Sanaa: Lunch or Dinner?

[nivekious]

I noticed that Sanaa is one of the few places with different lunch and dinner menus. Which meal do you prefer there for food? And is there more animal activity in the evening vs noon?

 

[rwdavis2]

Animal activity can vary but they try to keep the animals close with food. When it gets dark in the evening you can't really see anything outside. Sorry, can't help with the menus though.

 

[Scubadaddy32]

We have eaten at Sanaa for both lunch and dinner, both offer bread service and butter chicken which are the two staples for the restaurant. I had the Shrimp Biryani at dinner which is not standard Biryani I'm used to, it was more of a Paella that was very mild spice wise, but good. My wife orders the butter chicken and we shared both meals.
At lunch this last time, we had the same bread service, the same butter chicken and I had the Tandoori Chicken... it was a mild version of Tandoori Chicken spice wise, but it was served as a sandwich on naan bread. This was the winner over the Biryani IMO.
I also really enjoyed the desserts there and I'm not a huge dessert fan at restaurants typically. They have an odd butterscotch pudding, shortbread cookie with pineapple dessert that was uniquely very good. Ha
Also, the animals are fed in front of Sanaa (the waitstaff told us) around 2:30 - 3:00, so our 2:00 pm ADR was perfect for seeing a big variety of animals.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I much prefer the lunch menu. I've been for both lunch and dinner, but lunchtime is the only time I can get my favorite meal there-the Tandoori Chicken (or used to be Shrimp, but I think they discontinued that one) sandwich with Naan bread.

 

[SwanVT2]

Lunch. See the animals and it is probably less expensive. Best meal we had last trip!!

 

[disfoodie]

Another vote for lunch. Plus, I tend to eat less at lunch so it works perfectly when we order the bread service, some wine, and then maybe split an entree or have an additional appetizer as a meal. Also, if you have any "pickier eaters" the Sanaa Burger at lunch is really good! In regards to animals, as others have said sometimes at night it gets too dark to see too many but during the day you can view them even if they are a distance away (depending on where you are seated in the restaurant). We like to book one of the first reservations at lunch time because then we often get seated near the window (or can ask).

 

[Lehuaann]

Lunch. Also ask for a window seat. Good chance for a visit from a Grey Crowned Crane.

 

[snappy]

I much prefer the lunch menu. I've been for both lunch and dinner, but lunchtime is the only time I can get my favorite meal there-the Tandoori Chicken (or used to be Shrimp, but I think they discontinued that one) sandwich with Naan bread.

I prefer the shrimp Tandori to the shrimp. It wasn’t on the menu when were there about 2 weeks ago, but i asked the waitress and they made it for me.

Good as usual.

Not much animal activity the day we were there but it was around noon and very hot.

 

[samsteele]

Haven't been since before the pandemic so can't comment on the menu difference. If possible, make your dinner ADR for opening to see some animals before dark. Once it's dark, the interior lights reflect off the windows so you see very little outside. I used to check online for sunset times for the date I was traveling to up my odds.

 

[HMcH]

I will join everyone in saying Lunch. Watching the animals is a huge plus for this restaurant and once it starts getting dark you can't see anything.

 

[hertamaniac]

Another vote for lunch. The Spice Trade Candy Bar dessert = simply incredible. I don't know if they are still serving it.

 

[Katie1174]

Another vote for lunch. The Spice Trade Candy Bar dessert = simply incredible. I don't know if they are still serving it.

Yep, they still have the candy bar dessert, we just had one last week to end our lunch. Delicious. But we didn't end up ordering a main course. We started with the bread service, which they are famous for, and the waitress recommended we eat that first before ordering anything else because she said it fills most people up to the point where they cant eat their main course. And it did fill us up but we aren't giant eaters. I did end up ordering the Butter Chicken at Tiffins another day and it was amazing.

 

[hertamaniac]

Yep, they still have the candy bar dessert, we just had one last week to end our lunch. Delicious. But we didn't end up ordering a main course. We started with the bread service, which they are famous for, and the waitress recommended we eat that first before ordering anything else because she said it fills most people up to the point where they cant eat their main course. And it did fill us up but we aren't giant eaters. I did end up ordering the Butter Chicken at Tiffins another day and it was amazing.

Good....I have never seen/ate a candy bar with more "stuff" in/on it. Agree with the bread service (I think now you get all 9 accompaniments vs. 5 before???). I got the chicken tandoori which was good, not great and took most of it to go due to the bread service (which also was part of our to go bag).

 

[Katie1174]

Correct, all nine sauces, 7 of them normal and 2 spicy, although my hubby who sometimes likes a little heat didnt find either of them too hot. I cant take any heat, my mouth burns to much and i found only the last one mildly burned. So I guess its “Disney” heat.