Lunch at Sanaa at the Animal Kingdom Lodge

My love of the Walt Disney World Resort is not a secret. I know it sounds cheesy, but I have a whole lot of fantastic family memories that were made at that place and every time I’m there I just feel happy and carefree. And even after too many visits to count, there are still moments that hit my heartstrings. I always cry during Illuminations and feel an overwhelming sense of patriotism in the Hall of Presidents. And start singing the Haunted Mansion song as soon as I see the building.

In recent years, one of the most appealing things about our time at the resort are the restaurants. Not so much the restaurants where you see characters, but the higher end places at the Disney hotels. Because the best kept Disney secret is really that some of the best restaurants in Orlando (and anywhere, in my opinion) are hidden off the lobbies of Disney’s resorts. This past trip we made time to visit one of my favorites, Sanaa at the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Kidani Village.

Sanaa is about as far off the beaten path as a place can get at Disney World. The Animal Kingdom Lodge is a pretty isolated hotel, and Sanaa is at the hotel’s Kidani Village section, which is even further than the main part of the lodge, Jambo House. But there’s one thing here you can’t get anywhere else on property–a dining room on the Savannah. Yep, the giraffes and the birds hang out right outside the window during your meal. And they watch you eat while you watch them eat. It is fun.

But we really go to Sanaa for the food, which is a unique mix between East African and Indian Cuisine. This is really a treat for me, since I’ve discovered much Indian food closer to home seems to be soy laden. But thanks to Disney’s careful attention to food allergies, I can enjoy one of my favorites in Florida! They surprised me this time with providing a specially printed soy free menu for me (typically the chef just comes to the table and talks about your options)!

I was really happy with all of my food choices and we were on the first day of our vacation, so I decided to start off with a half carafe of South African Chardonnay. Maybe this explains the 2 1/2 hour nap I took after lunch.

Then Noel and I split the bread plate, with naan, papadums, and three dips–a mango salsa, pickled garlic, and a cilantro spread. All were good, but I especially loved that pickled garlic. Somehow the pickling made it almost sweet–you eat the whole clove!

For lunch, I went with the vegetarian sampler with Spinach with Paneer and Roasted Cauliflower with tomatoes and mint. The Paneer was my favorite, while Noel was more of a fan of the Cauliflower. To anyone who knows my husband, this should not be a surprise AT ALL.

Noel had the meat sampler, with short ribs and green curry shrimp. He said the ribs were perfect, with the meat falling off the bone. I LOVED the shrimp (I’m generally a big green curry fan). The curry was perfect–a fantastic mix of sweet and heat, and I could tell it was FRESH!

After all that, we basically rolled out of the restaurant. No room for dessert! I’m so glad we made it back to Sanaa, and that we have plans to dine there again for dinner in October!

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