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SBETigg
09-18-2007, 08:14 AM
Sunday, August 26, 5 pm

There’s not much to say for atmosphere at Boma. The Animal Kingdom Lodge has incredible atmosphere and it’s a unique and lovely place. The surroundings of Boma, however, seem more like a busy cafeteria with some touches of African décor. It’s a large space that requires a lot of seating, so I don’t think I could expect much more. If I wanted atmosphere, I would explore the lodge or eat at Jiko. Boma is all about the food.

And what incredible food it is. Our server appears almost as soon as we’re seated, and she’s a blond and perky cheerleader for Boma. GOooooo, Boma! She tells us what amazing food they have, that she loves the soups- Yay soups!- and likes to start there, and that the buffet boasts seventy-two dishes for the day, each one better than the next. Touchdown!

She goes to get our drinks and we take her advice and start at the soup station. Our selections for the evening include Chicken Corn Porridge, Chicken Pepper Pot
crab soup, and Curried Coconut Seafood Stew. We each get one and pass it around, and we’re all excited. They’re all amazing. This bodes well for the rest of the buffet. I think about going back for more of the seafood stew after I sample some more new things.

Our drinks come and the server is excited about our enthusiastic thumbs up for the soup. All right, yeah! You gotta try the FuFu! After soup, the plan is to make our way through the buffet, try a little of everything, and go back for the favorites. But even with tiny tastes, my plate is full before I leave the first of many stations and I realize that trying everything may not be doable, let alone to think of going back for favorites.

I do manage Saffron Rice, Vegetable Lentil Kofta, Pap, Braised Greens, FuFu
Potatoes with Afritude, Durban Spiced Roasted Chicken, wood roasted prime rib of beef, Grilled Salmon, and Couscous Marrakesh.

Everything is incredible, with the possible exception of the FuFu, which isn’t bad it’s just too sweet for me and I’m not fond of sweet potatoes. Many people say the food has a lot of cinnamon, but the most outstanding flavor of Boma is a mix of cardamom and exotic spice. Cinnamon doesn’t really stand out as prevalent to me until the dessert course. By the time I contemplate dessert, I’m so stuffed I don’t know how I’m going to manage, but of course- I do.

The zebra domes are first on my target list. I take two, sample some of the banana bread pudding with the two offered sauces, and try other puddings and treats at the dessert section. The zebra domes are good, but aren’t the to-die-for treat I’d come to expect. The banana bread pudding, dense and bready, is probably one that will only please bread pudding fans, which I am and I love it.

I’m incredibly pleased we tried Boma and think it may be one to repeat for future visits just to get a chance to try all the things I missed. I never got to the salads and there are some more friendly American foods for the pickier eaters, like mac n cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, and chicken tenders.

On a scale of:
-Highly Recommended: Must try
-Recommended: A good one to try.
-Not bad: You might give it a try.
-Unsatisfactory: I can’t recommend it.

I’m not a buffet fan, but Boma is not so much a buffet as it is an experience. Boma earns a solid Recommended: A good one to try. But for fans of the exotic, Boma is a must. Definitely not your typical buffet. And it is fun to explore the Animal Kingdom Lodge before or after dinner, and the lounge above Boma is a great place to relax and sample some South African wines.

Mommy2boys
09-18-2007, 08:32 AM
:mickey:Great review!

Jared
09-18-2007, 08:56 AM
Boma is arguably my favorite restaurant in Walt Disney World and definitely the best buffet.

I agree with your assessment of the soups. I could make an entire meal from the soup station, but then I'd miss the rest of the buffet. The seafood stew is one of my favorites.

I also agree about Zebra Domes. They're good, not great. They're not a destination dessert like other posters have suggested.

Looking forward to the next review. Thanks for posting!

TBY2225
09-18-2007, 09:02 AM
I am really enjoying your in depth dining reviews! I will be trying Boma for the first time next week. Thanks for the great ideas of what to try! I love soup and can't wait to try them all!

MsMin
09-18-2007, 09:24 AM
Great review and very appreciated. We plan to go there for the first time in 21 days! The guy who made my ressies through DVC told me about the "secret desert" and to ask to get your prime rib seared. He said they don't like to do this because everyone in the restaurant asks for it when they see it done-but it's great. I can't wait to try it. Sounds like we better go hungry!

threeh
09-18-2007, 10:05 AM
We're trying Boma on our 2008 trip, I can't wait. I'm also looking forward to seeing the Animal Kingdon Lodge. Go Boma!!!! hehe!!:thumbsup:

Samtastic
09-18-2007, 10:34 AM
What secret dessert?? Man I love Boma, I love soups, and theirs is soo good. I agree about the Zebra domes, I actually didn't care for them, but went gaga over the mango mousse tarts they had. I can't wait to go again, and I hate/love reading your reviews because it makes me want to go soooo bad!!!:thumbsup:

BigRedDad
09-18-2007, 10:41 AM
I am not an adventurous eater. I can probably count the things I enjoy on both hands. The smell of Boma is incredible from the lobby and the bar area. We had to try it. Even as picky of an eater I am, there were many selections to enjoy. I am not sure what the crusted the prime rib with when I was there, but I have never had a better prime rib.

It is a definite must try. If you are not staying at AKL, make an afternoon/evening of it. you can enjoy the Savannas, enjoy the detail of the resort, have a cocktail at pool bar or lounge.

disneydrmr
09-18-2007, 04:21 PM
Another great report and anther place added to my try on the next trip list!

luvdiznee
09-18-2007, 05:24 PM
Love Boma! Can't wait to go again. Although that won't be for a year or so :(

iheartmickey
09-18-2007, 05:42 PM
Amazing review, as usual, and everything sounds great ... Go Team!

If I didn't have two extremely picky eaters I'd be there ... Boma will probably be one of those restaurants I'll never actually try. I'll just have to live through others experiences. (Like you and your family) Thank you for sharing your review! :thumbsup:

tinksmom02
09-18-2007, 10:05 PM
Your review has made me even more excited to try Boma (on MONDAY! Yay!) than I already was!

Thanks!

disneydeb
09-18-2007, 10:14 PM
I'll be here Oct. 10th ! I can't wait! It will probably take me two hours to eat!;)

Natazu
09-18-2007, 10:47 PM
Another great review. Thanks for taking the time.

Momof2boys
09-19-2007, 11:02 AM
I'm glad they have other food for "picky" eaters . . . we're staying at AKL next month and wanted to try Boma for breakfast & dinner but wasn't sure the boys would eat anything. THanks for the review !

. . . off to find something to eat . . .

mudpuppysmom
09-19-2007, 07:47 PM
Thanks for taking the time for ALL your reviews!!

I'm glad you had a great dinner at Boma. We went two years ago and I was the only one that really, thoroughly enjoyed it! DH said "I didn't leave anything there" and my cousin said it was just "ok" and overpriced. DS actually ate a few things, but not like some other places.....Jiko for one and Narcoossee's are the places he literally cleaned his plate!

Oh, and you didn't get a chance to try the Bobotie!! Now THAT is the stuff I could just eat plates of!!

SBETigg
09-19-2007, 08:05 PM
Thanks for taking the time for ALL your reviews!!

Oh, and you didn't get a chance to try the Bobotie!! Now THAT is the stuff I could just eat plates of!!

Oh, actually, I did try that. I don't know how I missed mentioning it. It was really good, yes!

jedigrrrl
09-19-2007, 10:21 PM
Zebra Domes are victims of the declination of food quality since the dining plan. They have been changed and pale in comparison to how they tasted from our first meal there in Jan. 2002. My brother(who is a Zebra dome aficionado;)) noticed the change about a year and a half ago. We've eaten at Boma like 12 times. Luckily most of the rest of the food has stayed as delicious as always. It's one of about 4 restaurants I am willing to spend money on since the affects the dining plan has had on TS menus.

Mmmmmmmmm.... Boma.

LibertyTreeGal
09-20-2007, 08:27 AM
I agree, even for someone allergic to seafood (like me) there are plenty of wonderful dishes to choose from. If you aren't allergic to seafood, DH says you are in for the culinary treat of your life (actually, he would never use the word "culinary," that was my wording) -- he and my sons (who were 4) loved EVERYTHING.

And the staff is exceptional -- when I was obviously looking confused going through the line, one of the chefs stopped cooking and asked if he could help. I asked him which dishes were seafood. He smiled and asked if I wanted seafood or needed to avoid it. I smiled back, relieved, and told him I was allergic, so he went with me from one end of the buffet to the other showing me what was what. Now THAT is service!

robyn221
09-20-2007, 10:34 AM
I was so glad to run across your review this morning! While planning ADRs for our surprise trip to WDW for our daughter's 9th b-day, I told her I was helping a friend plan a trip for him and his sister and needed her help in suggesting restaurants. We looked at several of the dinner menus, including Boma, making little notes of the ones we thought my friend would like. In the end she suggested Garden Grill for my friend, but if it were her:secret:, she'd want to try Boma. I made the ADRs the next day. We'll be dining there next Friday. I'm even more excited about this after reading your wonderful review! Thank you for all your reviews. They have been very well-written and cover all the things that I would be looking for in a dining experience!

Robyn:mickey:

"SULLEY "RULES!!
09-20-2007, 08:17 PM
My husband and I will be there on Nov. 14th. It will be our first time eating there, can't wait! It sounds amazing.:thumbsup:

mickey-mouse35
09-23-2007, 04:25 PM
Thanks, Sherri, for the great review! So glad we're going on Sunday, too, so I can try the corn chicken chowder!!! :eat:

dolphinmickey9170
09-23-2007, 08:06 PM
Sherri, thanks so much for the great reviews......This one made me make a change and we will try it this next trip. I can't wait. It sounds delicious, you made my DH drool with the bread pudding.

jsw123
09-23-2007, 10:21 PM
Great review! Our experience was similar (except substitute cheerleader waitress with lovely, personable waitress that was very attentive). Can't recommend the soups enough! Six of us tried different ones and devoured them. I also loved the sun-dried tomato hummus on crispy bread (FYI---I'm NOT a hummus fan!)

However, once you finish your delicious dinner---wander behind the lodge. Even if it's late. We saw flamingos and a lone giraffe, at first. Then, guides approached us with night vision goggles! The view was amazing! So many giraffes! It was great! And visit the gift shop, too! Have fun!:mickey:

crltkcagle
09-23-2007, 11:31 PM
darn it. My dh and father refused to go eat there because they were scared of what african food was. they made us cancel marekesh too. that's it next year the men are going to have to put a sock in it and deal with it. LOL We couldn't even tempt them with belly dancing women coming to their tables.