It’s Really That Good
Yes, this is the millionth blog post on the internet about Sanaa- why? Because it’s truly amazing.
Sanaa had been on my bucket list since before I had moved to Florida. I love Indian food because of the complex array of flavors that are so different in comparison to what I eat on a typical day. The first time I went to Sanaa, it was on a total whim. Matt was visiting for a long weekend and I was eager to try something new and show Matt a side of Disney he doesn’t often get to see- the resorts!
Since he’s not a huge Disney person, Matt, like many, really had no idea that the Walt Disney World resorts were anything more than hotels as any avid Disney goer can tell you, they are far more than that. Each one has an immersive theme, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, in my opinion, is one of the most awe-inspiring hotels on property. It not only tells a story but puts you in the middle of it all.
Bread Service is a MUST
Upon arrival, we checked into the restaurant and explored the hotel a bit. We loved standing by the big windows and looking out at the animals roaming around outside. As awesome as the animals were, we couldn’t wait to sit down to eat. Everything smelled incredible.
We started out with the dish Sanaa is most famous for, the Indian-Style Bread Service. This appetizer can come two ways, with a choice of five breads and three accompaniments for $13 or a choice of five breads and nine accompaniments for $16.
The bread included the following five flavors, garlic-ginger naan, onion kulcha, traditional naan, spiced naan and paneer paratha. Out of them all, my favorite had to be the paneer paratha.
The sauces above, from left to right include: red chile sambal, spicy jalapeño-lime pickle, coriander chutney, garlic pickle, roasted red pepper hummus, tomato-date jam, tamarind chutney, mango chutney and cucumber raita. I suggest getting all nine sauces. They’re all wonderful and if you’re sharing, everyone is bound to have a different favorite!
Perfection in Every Bite
There were a few of these sauces that I doubted I would like, but they were all fantastic. Even the ones that weren’t my favorite were still delicious. We combined them in every possible way and after stuffing ourselves fully, we still wanted more.
My three favorites were the garlic pickle, the coriander chutney, and the cucumber raita, which reminded me of a tzatziki sauce. Matt’s favorite sauces were the red chile sambal, the spicy jalapeño-lime pickle and the tamarind chutney, which was an exotic, Indian barbecue sauce. The tomato-date jam gets an honorable mention for being amazing because I really expected it to be disgusting.
Dinner Time
For dinner, we split the Potjie Inspired where we were able to pick a selection from the “Journey” and the “Harvest” portions of the menu to create a meal served with rice. We selected the butter chicken from Journey and the paneer tikka from Harvest. The whole meal cost $26
The butter chicken was rich and delicious, the rice was perfectly cooked and the slight crust on the paneer added great flavor and texture. I wasn’t a huge fan of the tikka sauce, it was a bit too acidic for me, but it was still enjoyable and Matt really liked the flavor, so I would still suggest giving it a try- plus there was plenty of butter sauce to go around that I put on the paneer instead. The meal was great because it was filling and tasty, but also because it was so different from what we typically eat on nights out on Walt Disney World property.
The menu had so many unique options, but we were so happy with our selections. The appetizer and the meal were perfectly paired and filling for two. From the looks of the faces and the food around us, I would say any option at Sanaa is a great one, but I would also strongly suggest sticking with the bread service- there really is a reason everyone is talking about it!
Dining Score
10/10
All in all, I would, and am, 100% going back to Sanaa. The meal was an adventure itself and allowed us to feel like we were off Disney property and on the other side of the world for a night. We got to eat exotic food among our new animal friends while the atmosphere allowed us to feel relaxed but also excited to be somewhere different. Take your own foodie adventure at Sanaa for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and let me know what you think!
Until The Next Adventure!
Josie
