Sanaa at Kidani Village

Want to  visit Africa but can’t afford the airline tickets or the price of the expedition?  They say the best way to experience a different country, if you cannot physically go there, is to eat that country’s food.  And there is no better place to experience that sights, sounds, smells, and TASTES of Africa, than at Sanaa at Kidani Village at the Animal Kingdom Lodge at Walt Disney World Resort.

Sanaa means “work of art” in Swahili, and true to it’s name, the entire dining experience is as beautiful and pleasing to look at as it is to taste.  We were able to experience a lunch at this magnificent restaurant a few months ago.  And it was truly a grand adventure!

Sanaa offers a lunch and dinner menu.  Several items are the same, but a small serving equals smaller price tag.  So I would suggest stopping by this amazing place before you embark on your own Disney adventure.  You will not be sorry that you did.  Join us for our experience on the African plain and come enjoy Sanaa with us!

One of the first things that you experience when you enter Sanaa is the lush art and architecture that is so warm and inviting, you are almost compelled to sit around a table and share a luxurious meal with your friends and family.  It’s just a beautifully themed restaurant.  It has a more than welcoming lounge area and, as with almost every location at both Kidani Village and Jambo House, it has amazing view of the savannah featuring dozens of different species of animals to watch.

Once we were seated, we ordered drinks and a bread service with 3 dipping sauces.  We chose Red Chile Sambal, Cucumber Raita, and Mango Chutney to accompany our Naan, Onion Kulcha, Papadum, Paneer Paratha bread selection.  It was such a great selection of different types of bread, we got a great sampling of styles, textures, and flavors of home-cooked bread and some amazing dipping sauces.  The Red Chile Sambal was the overall favorite, not too hot and very high on flavor!

We all chose a different main courses so that we could sample even more flavors of Africa.  My choice was the Shrimp with Green Curry Sauce and Beef Short Ribs served with rice pilaf.  The short ribs were fork tender and amazing.  The shrimp and curry sauce was a very tasty combination that left me wanting a second serving…

One of our table mates ordered the Tandoori Chicken that came served on Naan Bread with Minted Greens, Tomato, Onion, and Cucumber-Yogurt Raita (think Greek tzatziki sauce).  I tried the chicken…not too dry and very, very flavorful.  This is a safe choice for anyone with a desire to “visit” Africa, but not get too crazy with food choices!

Another table mate ordered the same short ribs, but instead of the shrimp, chose the Chicken with Red Curry Sauce, again another great choice for people concerned about being TOO wild in Africa.  The chicken had a great flavor, while the sauce added another degree of complexity.  Art and food go hand in hand when it is done correctly, and Sanna blends the two very well!

This IS Disney,and EVERY meal ends with dessert, so we ordered enough to feed a small army.  The first sweet offering was the Chocolate Cake, Passion Fruit Kulfi, and Chai Cream.  I do not have the words to describe each of these treats for the marvels that they are.  Trust me…just order one.  Sharing is optional!  The second dessert was an Orange-Sesame Cake with Passion Fruit Kulfi…another amazing dessert, which was very surprising.  I had no idea that sesame seeds would add so much to the overall taste of a dessert.

Visiting Sanaa is in and of itself a guilty pleasure.  It’s located in Kidani Village and like it’s larger counterpart Jambo House, is truly a world unto itself.  If you let yourself go, you forget that you are in the middle of Florida at a theme park and surrounded by several hundred tourists.  When that first bite hits your tongue, you immediately sense you have traveled to the wilds of Africa and are having an experience that few people ever get to have.  It is a blend of art and food coming together in harmony to produce an amazing delight.  In a word…Sanaa!

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Sanaa Dinner Menu (Updated May 2011)

Appetizers

Sampler for Two – Potato and Pea Samosas, Pulled Duck with Red Curry Sauce, Roasted Cauliflower $14.99

Pulled Duck with Red Curry Sauce served on Five-Grain Rice Cake 8.99

Tomato Soup – with Paneer cheese $5.49

Lamb Kefta Kabobs – with mint chutney $8.49

Mustard Seed-crusted Scallops – with a Coconut Cream Sauce $8.99

Potato and Pea Samosas – with choice of Tamarind or Mango Chutney $7.99

Salad Sampler

Choice of Three Salads $6.99

Chickpeas with cucumber and tomato
Kachumbar (cucumber)
Watermelon, lime, and radish
Roasted Beets
Bhel Puri

Slow Cooked in Gravy, Simple and Well Seasoned

Choice of two served with Basmati Rice or Five-grain pilaf $18.99

Chicken with Red Curry Sauce
Spicy Durban Chicken
Shrimp with Green Curry Sauce
Spicy Durban Shrimp
Beef Short Ribs
Coconut-Curry Lamb

From the Tandoor Ovens

served with Apple-Raisin Chutney and choice of Basmati Rice or Five-Grain Pilaf

Tandoori Chicken $17.99

Tandoori Lamb $18.99

Tandoori Shrimp $20.99

Sanaa Vegetarian Sampler

Choice of two served with Basmati Rice or Five-grain pilaf $14.99

Paneer Cheese and Spinach
Stewed Lentils
Spicy Cauliflower, Onions, Tomatoes, and Mint
Vegetable Sambar

African Cooking with Indian Flavors

Today’s Sustainable Fish – with Shrimp and Scallops served with seasonal Vegetables in a light Curry Broth – Market Price

New York Strip – served with warm Potato and Spinach Salad, Tomato, and Golden Raisin Chutney $28.99

African Spiced Chicken Breast – with Turnips and Cherries $17.99

Indian Style Bread Service

Choice of 3 breads and 3 accompaniments – Serves Two $8.99

Breads – Naan, Onion Kulcha, Papadum, Paneer Paratha

Accompaniments – Red Chile Sambal, Cucumber Raita, Coriander Chutney, Mango Chutney, Garlic Pickle, Mint Chutney, Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus, Tamarind Chutney

Desserts

Dessert Trio – Chocolate Cake, Tropical Fruit Kulfi, and Chai Cream $6.99

Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Mint Sorbet $5.99

Mango-Berry Tapioca Pudding $5.49

Frozen Dessert Sample – Pineapple Sorbet, Mango Sorbet and Strawberry-Ginger Kulfi $6.49

Chai Cream $5.49

Orange-Sesame Cake – with Tropical Fruit Kulfi $5.49