California Grill or Sanaa?

[mbforbes]

My dh and I are going for a short adult only trip and I am trying to finalize our dining plans.... We have never been to Sanaa and he has never been to cali grill. Which one has better food... etc. Or should I get rid of Jiko and go to Sanaa instead?? Decisions... Decisions....

 

[justcantwait]

We tried Sanaa for the first time in Oct. It has quickly become one of my favorite restaurants on property. The ambiance is fabulous, with animals strolling past the window (go before it gets totally dark). It's cozy inside, the themeing is beautiful, and the food is fantastic. I think Cali Grill is a wonderful restaurant in it's own right, but not for an adults only trip. There are more children, and it's especially hectic with everyone wanting to watch Wishes. Sanaa is quieter, more intimate, just more of an adult oriented restaurant in my opinion. You might consider skipping Jiko, especially if you've been there before, and making a reservation at Sanaa instead. Cali Grill will still be there if you want to go some other time with the kids. I don't think you'll be disappointed with Sanaa. HTH

Kathy

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Sanaa is an excellent restaurant, but Jiko and California Grill are my two favorites. I honestly can't advise giving up either. On our last visit, we did kind of a progressive dinner at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, though. We shared appetizers at the Sanaa lounge, then did the same at the Cape Town Lounge inside Jiko. That might be a good compromise for you, as both restaurants (all three, really) have even better appetizers than they do entrées.

 

[OhThePain]

CG has the view. That is basically the only way in which it is better than Sanaa. Sanaa is one of the top, if not the top, "1 TS" restaurant on property and, IMO, has better food than some of the Signatures. I would keep both Jiko and Sanaa, especially if you are staying in the AKL area. I would even consider doing Sanaa for lunch if you are planning on having a day at the resort instead.

Just a little extra opinion, without knowing the rest of your ADRs a couple restaurants that are great for adult only trips are V&A's (obviously), Citricos, Shula's and bluezoo. They tend to be the more romantic restaurants, incase you are looking for other ideas.

 

[mbforbes]

You all are great! Thanks. We have 4 nights... right now our adrenalin are sanaa, yachtsmen, jiko, and boma. What do you think? We aren't on dining plan, so that isn't an issue. We are staying at AKV

 

[Pugmalion1]

You all are great! Thanks. We have 4 nights... right now our adrenalin are sanaa, yachtsmen, jiko, and boma. What do you think? We aren't on dining plan, so that isn't an issue. We are staying at AKV

If it were me, I'd drop Boma if only because I think having three dinners in the Animal Kingdom Lodge, as much as I love it there, would keep me from exploring the other resorts as much as I like to.

Sanaa and Jiko are well worth your time and money, but I think California Grill, Citricos or maybe Kona might be a better choice than Boma, so that you can explore the monorail loop. You know, see some more of WDW and explore a little bit.

 

[pixarmom]

If it were me, I'd drop Boma if only because I think having three dinners in the Animal Kingdom Lodge, as much as I love it there, would keep me from exploring the other resorts as much as I like to.

Sanaa and Jiko are well worth your time and money, but I think California Grill, Citricos or maybe Kona might be a better choice than Boma, so that you can explore the monorail loop. You know, see some more of WDW and explore a little bit.

I think this is great advice. We've been to California Grill (multiple times), Sanaa and Jiko. I'd give up Boma to get to all three.

While Jiko does not have a view, the atmosphere and food are outstanding - it's one of my favorite signatures. I really enjoy the view at California Grill, and I love the sushi there, but I agree with the previous poster who mentioned that it's not as quiet as Jiko or Sanaa. I love the menu at Sanaa - the salad sampler is outstanding and there are so many interesting choices. I also like the decor and the bar area would be great for a drink before dinner (well, same at Jiko, just not as quiet at that one.)

Good luck with your decision!

 

[mbforbes]

That is a good point about boma ... I should probably change that one

 

[cbg1027]

I agree with the post about dropping Boma for CG. Boma is good, but CG is better.

Plus, there are rumors that CG will be closing permanently closing in 2012, so I would want to try and get in there while you still can.

 

[nkereina]

Plus, there are rumors that CG will be closing permanently closing in 2012, so I would want to try and get in there while you still can.

I haven't eaten at either, but I was going to say exactly this. If the rumor is true, CG will be closing for renovations and re-opening as something else. I would eat here because of this.

 

[Marthasor]

You all are great! Thanks. We have 4 nights... right now our adrenalin are sanaa, yachtsmen, jiko, and boma. What do you think? We aren't on dining plan, so that isn't an issue. We are staying at AKV

We stayed at AKV last May and LOVED Sanaa and Jiko! My DH didn't go to the parks that trip and I think he ended up eating at Sanaa three times - he loved it. The view of the animals is amazing! LOVED Jiko - truly one of the best dining experiences I have ever had. We ate at Boma a few years ago and, I agree with the other PP. It's ok. I would definitely do CG over Boma. Even though it will be crowded - the view is fantastic and the food is very good. If you would like to try Boma, I would recommend it for breakfast!

 

[CoolDisneyKitten]

As much as I love Boma, I have to agree with the above posters. If you had more time, I'd say keep Boma and add CG, but obviously that isn't an option. Given your time frame, drop Boma and replace it with CG.

I don't think you'll be disappointed!

ETA: Your choices are all spot-on, some of our favorite places at WDW. Even if you change nothing, you'll have happy, happy bellies. The *only* reason I vote to drop Boma is for variety's sake.