We stayed at AKL May '06, and had a chance to eat at both Boma and Jiko.
We really enjoyed both restaurants, and had very pleasant evenings there.
NOTE: While Disney is legendary for their customer service, the CMs are only human, and I think they like to take care of people who stand out from the crowd, a bit - the sort of above-and-beyond kind of stuff that makes you feel special. As a personal preference, when we are on vacation, we like to polish up for dinner, especially when we are going to a nicer place. I wore a jacket and tie for both Jiko and Boma, my wife and daughter dressed accordingly, and in my opinion, the CM reacted favorably.
Anyway, we are late diners (seating @ 8-9ish), with the advantage being that there is no pressure, and the staff are more attentive. At Boma, the staff really went out of their way - great service. While it is a buffet, two waiters practically tripped over themselves to bring plates of their own recommendation to our table. A cook behind the counter sent out a bowl of desserts for our daughter that weren't on the menu, and (if you like wine) the wine samples (mostly S. African) were tasty, and our waiter gave us some good suggestions for matching them with various dishes. We were speechless but delighted. The tastes were less conventional, but being adventurous eaters, we didn't sample anything that we couldn't at least appreciate.
NOTE: Give yourself time to have a cocktail or a soft drink at the hotel bar, before you are seated. It is a very attractive and pleasant area and, as with so many other activities at WDW (riding the bus, swimming in the hotel pool, or waiting in lines) it is a good chance to chat with people from all over, and gives a good opportunity to really appreciate the hotel. The architecture is quite dense with subtle features, and it took me some time to really appreciate the styling nuances and the artifacts on display.
We also went to Jiko. This was the least "Disney" restaurant we had been to (it could easily have been in NYC or anywhere else, for that matter). The ambiance was cool and polished, but very friendly. We were offered a table in the wine cellar. If there is a dress code, it is probably along the lines of "no shorts, T-shirts", but again, I suspect being spiffied up a bit helped with that.
The wine list here was impressive, but the waiter helped us pick two bottles for our meal (we had an unfinished bottle sent back to the room, later). There were some more exotic offerings here, but they brought out a PBJ sandwich for our daughter, made with multi-colored, swirled bread that made her laugh when she saw it.
NOTE: If you are going to AKL for dinner, plan ahead; they have some activities that they don't advertise much, but are real crowd pleasers. In particular, they have African story-telling outside by a big bonfire, and they also have a guided night safari, where you can use night-vision goggles to watch the animals from a viewing station beyond the pool area. Neither activity required an additional fee, nor a sign up, but you have to know about them, and they aren't regularly occurring. Also, I recall that some of the characters made appearances, but these were very limited. Call ahead, or ask the concierge, when you arrive for dinner. These activities really make for an interesting, and unexpected treat for your guests / family.
In my opinion, both restaurants are worth a visit; they are approachable and fun, but a bit slower-paced, and less Disney-themed, but offered us plenty of smiles and a chance to exhale.
