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Howdy ya'll!
Last Friday night, DH and I went for an overnight trip to Orlando. DD was at Grandma's for the weekend so it was just the 2 of us. WEEE!
We got off on a late start as DH ended up working an hour later than he was scheduled. On the was, I realized we were not going to make our 8pm ressies. Not wanting to be charged $10 a piece for being late, I broke out the cell and called Disney Dining. The CM was great. She made us a new ressie for 9 and noted that we had one for 8 but had to reschedule. She didn't make me fish out a credit card while in the car , either. She then tried to call the podium at Boma to make sure we wouldn't be charged- it was not a decision she or her manager was authorized to make. She couldn't get through, so she gave me the number so I could try. Even though she explained our problem on the new ressie, she thought we would do better to speak to someone personally. In fact, we did. After about 4 tries, I got through to the podium and was assured by a very pleasant and cheerful CM that we would not be charged for being late, though we might be sorry we hadn't gotten there sooner, because the food was so good! She was SOOOO right!!!
All of you who have decided to join the meet at Boma in August are in for a real treat- and those of you who haven't decided yet- GO, you will be glad you did.
First, just FYI, this restaurant is called BOMA not BOMAS. Like Ohana, their name does not need an "s" on the end, no one named Boma owns the restaurant, and no one named Ohana owns that one , either. I was told all this by a very well informed waiter, who also told us that the name was chosen because it is the word the Africans of that region use to describe their little twig fences that you will see used as decorations everywhere at AKL, especially in this restaurant. Also, the food is from several different regions, not just one, so there is LOTS to choose from. The waiter then goes on to tell you what there is and what not to miss. Pay attention, ours was right on target.
We got there, checked in, and were given a beeper, then invited to explore the public areas of the lodge while we waited. Honestly, the beeper beeped to soon! I was really enjoying looking at things! The animal viewing area was just...soothing. I can't think of a better word. There is a little gas log fire pit (supposed to be a log fire and looks very real) surrounded by rocking chairs. Everyone just naturally talks in hushed tones as they rock and watch the fire dance. The moon was full and the stroll back through the "rock " formations was quiet and romantic. The sounds of drumming and African chants play softly in the background. Long horn cattle gently murmur to each other as they settled in to sleep. It was just....soothing, amazing, romantic, ....magic. I could have stayed out there all night. I will one of these days.
Look carefully at the rock formations, I found a rhino, 2 elephants, a map of Africa, and a Hidden Mickey in them. The CM's had not been aware of one of the elephants and the map of Africa, or so they said, and I felt "all that" over finding them. ;-)
BEEP BEEEP- that sound is positively obscene in those surroundings. It was time to go eat, though, so yippee! It was a bit past 9 and we were a little peckish. They would do better with a vibrating beeper, but on the other hand, it might not be enough to rouse you from your mesmerized state!
Seated a t a very nice table for 2 near a window overlooking the garden around the pool, our waiter treated us to a vivid description of the goodies that awaited.
There are 7 tables of food. Each table has several different dishes to choose from. If you tried 3 things from each table, you would have a 21 course meal. I think we had more...
The first table is the meats. All you vegetarians out there just skip this part. OK- carnivores? Listen up- this is the second best part of the meal. The best was the dessert table, but I digress. Here you will find roast chicken with Moroccan spices/marinade- it was DELICIOUS. Not your average roasted bird at all. Then a big tray of mahi-mahi backed in a spicy sauce and coated with pine nuts an pumpkin seeds- crunchy, savory, and fantastic. It was a little on the peppery side but insidiously so, because it didn't fell hot on your tongue until AFTER you swallowed it! Yummy, though. Next was grilled flank steak blackened with a new and different set of spices. The same with some roast pork. There was a pretty standard but well cooked prime rib as well. The special part for these dishes was the sauces that went with them. There was one based on tamarind that was a bbq type sauce, a sweet/hot peanut sauce, and something that looked like tuna salad and had horse radish in it. I didn't try that one, but the others were delish! There was also a dish here that they called African quiche. It was ground beef with an egg custard on top. it was rather sweet with a cinnamon flavor. It was OK, but not good enough to forgo that fish! My favorites? The fish and the pork with the peanut sauce, but the flank steak with the bbq was a close third.
The next table was the "American table". Those of you chicken accompanying more adventurous gustatorians, will be happy to know that your chicken strips, spaghetti and meatballs and macaroni and cheese is here. I skipped this table all together.
Next was vegies. Here I sampled sweet potato pancakes (MMMM) Moroccan grilled vegies (several different julienne sliced vegies in a spicy marinade and grilled to al dente'- my favorite), and another sort of grilled vegies that were large pieces of sweet peppers, onion, zucchini, and Swiss chard in a mustardy sauce and grilled. Also yum. There were some regular home fried red skin potatoes with an orangy spice on them that were billed as potatoes with "afritude". I tasted one- nothing special. Just , I suspect, a dish to appease those who must have white potatoes with a meal. There was also a mashed sweet potato dish that was flavored with ginger- very nice. The pancakes and the Moroccan vegies got my vote here.
Next was the stew/soup table. There were 6 stews here as well as a Mediterranean couscous dish and yellow rice. There was a mediteranian vegetable stew, chicken/corn stew, an unusual chicken soup, a sausage soup, a roasted tomato soup (yummy) and my favorite- curry coconut seafood stew. This was chock full of shrimp, scallops and mussels, as well as a dense white fish. Also LOTS of vegies, and a very delicious broth that didn't at all taste like curry, but was both sweet and hot. It was by far my favorite and I had 2 cups!
The next table was fruit and salads. I tasted the avocado/grapefruit/mango salad. The marinade was excellent. I couldn't begin to tell you what it was made of- just have some. There were greens, too with various African style dressings. No ranch or Italian here, folks. Everything I tasted was good, though.
Last was the dessert bar. This did me in. There are about 15 different, delicious, decadent choices. unable to decide, we got one of each, shared a taste, then went back for seconds of the ones we liked the best. Warning to any one with an alcohol problem- 3 of these desserts contain alcohol that has NOT been burned off in cooking. The most noticeable was in the African version of Tiramasu. It has Kaluah in it - lots. Our favorites- the Tiramasu, the Zebra Bombe- chocolate and vanilla stripes of very dense ganache over a light coffee/chocolate filling on a graham cracker crust, and the individual chocolate mousse timbales. These had Frangelico in them. I had 2.
Dinner over, we staggered to our feet and rolled out. We went back to our hotel (Courtyard Marriott Village-rack rate $315, for $40 through Priceline-WEEEE) and soaked in the hot tub for about half an hour before collapsing in a sugar coma for the night.
The next morning, planning to go to MGM, we discover that DH has left his Disney pass at home! He gives me the look. "You didn't pack it?"
I give him the look, "You said it was in your wallet the last time I asked for it. In fact, you acted like I ought to know that".
He looks out the window, "It was on your dresser in plain sight".
I continue to give him the look, "and why would I look for it there, when it's supposed to be in your wallet?"
He looks in his wallet, "I have my Sea World Pass".
Sigh- we went to Sea World.
It was a very nice day and the gods must have wanted us to go because something neat happened. My favorite "animal" person is Jack Hanna and while we were waiting to watch the Shamu show, who should step up to the mike to introduce it but...Jack Hanna!! In person! As it turns out, he was there for a personal appearance and did 2 animal shows that day, which we we there for, front and center. I got an autographed pic and everything. We found out later that he was only going to be there for that day and the next, so if DH had remembered his Disney pass, we wouldn't have seen him. (you should now all be hearing Twilight Zone music in your heads) ;-)
That was our little jaunt. Hope you liked it. My tip this trip? Everyone should visit Boma. Bring your appetite. Don't wear a belt.
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