We eagerly anticipated our reservations for the African restaurant at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Boma. Neither of us had ever been to an African restaurant, but we were willing to give it a go. And are we glad that we did!
On the back of their menu: Boma is an open and natural space surrounded by a kraal-style fence made of sticks. This Boma provides a safe and sheltered area in the bush. In the evening, its golden light pours out as the fire used for cooking lights the dinner table. Boma – Flavors of Africa, will take you on a journey from the North to the South, and from the East to the West. Anticipate the best in African hospitality. “Where the Spirit of Africa Comes Alive.”
Our reservation was at 7:30 p.m., but we arrived 45 minutes early, so we had to wait a bit for our table. It was VERY busy! From our vantage point, we saw many people go up to the podium to try and get a table without a reservation, only to be told that the wait was 1-1/2 hours; most did not want to wait.
Our server sent Chef Allison over to our table to talk to me about gluten-free menu choices. Boma has a rather extensive buffet. She took me from one buffet to the next, pointing out the foods that were gluten-free. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the African food names, so I’ll have to let the photo of my plate speak for itself.
The spit-fired Prime Rib and Durban Spiced Roasted Chicken was EXCELLENT, as was the roast pork! The coconut rice was also very good. The one thing that I didn’t particularly care for was the radish/carrot salad; merely a matter of preference.
Although I was not given any gluten-free breads, Allison did make me three gluten-free Zebra Domes. The original ones on the dessert buffet have a sponge cake foundation. Even though I had stuffed myself with the wonderful meats at the buffet, I made sure I saved enough room for dessert!
Two other gluten-free desserts that were available directly from the dessert buffet. One was a peanut butter tart and the other was a passion fruit tart. I preferred the Zebra Domes, personally, although Rick enjoyed the peanut butter tart more. The passion fruit tart was VERY sweet, and not to our liking at all.
I would return to Boma on our next trip to Disney World, and I’d recommend it for any celiac. Even if you’ve never had African food or are not an adventurous diner, I’m sure you’ll find something to your liking at Boma!
Sean Neff // Oct 6, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Mmmmm…. Zebra…..
Larry Bosley // Oct 14, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Gluten Free or not, the plates of food look delicious!