disney husband and wife
Registered: September 2009
Posts: 11
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Review Date: Sat October 24, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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food, service, savannah view
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Cons:
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My husband and I both like Indian food and were excited to try Sanaa. We went for a late lunch and got in right before they stopped serving lunch. It was really fun to sit and watch the animals on the savannah. Our server was excellent. She was friendly, quick, and gave us complimentary champange for our honeymoon (they only restuarant to do something special). We had the bread service everything was wonderful. We both had the combo beef short ribs and one of us had the chiken and the other the shrimp. It was all fabulous. The flavors were great. For dessert we had the sampler and the orange sesame cake. I loved the chai cream and the rest were good.
This is one of the places I would return to again and again.
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jaciscully
Registered: September 2008
Posts: 11
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Review Date: Mon October 5, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? No
| Rating: 4
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Pros:
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quick seating, decent food
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Cons:
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service wasn't the best
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We ate here for dinner 9/14. We ordered and split the Two Meats with Gravy dish, rib tips and chicken. The meats were tender and flavorful, and the rice was good. The portions were small, even for just one person.
Our server messed up our ticket and charged us two DDPs, which we then had to correct, even though we told her twice not to.
While the menu is extensive, the food was only okay, and there wasn't anything that really makes you want to come back again.
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BoomNLeon
Registered: July 2007
Location: SC
Posts: 128
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Review Date: Mon September 28, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Food, atmosphere and cast
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Cons:
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Not much
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We had lunch here 9/11/09. We had eaten dinner here before and were really pleased. Lunch was just as good! The view was wonderful and the food was great. Worth a trip to AKL-Kidani!
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bespinct
Registered: September 2009
Location: SE Connecticut
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Sat September 19, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Service and cuisine
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Cons:
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The menu at service at Sanaa was outstanding. We had not made a reservation, but they were able to seat us within 15 minutes. Probably rare on a Saturday night, but it is Septbember.
We were a party of six, ranging in age from 19 months to 60 something. We enjoyed the appetizer sampler and the breads. I do not like duck, but the duck and rice appetizer was outstanding. As good as the sampler was, the bread was better. Even with six of us, one serving was bread was enough. However, I'm certain we would have eaten two or three plates of the bread it was so good. The sauces are amazing, and because it is flatbread, it isn't too filling.
My wife had the Slow-cooked Beef Short Ribs with brown rice and paneer cheese and spinach. The beef was delicious. I didn't try the spinach,but if she is to be believed it was delicious too.
I had the tandori lamb...The. Best. Lamb. Ever. I might be exaggerating, but it was quite tasty. Rather than drizzle the sauce over the lamb, they put it in a small dish for dipping. This allows those with a softer pallet to enjoy the lab without the spice. I didn't find the sauce to spicy, and my 19 months old daughter ate it like it was applesauce!
Speaking of the daughter, she had the fish dish from the kids menu. Aside from being too large for such a young girl, it was delicious. I would have been happy with it as a meal. It was a grilled white fish with green beans and 5-grain rice. The parfait that was service with it had tasty fresh strawberries.
In any event. It was a great way to start off our week at Disney!
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Nicklissa
Registered: September 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 32
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Review Date: Wed September 16, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Views; Staff; Adventurous Food
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Cons:
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Some Food too Adventurous
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Our family of 4 dined here on 9/16/09 for dinner. We were celebrating my in-laws' birthdays and 40th anniversary. Views are breathtaking - the restaurant overlooks the savanna and it is just wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! Where else can you dine while giraffes, antelope, ostrich, wildebeests, birds and zebra's walk, play and eat?
Sanaa opens its doors at 5:00 with an upbeat, African-style song complete with drums, dancing and singing. As you are seated, you walk through a spray of dried palm leaves held by the staff who welcome you in. We were seated at a window and had a great view of the savannah.
Our waitress, Danielle, was super-nice and very knowledgeable. We all had a lot, a LOT of questions about the menu - and she thoroughly helped us to understand the food, flavors, spices and gave her recommendations for everything form appetizers and entrees to coffees and teas - she was wonderful, wonderful! Ask for her if you dine at Sanaa - she will put you at ease!
The food is very different from what we are used to - Indian/Tandoori type foods/spicing. Unusual items - great, great, great breads with spreads such as raita, hummus, etc. Some of the foods can be too adventurous - so finding something to fit your pallet can be a little time-consuming but the restaurant is very accommodating.
So really, we had no complaints. We understood what we were getting and my husband and in-laws' loved, loved LOVED it here. I am more hesitant and was okay with what I had, but it did not blow me away - not because it was not good (it was!) but because it was just not my taste.
To start, we had 2 orders of the Bread Service - each service serves 2. You get a choice of 3 breads and 3 spreads - we all got naan, paneer paratha and roti bread (all wonderful by the way - very delicious!). For spreads we got mango chutney (2), cucumber raita (a yogurt-based spread), garlic-ginger pickle and red bell pepper hummus (2). All were good - the garlic-ginger was VERYYYY spicy and salty; all others had a bit of a kick but were mild enough for us to enjoy.
My hubby and his parents' had the "Slow Cooked in Gravy" pick two option; hubby ordered the short ribs and shrimp in green curry with a side of wild rice pilaf and the paneer cheese and spinach. Mother-in-law ordered the short ribs and shrimp in green curry with a side of basamati rice; and father-in-law ordered the paneer cheese and spinach and short ribs with basamati rice. They all loved evertyhing. For me, the picky eater, I try not to eat meat but the I tasted the short ribs in a wine-type sauce and they were good but fatt; the curry was wayy too spicy for me, the rice I liked (both pilaf and basamati); and the paneer cheese is, well - an acquired taste I believe. But again, I am a very picky eater and Sanaa is worth trying.
I had the Dum Biryani which is essentially basamati rice and fresh veggies in a dough - it was very good, but the indian-type-spicing was a little too "different' for me. I shared mine with the table. I also ordered a side of crushed potatoes - and they were a welcome taste of the familiar for my non-adventurous pallet.
Would I go back to Sanaa? Yes, I would. My family loved it and they loved the food. The atmosphere is muted, dark colors, and wonderfully calming. Savannah views are GREAT! (ask for window seat!) and service was really good too.
For dessert we all had the sampler which had flour-less chocolate cake (very good!), mango pudding (everyone else loved it - I didn't really taste anything though) and a cardamom spice cake (none of us really liked that one though)
So don't let my review stop you - I loved Sanaa, but the food is just not for me - but I am not brave when it comes to eating, so please give it a try.
On a side note: All the birthday people received a visit from the traveling Sanaa singers who sang to each birthday table - with drums and dancing - and it was beautiful!
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cabarnes
Registered: May 2006
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 26
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Review Date: Sat September 5, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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Views of the savanna, decor
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Cons:
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Small portions, service
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Ate here for dinner on 8/27. The food is very different here, so if you aren't an adventurous eater, this isn't for you. I also want to tell you that I so wanted to love this restaurant - I was very excited about trying it. Our waitress started out great, helping us with our choices, explaining things. If you are on the meal plan, your food is very limited and without any appetizer, this is not enough food for the average adult. We ordered the breads (2 orders for 6 people) with the different spreads and it was great, but not covered under the meal plan. Everyone had something different for their entree. I had the Tandori Shrimp which was good but the rice, the shrimp and the sauce portions, which were served separately, were very small. Only my son, who had the duck, had a decent sized meal. The dessert was interesting. Artistically presented, but nothing amazing and small portions. Really expected the flavors to be more impressive. Our waitress, who was attentive at first, disappeared once the breads were served and we spent long times without her ever coming by the table. We were at the restaurant for over an hour and a half. The redeeming factors with this restaurant are the view of the savanna and the decor, otherwise they need to work on the service and meal portions. Most of my score comes from the decor and savanna view.
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MOEMOE55
Registered: February 2006
Location: Tarrytown, NY
Posts: 9
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Review Date: Sun July 26, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Food, Atmosphere, Animals
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Cons:
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Service
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I had the opportunity to have lunch here on 7/19 and 7/21. Both times I sat at the bar. My first visit I was told by the bartender that I could not order from the regular menu. The bar menu had three appetizers to choose from. I had the Indian Style Bread Service. I chose Naan, Roti, and Paratha breads with Mango Chutney, Tamarind Chutney, and Garlic-Ginger Pickle dipping sauces. Delicious. The breads were amazing. The chutneys were very tasty. The garlic-ginger was very spicy and salty(pickle spices?).
On my second visit there were two of us. Again we sat at the bar. This time we were told we could order from the regular menu. Inconsistent. For appetizer we shared the potato and pea samosas, very nice. I had the Tandoori Sustainable Fish which was very good. For dessert we had the sampler with Eggless chocolate cake, Mango pudding, and cardamom butter cake. We had a newbie as a server who messed up the order so we also got the carrot halvah. To drink we had the "Red Bush" tea. All were delicious.
Service was only OK. One day you can't order from the menu and the next day you can. We had to ask a few times if our food was ready, and the dessert order was messed up(we ate it any way, you can't waste a dessert). Granted the server was learning, but I noticed a lot of goofing off among the servers. They were in little groups gossiping. I also noticed it in the parks. Overall it was a great experience and I would go back.
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tcgaspie
Registered: January 2009
Location: Ashburn, VA
Posts: 5
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Review Date: Sun July 19, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 6
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Pros:
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Beautiful location, nice view, intimate
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Cons:
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no descriptions on menu, limited choices
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This rstr is beautiful and has some amazing views of the animals... But if you are dining with children or are a picky eater this is not the rstr for you. I myself am not a picky eater, but a part of our appetizer turned me off for the rest of my meal. We ordered the 3 bread and 3 dip choice, with one of the dip choices being garlic/ginger one. Well when it arrived it looked odd and when you put it on the bread it looked worse. I took one bite and was less than thrilled, my husband liked it but he knew exactly what I am thinking. I am not a picky eater and do not mind trying anything but the dip looked like maggots in red sauce, and after one look/bite I was done and it really spoiled the rest of our meal. The other downside to the meal was the fact that our waiter forgot about us between the appetizer and main course, then before the dessert..It also took 2 tries to fix our bill as we are on the DDP... Not someplace I would recommend unless you have a strong stomach and lots of time.
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Bear Bob
Registered: July 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 4
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Review Date: Sun July 19, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Awesome Atmosphere and Great Food
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Cons:
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Very pricey for lunch portions could be bigger
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This (open for lunch and dinner) is a nice addition to the Animal Kingdom Lodge as another lunch option to the Mara (mostly fast food) which is the only other place open for lunch. JIko is dinner only and Boma is breakfast and dinner. The restaurant is gorgeous and the views of the animals cannot be beat. Try to get a window seat if possible. The food was great, had the glazed pork chop entree and bread sampler appetizer for a Saturday lunch. The only negatives were the price, very pricey lunch for 2 people and the portions could be bigger, just enough to fill you up but not enough for leftovers. This is the only restaurant at the lodge with animal views. Food quality wise its not as good as Jiko (my favorite Disney restaurant) but better than Boma and the Mara. A nice restaurant for couples or adults, worth a visit.
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BoomNLeon
Registered: July 2007
Location: SC
Posts: 128
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Review Date: Tue July 14, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Food, atmosphere and cast
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Cons:
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This was one of our better dining experiences in WDW. The food was good and the menu was unique and full of surprises. The cauliflower soup was AMAZING! The bar is neat and the decor of the restaurant is romantic.
We highly recommend Sanaa and will be going back.
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TwentiesFlapper
Registered: January 2006
Location: Cumberland/Narragansett, RI
Posts: 45
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Review Date: Mon July 13, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Ate at Sanaa with my roommate on July 5 for lunch so we could use our 40% cast discount. It was lovely. We both got the wild rice with chicken in red curry sauce and short beef ribs (which are boneless.) They were both good, though I preferred the nutmegy taste of the slow roasted beef ribs. I would definetly go back, even if i had to pay full price. We could watch the animals roaming the savanna even though we were not by a window. Awesome lunch.
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CarolS
Registered: July 2009
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Fri July 10, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Interesting food, great view
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Cons:
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sometimes loud
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We dined at Sanaa for dinner on July 1. Our waitor, Christopher, gave great explanations of all the items on the menu. Our family of 4 adults ordered 4 different entrees and desserts. Everything was good. This restaurant was a bit outside the comfort zone for 4 picky eaters, so it was an adventure for us. My only problem was the very loud drum beating and singing whenever a diner had a birthday. Believe it or not, they did six of these in a row while we were there, and it was not even crowded. Overall though, we enjoyed it and would go again on our next trip.
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bleech
Registered: May 2006
Posts: 28
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Review Date: Wed July 1, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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food, service, atmosphere
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Cons:
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none
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Our family of 5 (2 adults and 3 children) ate at Sanaa for lunch this past Friday. We arrived almost an hour early for our 2:25 ADR but were told the wait would not be too long if we wanted to stay and wait for a table. We probably waited at least another 40 minutes, but with so much to see, the wait wasn't too painful- even with 3 kids. We enjoyed watching the animals on the savanna outside and appreciated the comfortable benches inside in the waiting area which also overlooks the savanna when we had had enough of the heat.
Our hostess welcomed us to the market and introduced us to our server and seated us in a cozy booth against the wall furthest from the windows which look out to the savanna. We still had a good view of the animals, though. The restaurant itself was beautiful with colorful textiles and interesting gourd shaped light fixtures as well as traditional African cooking utensils and serveware. Of course, there's the main attraction- the animals- and they did not disappoint! They are close enough to be seen easily, and at one point, a zebra came up within several feet of one of the windows and appeared to be watching us dine. Talk about great atmosphere!
Our two youngest girls had the kids pizza which came with two sides or a side and a dessert plus a drink. One chose the tomato soup with cheese toast which was very good, and the other chose apple slices. Both opted for the fourless chocolate cake with fresh whipped cream. Although small, they were rich enough to be just enough. The kids pizza is on naan bread instead of a traditional crust, but my picky children didn't seem to notice, and both of them loved the pizza.
Our oldest daughter shared the salad sampler with us. We chose the okra, radish, and tomato salad; the chickpeas with cucumber and tomato; and the roasted potato, corn, and spinach. All were very good, cool, and offered a nice variety of flavors.
The three of us also shared entrees. We split the tandoori chicken which is served on naan and dressed with minted greens, tomatoes, and a delicious yogurt raita. Our other entree was the choice of two. We had the chicken with red curry sauce and shrimp with green curry sauce. They come served with five grain pilaf or jasmine rice- which we chose. The red curry sauce definately had a spicy kick to it, but we enjoy spicy food, so it was perfectly fine for us, and the green sauce was smoother and milder. Everything was truly delicious, and not a bite was left. It was plenty of food for the three of us- especially for a late lunch. We left satisfied but not overly full. We decided to skip dessert, but we look forward to trying it on our next trip to Sanaa, as we will definitely be returning.
Our service was delightful, albeit a bit slow toward the end. As we were leaving, the server mentioned a glitch in the computers, so we assume that was the hold-up getting our bill taken care of. Otherwise, we had no complaints at all and would heartily recommend Sanaa to anyone looking for a slightly exotic, delicious meal in the area of the beautiful Animal Kingdom Villas.
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contauri
Registered: June 2009
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Thu June 18, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great view, food, service
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Cons:
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They come by with drums and music sometimes, which can get loud
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My fiance and I loved this restaurant. We were able to get a reservation on the same day, and once we arrived, the staff were very professional and seated us quickly. We got a great view of the animals, however, it was pouring outside so the weather wasn't too kind to us. The menu has a nice selection of African and Indian flavors to choose from and the prices are very affordable for the service you get (which is one reason why we chose Sanaa over the others)
Our waitress was superb - she went as far as recommending her favorite entrees and was extremely helpful explaining the menu to us. We got the bread service, which was very tasty. For our main courses, I chose the Chicken with the red curry sauce and the shrimp with a green curry sauce, as I was able to choose two. I loved the red curry but wasn't extremely fond of the green - I think it was the cilantro that did it. The flavors were unique, but not overpowering. There wasn't a lot of spices there that I'm used to having with Indian dishes, but it tasted very good regardless.
My fiance chose the Banana Leaf wrapped Sustainable Fish as suggested by the waitress. He said it was very delicious, packed with flavor, and he loved the sauce that came with it. The waitress told us none of the dishes were spicy except one, but if we wanted some spice they could add it in. Since we both love spicy foods, they gave us our entrees with a little bit of spice in there too, which was nice.
For dessert, we shared the Chai Cream as also suggested by the waitress. It too did not disappoint. We left feeling full and satisfied, I definitely would suggest going here for a nice dinner. We were not staying at the Lodge when we ate here, but it looks like a great place to stay as well.
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myfamilyof4
Registered: June 2009
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 8
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Review Date: Mon June 15, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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Beautiful restaurant
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Cons:
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I really wanted to enjoy this meal, the resaurant was so nice and the Animal Kingdom Lodge was just gorgeous. Parts of my meal were really good, and some of it was not so good. I probaly made some bad food selections (I wanted to try some new things). I will go back to Sanaa, I will just try to stick with familiar foods.
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