We Ate, We Drank, We Conquered - An Aug/Sep '16 Dining Report - Complete 3/11

Just a lurker saying hello. I am really enjoying your report. Tiffins looks amazing, as do the other "deluxe" restaurants. Wish my husband was an adventurous eater, but with food allergies he just sticks to steak, pasta, and potatoes. Hopefully my 2 year old follows more in my footsteps. We usually eat at San Angel Inn the last night of our trip. I love the ambiance. -Amanda
 
I hope it was just an off day with the avocado margaritas, I hate icy drinks! Glad the rest of the meal went well. We love trying on hats in all the countries too :goodvibes
 
I missed out on the avocado margaritas. Maybe not the worst thing in the world :P I actually drank a lot less than I wanted to... um BUDGETED to. lol. It was so hot I just mostly was not in the mood when the time came and just wanted WATER. I even pitched about 1/4 of a liter of grapefruit beer because i couldn't walk in the crowds with the open cup (okay it was my kid who kept bonking into me) and I was so full I couldn't chug it before going into FEA. Oh well next time.
 
I love the atmosphere at San Angel but over the past two years or so, haven't been as happy with the food. But you were brilliant to grab those two appys. I have heard people rave about them for years (and they've been on the menu for forever) so why, why have I never thought of this! Head bang right now. Thrilled with this part of your review because now I know exactly what I'm going to order on my next visit.

Agree the amazing avocado margarita is suffering from pre-mix syndrome. Your chances of a real freshly made one might improve at La Cava on opening. I stood in the margarita madness line the other year for opening (nothing embarrassing about that :cool2: whatsoever) and the bartender did make a from scratch avocado dream for me. And you are right on the money with quality & price. North of $14 bucks for one l'il drinkie has to be handmade goodness or just no. But its so hard to say no.
 


Gahhh, I decided to take San Angel off our list for next trip and now I want to add it back and I don't have room! Those tostadas are exactly what I would order, and the soup looks yummy too. Thanks a lot for complicating my plans ;)

$14 a pop for a margarita...oh Disney :laughing:
 
I love me a good margarita but I am not sure on the Avocado one. @ariane37 mentioned it didn't taste like avocado so I am digging that...but mentioned maybe a banana flavor. I'm not really into that. So I am unsure. I guess I will keep it in mind, if timing works out.

Love the ambiance of the restaurant. I have eaten there once but its probably been 10 years.
 


How amazing!!!!!!!! Are you doing a trip report? Would love to hear all about far away lands.

I probably will. Just trying to decide how to go about it. Will definitely let you know once I get started

Yes, I think you, Casey, and @Elevationist should seriously get your princess on together!

Sounds good to me! Although with me living so far away that might not work out. It would be so much fun though! :woohoo:princess:

I second this motion!

You know, when I was in Morocco and I was browsing FB I showed my mom my Disfriends' profile pics and when she saw yours she noticed the tiara and exclaimed, "Omg, she's just like you! Wow, you really did find your people". :laughing: I don't think she quite understood that until then even though I've mentioned the boards and my friends here a lot. :D :hug:
 
Tiffins looks amazing, well I'm not sure about the whole fish but the presentation was pretty cool!

We were really lucky with our night time safari, we went right at dusk and the giraffes were running around chasing each other it was fabulous!

I'm sorry you're getting bad tables, I hope that improves!
 
I think I told you we felt the same about FEA. Cute, moreso if you're a big Frozen fan, but we really think it leaves a lot to be desired. Too much empty space!
That stinks about your avocado marg :rolleyes: I had my first one that same week so I guess I can't really say if I think that one was fresh or frozen since I had nothing to compare it to, but last month mine from La Cava was definitely fresh. As @samsteele mentioned, I was there shortly after opening and watched the bartender make it from scratch and it was dee-lish. I guess I'll have to have a couple more on my next trip to determine whether I think they're fresh or pre-mixed :drinking1
 
I'm really going to have to get that elusive avacado margarita. it's been on my list of wants for a while now but for some reason I just can't ever manage to get one. Sounds like I just need to stop into La Cava and get one next time. I'm dying for some guacamole right about now......so thanks for that :tilt:
 
I remember those tostadas they were yummy. The soup looks really good as well, I hope your service was better than your other trips. We felt the same way about FEA, short and a little underwhelming. We loved Maelstrom, Andi actually went on FEA under protest lol! Hope you have a very Happy Holiday!
Service was fine if I remember right, but per usual there pretty aloof. I think Casey would rather have Maelstrom back too!!! We were even going to skip it on our next trip, but my brother is coming with us and he hasn't ridden it yet. Told him he ain't missing nothin' but as usual he won't listen to his big sister.

Just a lurker saying hello. I am really enjoying your report. Tiffins looks amazing, as do the other "deluxe" restaurants. Wish my husband was an adventurous eater, but with food allergies he just sticks to steak, pasta, and potatoes. Hopefully my 2 year old follows more in my footsteps. We usually eat at San Angel Inn the last night of our trip. I love the ambiance. -Amanda
Hello Lurker :-) Thanks for following along. Tiffins was definitely amazing, though I'm sure it would be a challenge with food allergies. Finger crossed for your kiddo. With Casey we basically just never really gave her kid food and she'd eat whatever we did. At this point in her life I'm pretty sure she's eaten sushi more than chicken nuggets :-)

I hope it was just an off day with the avocado margaritas, I hate icy drinks! Glad the rest of the meal went well. We love trying on hats in all the countries too :goodvibes
Yeah, I hope it was just off too. I guess I'll just have to have another one to make sure :drinking1

I missed out on the avocado margaritas. Maybe not the worst thing in the world :P I actually drank a lot less than I wanted to... um BUDGETED to. lol. It was so hot I just mostly was not in the mood when the time came and just wanted WATER. I even pitched about 1/4 of a liter of grapefruit beer because i couldn't walk in the crowds with the open cup (okay it was my kid who kept bonking into me) and I was so full I couldn't chug it before going into FEA. Oh well next time.
Sadly I can never say that I drank a lot less than and I wanted to. And budget, what is this word? I am not familiar :P

Yeah, when we were there in the summer we don't do much drinking during the day outside of maybe a lunch. But for our February trip things could get dangerous.

love the atmosphere at San Angel but over the past two years or so, haven't been as happy with the food. But you were brilliant to grab those two appys. I have heard people rave about them for years (and they've been on the menu for forever) so why, why have I never thought of this! Head bang right now. Thrilled with this part of your review because now I know exactly what I'm going to order on my next visit.
yeah, I'm in love with the atmosphere too. When I was a kid I thought it was the fanciest restaurant in the world. Of course I had the parents who would cart sandwiches too the park and splurge for a quick service every once in a while so no San Angel for me. Wish the food lived up to the beautiful environment they were in.

Agree the amazing avocado margarita is suffering from pre-mix syndrome. Your chances of a real freshly made one might improve at La Cava on opening. I stood in the margarita madness line the other year for opening (nothing embarrassing about that :cool2: whatsoever) and the bartender did make a from scratch avocado dream for me. And you are right on the money with quality & price. North of $14 bucks for one l'il drinkie has to be handmade goodness or just no. But its so hard to say no.
Thanks for the tip. Will have to check out opening and see if I can get a freshly make one. Otherwise, may have to pass on them or just make them at home. We tried a while back and got pretty close. Of course without having the outside indoors it wasn't quite the same.

Gahhh, I decided to take San Angel off our list for next trip and now I want to add it back and I don't have room! Those tostadas are exactly what I would order, and the soup looks yummy too. Thanks a lot for complicating my plans ;)

$14 a pop for a margarita...oh Disney :laughing:
You really aren't missing that much with San Angel. Its a good last minute place for us, but there is much better to be had in the world. Just stop by La Cava for a $14 margarita and you'll be all set :drinking1

I love me a good margarita but I am not sure on the Avocado one. @ariane37 mentioned it didn't taste like avocado so I am digging that...but mentioned maybe a banana flavor. I'm not really into that. So I am unsure. I guess I will keep it in mind, if timing works out.

Love the ambiance of the restaurant. I have eaten there once but its probably been 10 years.
Yeah, the avocado margarita tastes nothing like avocado. It does have a banana like flavor and the avocado just adds some creaminess, but if you aren't into avocado or banana definitely steer clear.

Sounds good to me! Although with me living so far away that might not work out. It would be so much fun though! :woohoo:princess:
We'll have to pick a date and time and you can all princess it up together around the world :-)

Tiffins looks amazing, well I'm not sure about the whole fish but the presentation was pretty cool!

We were really lucky with our night time safari, we went right at dusk and the giraffes were running around chasing each other it was fabulous!

I'm sorry you're getting bad tables, I hope that improves!
Wow, your safari does sound amazing. We did a dusk one a few years back and had a great moment where a rhino came right up to the vehicle. After your giraffe experience maybe I should try it again.

I think I told you we felt the same about FEA. Cute, moreso if you're a big Frozen fan, but we really think it leaves a lot to be desired. Too much empty space!
That stinks about your avocado marg :rolleyes: I had my first one that same week so I guess I can't really say if I think that one was fresh or frozen since I had nothing to compare it to, but last month mine from La Cava was definitely fresh. As @samsteele mentioned, I was there shortly after opening and watched the bartender make it from scratch and it was dee-lish. I guess I'll have to have a couple more on my next trip to determine whether I think they're fresh or pre-mixed :drinking1
Even Casey the big frozen fan could have cared less. Unfortunately my brother wants to see it in Feb, so off to Arendale we'll go again.

Ok, have your and Sam both I definitely need to go to La Cava at opening. I must have a real one now!!!!

I'm really going to have to get that elusive avacado margarita. it's been on my list of wants for a while now but for some reason I just can't ever manage to get one. Sounds like I just need to stop into La Cava and get one next time. I'm dying for some guacamole right about now......so thanks for that :tilt:
Yeah La Cava at open is apparently she you need to try some. Though thank you, because now I want guacamole too. So much for the thai food that just got delivered :-)
 
Dining on the Savanna

After we got our soaked selves back to the Poly it was time for a very important moment....contemplating where we could eat!!! To the disney app we go....After our delicious meal at Tiffins, we were in the mood for some more African food and animals and were happy to score a last minute ressie at Sanaa.

We got a bus to AK and then hopped one to AKL, but on the way I realized our reservation was only for the disney default of 2 and not 3. Oh well, guess we'd just leave Casey out on the Savanna with these guys.


Seriously though I didn't know how they would handle this so I just elected to go with the play dumb route (a speciality of mine) and see where it went. When I checked in the hostess said you're a party of 2 and I said no 3 and she said oh ok. And that was it. We were taken to a table for all of us. #LuckyBreak

After our harrowing check in ordeal, some booze was in order. I elected to go for a South African Rose

And Jason went for his tried and true Sanaa favorite, the Tusker Beer.


Because I don't think they would let you out of the restaurant without ordering it, we started with the amazing Sanaa Indian Style Bread Service.

Here it is in all its glory.....

....And here it is with the official Disney food model


For those who haven't had this disney beauty, is 5 types of bread (Traditional Naan, Garlic-Ginger Naan, Spiced Naan, Onion Kucha, or Paneer Paratha) with 9 different accompaniments (Tzatziki, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Mango Chutney, Tomato-Date Jam, Tamarind Chutney, Coriander Chuntey, Garlic Pickle, Red Chile Sambal, or Spicy Jalapeño-Lime Pickle). This is unquestionably one of the best apps in the world and thankfully on what had to have been our 4th or 5th experience with it, it did not disappoint. The bread was all perfectly cooked and a great vessel for all the sauces. It's hard to pick favorites but the coriander chutney (which is like a bbq sauce) and the spicy red chile sambal were the standouts for me. Can't wait to devour another one of these on our next trip!!!!

For our entree's Casey and I shared the Goan Seafood Curry and Chickpea Wat.

While next time I'll remember these aren't exactly sharing size, they were quite good. The chickpeas were the standout. They were perfectly cooked and loaded with tomatoes and tons of ginger and cardamum flavor with just a hint of spice. These are my Sanaa go to and for a carnivore that is saying a lot. Our seafood curry was also very good and a lot creamier than I had envisioned. I was a bit disappointed that "seafood" really just meant fish and 2 shrimp but the curry flavor was on point.

Jason went with a new to him dish, the Traditional Sosatie which is Braai Lamb with Apricots, Butternut Squash, Bacon, Cashews, and Goat Cheese.

I have no idea what Braii is, but I'm gonna hedge my bet on little because while this was quite good,it was a bit deceptive as it only had 4 small pieces of lamb. Aside from the small quantity the side items were amazing with the combo of apricots, spinach, squash, and got cheese blending perfectly. I may have had a little bit of ordering envy just for the sides alone.

All in all this was another great trip to Sanna. It remains, in my opinion, the best non-signature on property. Consistency amazing food, not dumbed down to the touristy masses, is exactly what disney needs more of. With our tables in wonderland card we saved $19.60 bringing our total savings to $55 so far.

Small side note, I forgot to mention our dining companion for the evening: Orange Bird.

"Somehow" earlier in the week he had magically flown into our bedroom and landed on Casey's bed and now she was insisting on bringing him everywhere. I love how in all of the disney hoopla and characters, its a little magical orange bird that can capture a girls heart.

Up next, dining on the backside of water
 
So cute with Mr. Orange Bird! Even at 11 Chris still likes his stuffed animals and while he doesn't carry them around or sleep with them (except on occasion) he won't let me get rid of the 100 or so in his room lol. And I've been enjoying having my 6yo nephew who is visiting for the holidays walking around the house with Chris's animals, sitting them at the table and calling them his "babies" :cloud9:
We LOVE Sanaa. Both the boys always find things there they like, even Ricky beginning a few years ago when he was still fairly picky. The last time we ate there was Jan. and I feel the need to go back-the bread service is calling me! I agree with you; best non-signature on property. Only thing that would make it better was if they brought back JB-Alive With Magic and did a Sanaa dining package with the show :rotfl2::rotfl:
 
I Love Sanaa! :) I went for the first time this past Sept. for lunch & of course had the bread service but was starting to get so full my friend & I opted to split the split pea soup (haha) that was one of the seasonal soups on the menu that day. It was so amazing, I wish I'd had room for a whole bowl to myself! To drink, we both had a mojito which was amazing & I wouldn't hesistate to order it again. I'm thinking about stopping in for my next trip but since it will be a solo trip, not so sure it'll be worth it just for me w/all that bread (how can I Not order the bread service??). I might just stick w/plan A & go to Tiffins for lunch instead. I haven't been there yet so I'm excited to try it!

Casey is so cute with her orange bird & food modeling skills!
 
So nice to see a Sanaa review before our trip in February. I can't wait to try the bread service, it looks so good. It will be our first time there. I love the orange bird so cute!
 
Finally all caught up! Love the Avocado Margarita! I really need to find a way to add Sanaa to our trip in May. It always looks so yummy!
 
I loved reading your Sanaa review because I'm a little afraid of it with the different mix of favors and I totally admire those of you that love weird food! :laughing:

I'm not a big fan of savory mixed with fruits like apricots, but the bread service looks intriguing!
 
Mmmmm...Sanaa bread service is heavenly. Sean and I are planning to take one of those bad boys down just the two of us in September. Can't wait! I also think I'll try the chickpeas next time. Sanaa is always a favorite for us too, glad it didn't disappoint! :-)
 
I think I've mentioned I'm not that adventurous and I'm the most adventurous of my family, but we are booked for Sanaa (actually overbooked but that's a story for another trip report...lol)! I plan to get the bread service bc of the rave reviews and try all the sauces even though I have no idea what they are! It might just be that, a side, and a dessert for me. Oh, with a glass of wine or an adult beverage! I'm sure my DH will go with the steak bc that's the only way I can get him there...with promise of steak! I'm really excited to try something new!

Cute Casey with Orange Bird!
 

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