Tiffins is a Signature Disney restaurant located inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom to the right of the entrance into Pandora – The World of Avatar. Tiffins is also connected to the very popular Nomad Lounge which features similar cocktails and atmosphere.
We learned from Tiffins’ cast members that this is actually what a tiffin looks like! A stackable, often metal, “lunch box” used in India or South Asia to transport a mid-day tea or light luncheon.
The atmosphere inside of Tiffins is definitely that of a signature restaurant and not one you would expect to see in a theme park. However, there are many subtle touches for the ultimate Disney fan! Like the hand-carved world map that features a castle for each Disney park around the globe and a turtle for each Disney beach or island location.
Another very cool nod to Disney history are these carved animal totems in the dining room. These are said to be the original inspiration for the animal carvings on the Tree of Life and were once at the entrance to the former Camp Minnie-Mickey. Even more impressive, these totems were once painted and are now back to their natural beauty.
There is also incredible art of the many animals you can see at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Ryno even got to sit near his namesake…
We started our adventure with a few of the unique beverage options. Pictured below, Ryno selected his go-to from Nomad Lounge, the Tempting Tigress. For $17, this cocktail is made with Russell’s Reserve 10-year Bourbon, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, tamarind syrup, and lime juice. This is both a well-balanced and refreshing drink, definitely worth trying.
I also chose to order my favorite from Nomad Lounge, the Hightower Rocks made with Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila, watermelon, sweet-and-sour, and lime juice for $17. This is the perfect summer drink and not overly sweet or tart with a fresh watermelon flavor.
The team decided to split three appetizers beginning with the Charred Octopus served with sweet corn salsa, chorizo, tequila, mole-rojo, pickled onions, and cilantro for $19. This was phenomenal! The texture of the octopus was buttery and the char flavor with the mole and sweet corn salsa paired so nicely.
We also enjoyed the Pineapple-Glazed Pork Belly served with guajillo chili sauce, chicharrons, and spice pickled vegetable slaw for $15; this was another winner! The pork belly was cooked perfectly and the smokiness was complimented by the pineapple glaze.
They couldn’t all be winners and that was definitely the case with the Korean Barbecue Mushroom Bao Buns made with grilled oyster mushrooms, cucumber kimchi, and pickled green peppers for $15. The spice was definitely missing something and the oyster mushrooms had a slimy texture that made it hard to cut or chew through.
For entrees, Ryno went all out with the Surf & Turf comprised of South African braai-spiced beef tenderloin, seared scallops, truffle polenta, grilled vegetables, dhania butter, with a cola demi-glace for $68. Ryno ordered his beef tenderloin medium and it was cooked perfectly. The tenderloin had an amazing sear and flavor. However, the scallops fell a little flat. Ryno commented that they had sort of a gritty texture and a “fishy” taste. The tenderloin was incredible, but because of the price point and scallops, this isn’t likely an entrée he would order again.
After a very strong recommendation from our server, I was feeling bold and decided to order the Whole-Fried Sustainable Fish for $45. The seasonal fish was sea bass and served with coconut fried rice, green and red curry, Thai green papaya slaw, and peanuts. I felt less bold when the fish came to the table and looked like he had just swam out of the ocean! However, the server was right and the flavor and texture of the filet was so good. Even better, the coconut-fried rice with the curry sauces was the perfect addition to the fish. If you’re feeling adventurous, this would be a good one to share if you were also trying an appetizer or two.
Craig went with a much safer choice – the Tiffins Signature Burger. For $28, this burger is made with in-house beef and pork blend, aged cheddar, and demiglace on a parker house roll and served with seasoned waffle fries. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the winner we thought it would be. The demiglace really made the burger, but it was otherwise forgettable, especially with a $28 price tag. Craig also felt the presentation was lack luster and the waffle fries were not great.
We were definitely full at this point but powered through for the most important part of the meal: dessert! We each ordered our own but inevitably shared. Ryno enjoyed the White Chocolate-Orange Crème Brulee garnished with blueberry cardamom curd, Amarula ice cream, orange chutney, sellou cookie, Ras el Hanout candy crunch for $15. While the portion was small, this was a great creme brulee with a unique spin.
I, of course, had to get the “Remember Who You Are” Lion King 30th Anniversary Dessert, which is Kenyan coffee mousse filled with caramelized bananas, chai Chantilly, banana-caramel sauce, chocolate-coffee crumble, and decorated with a chocolate Lion King medallion and sugar sun for $15. The presentation of this dessert was beautiful and the sugar sun almost didn’t seem real! Unfortunately, the banana flavor was overpowering and the dessert was confusing with the many deconstructed elements. While I love The Lion King, I wouldn’t recommend this one!
Last but certainly not least, Craig selected the Champurrado Chocolate Bar which is spiced chocolate ganache, modelo negra mousse, dulce de leche, passion fruit-lime sauce, chili meringue for $15. This is similar to the Wilde-best Wildebeest dessert at Sanaa and didn’t quite have all the flavor that was mentioned in the ingredients. It was definitely missing the heat from the chili meringue.
Time for our overall scores and for the first time, we were all on the same page! Ryno gave the atmosphere a 9 for its relaxing vibes and unique art, food presentation/ preparation a 9, taste an 8 since the bao buns and scallops weren’t great, service a 10, and cost a 7 for a total of 4.3 out of 5. I gave the ambiance an 8, food presentation/ preparation a 10 for thoughtful plating, taste an 8, service a 10 for the positive interactions we had with each cast member, and cost a 7 for a total of 4.3 out of 5. Craig gave the ambiance an 8, food presentation/ preparation a 9, taste an 8, service a 10, and cost an 8 considering its Signature Restaurant status for a total of 4.3 out of 5. This might be the first time in DIS Unlimited history that we all gave the same total score – so maybe this is your sign to give Tiffins a try if you haven’t yet!
Watch our full review of Tiffins here and let us know in the comments your thoughts on dining at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
