Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean Lunch Buffet on Saturday

 

Sanaa’s restaurant is a Sioux Falls treasure.  I go there during the week to pick up lunch takeout.  Mr. C  and I usually get the (GF and dairy-free) Shish Tawook with tabbouli salad, $12.95.  A few things I completely love about Sanaa’s takeout are that it’s deli-style so it’s really fast, leaving me enough time over lunch to get home, eat, AND walk the dogs; the staff is obviously very loyal and treated well; Sanaa is almost always there with a friendly smile and a thank-you; and the card reader does not prompt you for a tip; instead, there’s a tip jar, which I tend to be generous with. I also love that Sanaa does her best to package my takeout with recyclable or compostable materials.  No Styrofoam and plastic guilt!

So, what about the buffet, you ask?  On Saturdays, the restaurant is open from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.  for the buffet, $16. This is a great way to sample a variety of Sanaa dishes, salads, soups, and appetizers.  I take the opportunity to customize my Shish with less chicken and more sauce.  I like-a-the-sauce.  I also LOVE the (vegan) bulgur and tomato pilaf, which is flavorful, even on its own.  You’re in luck if Sanaa is offering her famous eggplant moussaka – crazy good.  Fresh hummus, olive tapenade, and mohammara are available, as well as zaatar and pita bread.  

If Mr. C chooses the cabbage salad, he inevitably goes back through line for a portion of tabbouli (detoxing properties of the parsley, he says). Water and coffee are complimentary.  There’s also dessert available, such as baklava or lady fingers, for an additional cost.      

Saturdays are lively with the long tables in the middle of the restaurant filled with families.  (Kid’s buffet, $10; children six and under eat for free.)  Bussers efficiently remove empty plates.  I love the brightly colored walls, Moroccan lamps, and interesting artwork displayed throughout the restaurant.  The atmosphere transports me to warmer, sunnier climes.  I always leave Sanaa’s knowing I’ve done something good for myself and my community. 

In warmer months, outdoor seating is available just outside the restaurant on the boardwalk that leads to the many interesting shops and galleries located within the 8th & Railroad Center.  Free parking is easily found in the large parking lot to the west of the building. 




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