Disney’s Animal Kingdom runs the gamut when it comes to dining choices. You have stellar high end restaurants like Tiffins. There are a number of solid quick service options like Flame Tree Barbecue. And then somewhere in the middle is Rainforest Cafe. Tucked away in the Pandora area of Animal Kingdom is what many would consider the hidden gem restaurant of the park: Satu’li Canteen.
Satu’li Canteen is a quick service restaurant that excels in customized food bowls. Protein options like beef, chicken, fish, or tofu. Base options such as noodles, rice & beans, potato hash, or even salad. You can even choose a sauce, such as a creamy herb dressing or a vinaigrette.
The food will bowl you over. (get it?)
I chose the Combination Bowl ($17.49) of steak and chicken, with noodles, and the creamy herb dressing. A slaw comes added on top. This dish bowled me over! (sorry, I’ll try to keep the puns to a minimum) The flavors were all there: the steak was great, the chicken was tasty and not dry. Excellent texture on the noodles. Creamy herb dressing added a great flavor without overpowering the dish. I was amazed at how great this bowl was. The slaw didn’t really win me over, but I’m picky about slaw.
B-b-b-Bao Bao
Maybe you’re not in the mood for a bowl. Maybe your kids don’t like noodles. Satu’li Canteen also offers Cheeseburger Bao Buns ($13.29). If you’ve never had a bao bun before, think of it as a very large dough dumpling. In this case, it’s a Steamed Cheeseburger Pod stuffed with Ground Beef, Ketchup, Mustard, Pickle, and Cheddar Cheese. Each pod is about the size of a slider, so it’s very easy to pick up and eat. It was good, but I prefer the bowl I had earlier.
Alien Dessert?
Hey, it’s only weird looking because you don’t see blue too often with food. It’s a Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse! ($5.79) The blueberry cream cheese was very light. The lemon added some tartness to balance the sweetness. And then the thing on top I’m not really sure because it was stiff and probably some kind of whipped cream. Below is a cross-section for reference.
All in all, I had a great lunch at Satu’li Canteen. This restaurant is a welcome break from standard theme park food, with it’s bowl combination possibilities. And really, after day 4 of your vacation, doesn’t a noodle bowl sound more welcoming than yet another day of burgers or pizza?
Next time you’re in Animal Kingdom and you’re looking for a tasty lunch (or dinner), head on over to Pandora and give Satu’li Canteen a try! With a variety of tasty options, I’m sure there’s a bowl combination you’ll love.
Satu’li Canteen is a quick service restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. They are open for lunch and dinner. Allergy-friendly menu options are available, as well as a kid’s menu. Satu’li Canteen offers a variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.
Note that annual pass, DVC, and Disney Visa Card dining discounts do not apply to quick service restaurants.
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