Unsure about AKL dining...help!

[luv2travel82]

I have been on the fence about trying either Sanaa or Jiko for years. This year I had finally decided to give one of them a try but showed Mom the menus and she was less than thrilled. I think since we really don't understand much of what's listed she is worried. It will be me (I'll try anything and I'm a fan of Indian food if that helps!), my mom (she is getting more adventurous with eating but she doesn't care for Indian or Moroccan food), and my sister (she is more of a steak and potatoes girl, or seafood, and doesn't enjoy trying new food, and is allergic to cilantro and cinnamon, but does love zebras :D ). I was also looking at Tiffins in Animal Kingdom. We're on the dining plan so prices aren't an issue and we have the extra credits to do signature dining but I don't want to go somewhere they will hate. So would you all suggest one of these over the others or to try somewhere else again this trip? I keep waffling back and forth so any opinions would be appreciated! :mickey:

[TheDuckRocks]

As much as I love Sanaa I think the others in your party would be happier with Jiko. My first visit to Sanaa I went off by myself at lunch time one day because my family wanted nothing to do with it. It was so good that I pitched a fit on our next trip and made everyone go with me. Surprise - they all found something they liked and are now more open to other new "different" foods.

[ThanxForNoticin]

That's a tough one to answer without knowing the details of what your party will or won't eat. Both Sanaa and Jiko are 2 of our favorite restaurants any where (not just at Disney). We took an extremely finicky eater with us to Sanaa last year, and that person talked with the server and managed to find a simple meat and potatoes solution for them. The bread service is amazing. Jiko also offers some fancier platters, and some simpler platters - but not sure what would be simple enough for your party! I think I agree with TheDuckRocks - if you are choosing between the two, Jiko might be just a tad "safer" for less adventurous eaters. We have not experienced Tiffins, so cannot help you there! Good luck!

[FaithTrustPixieDust]

Is Sanaa the place with the naan bread sampler? I think it's worth a visit just for that dish alone!

[cer]

I have not been to either, but Jiko is supposed to have an amazing steak with macaroni and chese
and I have also heard wonderful things about that bread service at Sanaa.

I do hope that your family would be willing to try something new. I can't wait to hear about how this all ends up!

[CynBeth]

I would do Boma.

[mom2morgan]

Sanaa at lunch time didn't have much for someone who doesn't like Indian food. Maybe the dinner menu is different. Tiffins is supposed to be very, very good - but do you want to eat in the theme park? Overall, I'd recommend Jiko. There are a couple of steak or beef dishes that sound more exotic than they are.

[Cinderelley]

Of the ones you mentioned, I would recommend Sanaa. I have a very limited diet, so I am not adventurous whatsoever. I was able to find "normal" food for dinner, and it was delicious. To a previous poster who asked about the naan bread, yes that is at Sanaa. I did not have it, but my friend who did said it was delicious.
Have you considered Boma? It is a buffet and everyone I have taken there has enjoyed it. I think that would be the safest out of all the options, but you didn't list it as a possibility.

[MNNHFLTX]

I think you would be able to find something appealing to all members of your party at both Jiko and Boma (I haven't eaten at Sanaa yet). Love both places, but the food, presentation and service at Jiko was amazing. :)

[#1donaldfan]

We tried Sanna once and that was enough for a lifetime !!! We had a party of 12 and most of us got something different and we all agreed that it STUNK .... for lack of a better word. Boma remains my favorite there ....

[ThanxForNoticin]

We tried Sanna once and that was enough for a lifetime !!! We had a party of 12 and most of us got something different and we all agreed that it STUNK .... for lack of a better word. Boma remains my favorite there ....

Stunk is probably a little strong! We recently had a family reunion with 16 of us, and everyone was delighted with the food and experience. About 3/4s of the family told us it was their favorite meal of the trip.

The food and options are very different from most places. And there are definitely other Disney restaurants that have been rated highly that we won't return to either. At least there are plenty of choices! We are also huge Boma fans!

[#1donaldfan]

Stunk is probably a little strong! We recently had a family reunion with 16 of us, and everyone was delighted with the food and experience. About 3/4s of the family told us it was their favorite meal of the trip.

The food and options are very different from most places. And there are definitely other Disney restaurants that have been rated highly that we won't return to either. At least there are plenty of choices! We are also huge Boma fans!

Well, I was using the word "stunk" figuratively, yet now that you brought it up, I can actually use it both ways, figuratively and literally. To each his own, realizing that with each eatery there will be huge fans and huge foes. We found it sad, dark, overpriced, with under-trained wait staff, making it simply a miserable Disney Dining experience. Stunk was a mild attempt to explain "our" take on it.

[ThanxForNoticin]

Understood! And I get it. We've had similar experience/feeling eating at a couple Disney locations - most notably Coral Reef. We have friends who swear by it and we'll never go back for two experiences that were exactly like the one you described above. It makes no sense, with the wide range of choices, to go back to a place where you've had that kind of experience.