiko, the filet & macaroni dish is killer - but another great one to try if you haven't had it is the tamarind glazed pork rib and au-gratin potatoes...it is just an explosion of so many layers of flavors that you get lost in each bite.

I may have to try the ostrich by splitting a few appetizers among the table - because though I want to try it, I could not go to Jiko without getting my Kenyan Coffee Barbeque Chicken Flatbread!

Oh, and a lovely bottle of pinotage makes it all just right. Spier, Kanonkop, or Anura are my favorite bottles if available...Spier Reserve black bottle is simply the greatest bottle of wine anywhere!