Sanaa Review

[DEA]

Ummmm... sorry, John and Kevin. I feel like we owe you guys a dinner at some point for talking up the place.

Oh, and the choice of 5 breads (out of 5) at dinner for the bread service, which is definitely funny, differentiates it from the choice of 3 at lunch, or at the bar.

 

[OKW Lover]

Oh oh. Haven't listened to this segment (saving it for our flight on Friday) yet but it sounds like they weren't impressed with Sanaa. Val & I did it for dinner last month and enjoyed it. As Kevin says, just one (well, two) person's opinion and we should all form our own.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I haven't listened to the segment either, but had an outstanding meal with friends this past summer at Sanaa. I found the service to be wonderful and food delicious. I do enjoy this type of cuisine though especially curry. They also catered very well to the two young children in our party. I definitely would recommend it.

 

[Cyrano]

I haven't listened to the segment either, but had an outstanding meal with friends this past summer at Sanaa. I found the service to be wonderful and food delicious. I do enjoy this type of cuisine though especially curry. They also catered very well to the two young children in our party. I definitely would recommend it.

John and Kevin were very good at saying that this cuisine just wasn't for them.
As had been said many times the reviews by the Podcast or by DISers is influenced by a number of factors. These can change in between subsequent visits due to chef, server etc.

We all loved Sanaa when we visited it last summer. Our party included 3 children 14, 11 and 9. We could probably go a bit more spicy so our palates found this Africian/Indian fusion enjoyable

 

[SamSam]

Yes, Kevin and John made it very clear that it was personal preference that they were dealing with.

DH and I LOVE Sanaa, but, we love all the spices-flavorings associated wtih that type of food. In fact one the things we love about Sanaa is that you can tell the wait staff to tell the chefs to 'kick it up a notch'....if you like spice, I recommend doing this...wow, it was kicked up a notch. We loved it, but it would be over the top for many people.

 

[BriarRosie]

Last time I was there, I shared plates with a friend, and we had our lunch in the lounge. We split the bread service (3 breads and dips), the samosas and the lamb kefta.

I've had samosas before and knew I liked those, and I'm a fan of schwarma, gyros and such, so the lamb was something I felt "safe" getting. And I've had the bread service before, so I knew I liked that, as well.

But I despise Indian curry blends. There's something about the odor that turns my stomach. If it's strong enough for me to smell it, I wouldn't eat at Sanaa. I've been fortunate enough that I cannot smell it when my friends order the curries.

When I had a dinner there, a few years ago, I had the sustainable fish. The "light curry broth" had me worried, but the server assured me it wasn't like the typical Indian curry blends, so I trusted her. I'm glad I did, because I really enjoyed the dish.

 

[mytripsandraces]

I just heard the review on my way home tonight. I really enjoyed my birthday dinner there.

Kevin - I love bhel puri! It's one of my favorite dishes (along with peshwari naan and just about any curry). Next time you're in London, try the bhel puri at Chowki (just off Piccadilly). Yum!!

 

[6jewels]

Love that restaurant!!

 

[AndyPok1]

I've never had Sanaa for dinner, but I've gone for lunch twice now, and thoroughly enjoy it. Like someone else mentioned, you only get to choose 3 breads at lunch, so that part actually quite confused me.

During lunch they have something called 'Signature Sandwiches from the Tandoori Oven' or something like that. Basically its a piece of Na'an with stuff on top of it making it an open-face sandwich. Most people I know get the Lamb Kefka one.

They call it Indian food with African inspiration or whatever, but I disagree. The "sandwiches" feel very Mediterranean. Almost gyro-esqe except replacing the pita with na'an.

 

[dansyr2514]

I like Sanaa alot. However, I'm glad the review has the disclaimer, that it wasn't bad...just not to their taste. I feel the same about Boma. I tried it again on our last trip and wasn't crazy about. It was just the flavors of the some of the food that weren't to my taste.

 

[Anonny]

For similar favors at a good price, try Art of Animation.
$10.99 for Tandori chicken, roasted cauliflower, palak paneer, wild grain mixed rice, fresh naan bread. So good!

 

[tourguide81]

I don't think I've ever posted on the podcast forum, but as an avid listener, I knew I had to after hearing the Sanaa review.

It sounds like it's the kind of food my family & I love, but we love Indian food in general - and have also been happy with Jiko. I agree that Kevin & John said it was just them/a personal thing, but did they say anywhere where they normally did or didn't like Indian food? Or if they had had it before?

Based on Kevin's comments on Butter Chicken, it makes me think they are not familiar with Indian food, but I could totally be wrong. Butter Chicken is one of our favorite things to order from our local Indian place, it isn't simply a tomato sauces, it is heavenly. Again, I like Indian food.

I appreciate that they were clear that this wasn't for them but it wasn't based on improperly prepared food or service, etc.

 

[Niewoe]

I haven't listened to the segment either, but had an outstanding meal with friends this past summer at Sanaa. I found the service to be wonderful and food delicious. I do enjoy this type of cuisine though especially curry. They also catered very well to the two young children in our party. I definitely would recommend it.

After listening to the review, I have some concerns about what my DS5 will be able to eat. Were you able to get kids meals with little or no spice/seasoning? DS likes things very plain and is quite picky. But, I want him to be exposed to new things, which is why we wanted to try it.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I listened to the review this morning and feel compelled to comment on the portion size discussion. If you look at the pictures, you'll see what was ordered. I think it is safe to say that presentation may be to fault for portions looking small. If you took the contents of each item in this pic, for instance, and put it on a regular circular plate, I'm pretty it would fill it up like any other eatery's plate. Perhaps it's slightly smaller, but I don't think so. This makes portion sizes not one of the major concerns for this restaurant.

With this being said, I do agree that the prices are a bit high, but the food is really good in my opinion. I do like heavily spiced and seasoned meals though. It's all up to personal preference. I don't like Citricos, for example, because nothing on their menu appeals to me. If you are looking to try something new or know you enjoy this cuisine, I'd say go for it.

After listening to the review, I have some concerns about what my DS5 will be able to eat. Were you able to get kids meals with little or no spice/seasoning? DS likes things very plain and is quite picky. But, I want him to be exposed to new things, which is why we wanted to try it.

Yes, we were able to do this. You can also speak to the waiter about the type of eater he can be. Disney always has something for the kids even those that are super picky.

 

[myweegirls]

After listening to the review, I have some concerns about what my DS5 will be able to eat. Were you able to get kids meals with little or no spice/seasoning? DS likes things very plain and is quite picky. But, I want him to be exposed to new things, which is why we wanted to try it.

Hi! We've eaten there with our kids a few times, and they've done just great there. Our older one is a little more experimental, while the younger one is a bit...pickier...but both ate well here. DEA (my DH) and I were really impressed to find that they make the kids pizza with the naan bread - fresh, in-house - it's delicious (hey, I'd order it!) and definitely a cut above most thawed-out kids pizza options. If your kids are ordering from the kids' menu, they'll find some standard-fare offerings as well as some tastes for the more adventurous palate, and the servers are more than happy to work with you to make sure everyone's happy.

XO
Liz