While visiting Walt Disney World, Mark and I like to eat well. And as in “eat well,” I mean we like to have a variety of foods, experiences, cultures, and price ranges; some new, some old. In order to get those experiences, we tend to plan 180 days out from our arrival date (we’re THOSE people). We want to have one kick-butt, this is the best food I’ve ever had and I don’t care how much it costs meal during our trip. This is where my dilemma lies.
We are trying (going back and forth at least 50 times now) to decide between dinner at Jiko: The Cooking Place (located in the beautifully exotic Animal Kingdom Lodge) or Citricos (located in the upscale Victorian gloriousness that is the Grand Floridian Resort). These are two of the most highly rated and coveted dining spots, so we’ll go over why they may be hard to choose between.
We’ve been to Jiko once before and loved the romantic, dimmed calm feeling it emoted as well as the exquisite African wine that we fell desperately in love with (the desperately part comes from the fact that we can’t remember the name and want it again SO badly-take pictures of your wine bottles!) and the superb cuisine and detail that goes into their presentation. Both being visually oriented and caring about the tiniest of details, this means a lot to us.
Our experience with Citricos is much different, as neither of us has stepped foot in the light and airy dining room as described in researched reviews and observed from pictures of the restaurant. We can tell Citricos offers a much different experience than its competitor (Jiko, in this case). It is known for its plush seating, bright cheery atmosphere, and fantastic fresh dining options to satisfy the snobbiest of palets. Like Jiko though, Citricos focuses also on its plating presentation and does not skimp on decorative and enhancing sauces and garnishes.
So, to recap, lets have a little fun with a pros and cons list, shall we?
So, as you can see this puts us in quite the conundrum. Both restaurants seem to offer high-quality, gourmet food, with a relaxed and “stay for a while” atmosphere. Many times I will hear or read reviews from others that say both Jiko and Citricos are their top two favorite restaurants on Disney property. Well, thanks a bunch since that doesn’t help me decide between the two! Since we only visit WDW about once every year and a half or so, we realize the importance of choosing wisely in our dining opportunities. Do we go with the familiar and absolutely lovely in every way Jiko? Or take a chance and trust that Citricos is everything great that we’ve heard or read in reviews? Will we be disappointed if we have to wait another year and a half to experience Jiko if we decide to go with Citricos, or be content with our decision? Please give us your thoughts to help us out!