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Real People. Real Reviews.®
Categories: Indonesian, Malaysian, Singaporean [Edit]
820 W Broadway
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After two failed attempts at finding yelp recommended restaurant in Vancouver (both restaurants were closed), we finally found a place that fulfilled our needs for Malaysian food. It was a Tuesday and it was pretty busy. We only waited for about 10 minutes, which wasn't bad.
For appetizer, we ordered roti canai. The flaky bread was one of the best I've had. It was crunchy on the outside but was soft. The curry dip was delicious also. The papaya and pineapple green salad was also good. The salad had a good amount of pineapple and papaya pieces with mixed green salad and tomato in a house vinaigrette dressing.
For our dinner, we ordered rendang beef, black cod with caramelized ginger sauce, and sambal kang kung. Of course, we had to pair everything up with white rice. The rendang beef was to die for and a must order. The beef was tender and the curry sauce was perfection. The black cod with the caramelized sauce was sweet with the right amount of ginger infused into it. I just had to be careful when getting pieces of the fish because it had some fish bone. The sambal kang kung was okay but I think it had too much shrimp paste for my taste. We didn't get to order dessert since we were full. We left with some leftovers, which still tasted good the following day. We will definitely go back here when we come back to Vancouver.
Banana Leaf has become the standard by which I compare all other Malaysian/Indonesian restaurants - which is a bad thing because I've yet to find another that measures up! This wouldn't be a problem if I was still living in Vancouver; luckily, I visit often. (I always say the reasons I go back to Vancouver are [in this order]: 1. Mom, 2. FOOD, 3. Friends)
Over the six years I've been coming here, there have been a few additions to their menu and the prices have gone up a bit (damn you inflation!), but little else has changed - in a good way. Besides the food, two standouts are the Malaysian décor (e.g. traditional Malaysian kites, called mau, hang on the walls) and the very attractive female staff. As for the food, I've tried many of the items on their menu. But since I don't have the luxury of coming here whenever I want anymore, I've pared down the menu to a select few favourites that I always order.
I start off every meal with a half-order of ROTI CANAI (flaky layered bread, http://www.yelp.ca/biz...). It's incredible - crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and full of buttery-goodness (but surprisingly not that greasy). The curry dip is amazing with it but the roti itself is so good it doesn't really need it.
The pièce de résistance has got to be the SINGAPORE LAKSA (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...). O-M-F-G! My mouth has a mini-orgasm every time I have this. The coconut soup is so rich and incredibly flavourful with the dried shrimps and lemongrass. The rice vermicelli, which has a large surface area : volume ratio, is perfect for soaking up lots of soup! Same goes for the sponge-like tofu puffs :) The bountiful toppings of bean sprouts, egg, chicken, fish cake, squid and shrimp are all fresh and never overcooked!
Another favourite is the Alaskan BLACK COD WITH CARAMELIZED GINGER SAUCE. The sauce is sweet, savoury, garlicky, and goes perfectly with rice. Despite how flavourful it is, the sauce doesn't overpower the fish - which is fatty and super-flavourful itself.
For dessert you can't go wrong with the always-popular fried banana with ice cream. For something a little different, I always get the PULUT HITAM (black sticky rice pudding, http://www.yelp.ca/biz..., served with coconut milk, with or without durian). The sticky rice is served hot, has a great chewy texture, is not too sweet, and has a wonderful nutty/chocolate-y flavour.
Recently, I had the fried oysters and braised lamb shank. The oysters (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) were crisp, plump, and well seasoned with loads of cracked peppercorn. Though the lamb shank (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) wasn't as tender as I would like, it was flavourful and I liked all the cumin in the broth.
I've never really had a dish I didn't like. Other notable items are the kari lamb, Malaysian curry chicken, anything with sambal sauce, and mee goreng (Malaysian fried egg noodle).
Eat your Crab out!
This remains my favourite local Malaysian restaurant and it's where we usually go to catch up with friends and enjoy a lovely dinner, knowing that you will NEVER be disappointed.
Although Roti isn't authentic as my Indian friends say, they still approve because of the sauce and the enormous portions. They decide depending on how many of you are at the table. I have eaten at this place over 15 years so I've tried everything on the menu, but I highly recommend the crab cooked in garlic & chilis, curry mussels, fried rice. I wouldn't recommend the seafood mix, because it is mostly fish that they put in. I think it should be more prawns and squid, but they don't put that much in.
Also the waitresses are super helpful when it comes to recommendations and everyone is knowledgeable as it is family owned.
Banana dessert is ok. It isn't authentic fried bananas, this has to be made with S.Asian bananas, not the reg ones we eat, which is what they used. The best one is Salathai in town, they know how to do it exactly like Thailand.
Great for business meetings,family dinner celebrations, birthdays, or even dates, if you have an adventurous foodie!
Hands down the best Malaysian in town! My favorite dishes are the sayur lemak (yellow curry) and kari lamb, but far and above everything else I'm heavily addicted to their roti canai! There's just something about that curry sauce.... mmmmmm
Having spent time in Malaysia, I expected Banana Leaf's fare to be less than perfect. I was wrong. I stopped in for lunch and for less than $20 had a meal that transported me back to one of my favorite destinations. I tried the Roti and the Kari Lamb and Sayur Lemak with rice. The lamb wasn't as spicy as I remember it, but the flavor was all there and it was so tender it literally fell apart on the fork. The portions were extremely large for the price, I even left more than half of the rice behind. My only complaints are the Iced Milk Tea was sweetened with syrup that was still glopped on the spoon and left the drink with a slightly gritty taste and the Roti was a little oily (still perfectly delicious though). Overall, my next day trip to Vancouver will definately include Banana Leaf..
To quote my nine year old "eew, eew, eew". The food is terrible at this location. Our family absolutely loves the Kits location and this one was a huge disappointment. We came in here as it was close to Whole Foods and we thought we would stop in have dinner and then head over there...oh goodness it was awful! We actually ended up leaving and going the Kits location as the food was really that bad. I would not recommend eating here.
Some of the best South-East Asian food I've ever had. Living in Hawaii, I've had quite a bit, but this place blew them all away. The only thing I wasn't really impressed with was the calamari appetizer. It was good, but nothing amazing. We also had a Tamarind curry dish with tofu and veggies which was delicious. The star of the meal was the Seafood Noodle Curry with Tamarind and Turmeric. There were scallops, fish, shrimp, squid and mussels in the most delectable curry sauce. The service was ok, they were a little busy and they forgot our rice, but all in all, they were friendly and attentive. I would go again, given the chance.
Banana Leaf is my go-to place for Malaysian food. I love their Hainanese chicken, the char kuey teow, the laksa, and oh yes, the roti canai....like, if it wouldn't be super overkill I would eat everything with their roti canai and the sauce. The only thing I'm not really a fan of is the dessert with all the different jelly things swimming around in it (forgot what it's called)
Another thing I like about their menu is that they have lunch specials that come out really fast if you're in a hurry Mon-Fri. They're geared towards the doctor/nurse/admin crowd that fills up the place between 12 and 1 pm, but also perfect for regular student-people like me who are just really hungry!
Service is sometimes kind of spotty...if you get seated in the back it's hard to wave down someone, but usually someone eventually will come by for taking your order, getting your bill, etc.
This place is amazing if you love Malaysian food (or Asian food in general).
This place would've gotten the 5 star rating but their Gado Gado was not the best i've had, but it was pretty damn good.
This place isn't the most veggie friendly but they do have a section with strictly veggies, so that was nice.
If you do eat seafood this is the place to splurge. They have the freshest fish and unique creations packed full of flavour and spice.
Great place to go on a date or to catch up with old friends.
Can't forget the amazing service either, its almost like they can read your mind and stomach they are so attentive.
Ohhh, just thinking about this place is making my mouth water.
I came here with a big, massive party of 20+ ( people just kept showing up!) and the restaurant was full house! So, you can imagine how frustrated the staff must have been, but they did the best they could and it was appreciated.
The food was amazing and they had it coming out fast! I shared the 7 course dinner for 2 for $25 and what an amazing deal! It comes with roti canai, spring rolls, satay, beef curry, seafood curry dish, green beans and eggplant dish, an awesome salad, and dessert! It was all really tasty. I should come back more often.
Listed in: Places in GVRD that Guri needs…
Nothing inspires you to try a new restaurant more than staring at its big yellow sign from across the street while waiting for the 99-Bline in the cold Vancouver rain.
I have to admit that I'm not the foremost on Malaysian cuisine, but I AM quite the Asian Persuasion connoisseur.
Being a student, I definitely feel the dent in my wallet when I order a dish and it's boomerang'd back to me with very little substance, but I was happy to see that this wasn't the case at this establishment; Banana Leaf delivers from their freshly squeezed juices and savory appetizers, to their fully-stocked main dishes.
The service wasn't the most attentive, but they were very kind when they were.
The place was smashingly colourful, ethnically decorated and exuded a great vibe.
Recommend Bevvie: Guava Juice.
Recommended Appie to share: Steamed Clams in Soy Bean Sauce with Chili & Ginger- careful, it's hot... this is where that Guava Juice comes in.
Recommended Main deal: Tiger Prawns in Gulai Sauce.
Score: This place... is... BANANAS... B-A-N-A-N-A-S! Mmm, bananas.
I used to be a huge fan of Banana Leaf. Now we go to Tropika on Cambie when we want Malaysian. Our major pet peeve is that the food NEVER comes out at the same time. So no matter if there's 2 or 3 or 4 of us, 1 or 2 of us is sitting there for long periods with nothing in front of them. This is EVERY time we go too! Last time we went for lunch my friend said, "Can we please get our orders at the same time?" The waiter said, "We'll try". But no. I got mine way before he did and it became uncomfortable again!
Also, I usually always order Mee Goereng & it wasn't good this last time! This used to be one of my fave lunch stops but no more! The last service/food pushed us over the limit and it will be a loooooooong time before we return!
Listed in: West Broadway (Fairview/Mt.…
FLAVOR FLAVOR FLAVOR.....MMMMMmmmm...I would definitely come back for this restaurant. I live in the States and I can't wait to go back!
The crabs were a very good size.(We ordered 2 crabs.) The king prawns were huge, the mussels were yummy, the coconut rice...I haven't have that taste in a loooooong time. The string beans with shrimp was good. Also the appetizer that was flaky dip in curry was also good!
Service was excellent!!! Also the dessert ..fried banana...not a big fan of the dessert but it was good.
Always make reservation before you go....the wait can be long!
I had never sampled Malaysian food until this weekend. I think I might be in love. And how couldn't I be? The flavors were like some kind of Indian and Thai cuisine lovechild! We had the "Perfect Lunch for Two", which offered Fish in Caramelized Sweet Ginger Garlic Sauce, a vegetable dish with a light curry sauce and Kari Lamb. We also ordered the spring rolls and the Roti Cani - way too much food for two, but it sure was tasty and fun to try all the different dishes. My favorite was the Kari Lamb - super tender cuts of lamb in a red curry sauce. My husband loved the Roti Cani and devoured most of the generous serving before I knew what happened.
We were seated near the kitchen door and got a glimpse of many dishes passing by. The soups look phenomenal and all of the plates were presented beautifully!
The pre-set menus seem to be a great way to sample several dishes - I will definitely be back to try they seven course menu for only $25. And you save on drinks when you add them to a pre-set menu.
The atmosphere and service were delightful. We will definitely be back soon for another go at the menu!
What happened Banana Leaf? I'm not sure if the kitchen was having an off day or if they changed owners, but the food was uninspired, lukewarm and plain.
We ordered the roti which came out slightly burnt. $6 for 2 pieces? Quite expensive for roti. Also, we ordered the mussels in cumin sauce which had an incredibly fishy smell with it. Had about three of the mussels and had to return it back to the kitchen. The waiter was very kind about it and removed it off our tab, but fishy mussels? Not the greatest experience by far.
This used to be my favourite consistent restaurant in Vancouver. Time to move on, bleh.
Brett's To-The-Point™ Review:
Everything deserves four stars. Could get that fifth star if it was cheaper or the food was just a tad better.
You will usually have to wait for a table as it's always busy during dinner service. I've been here several times, though the last time I noticed they increased their prices and the food wasn't as great as before. However, most of their dishes are quite flavourful, especially their coconut curry dishes. Their banana dessert is really good. I took one star off as the value for the price has decreased.
If i were to review this restaurant solely on taste, then it is very deserving of the full 5 stars!
have been a fan of this busy malaysian chain for many years, most recently was at this location for my roomies bday dinner.
as usual, the lobby was packed with people waiting to be seated. the servers were running to and fro getting out orders and serving hot delicious plates to their tables.
we had made reservations and ended up waiting for about 15-20 mins, which is quite reasonable considering the high traffic at that time.
i had come from a late lunch prior so i regretfully had no room for a meal.
i did however ordered myself the double lychee mango mojito which was strong and tasty! and i can never go here without having their signature deep fried banana dessert... oh, how everything just tastes better when its deep fried!!
everyone had an order of the roti to start...which i had to sample of course. one of the dishes i always have to order as well when i come here. the bread is soft and chewy and dipped in their mildly spicey peanut sauce just completes it. in fact, the roti is delicious on its own.
my room mate had the pineapple fried rice, which is served right out of the pineapple shell! a delight to the eyes and even more pleasant to the tummy! another dish i have had many times before and always praised. the pineapples make the normally salty dish have little bites of sweet surprises...much fun! and if you dont like the hot spice of malaysian dishes, this one wont leave your tongue burning.
my other room mate ordered the mango chili prawns.... i have never sampled this before so i had to steal a few off his plate. i love eating fruit in my mains!! although the dish itself wasnt piping spicey hot, the mango had the perfect balance with calming the chili prawns. i just love those jumbo prawns...slurp slurp!
if i had to rate solely on service, i would probably give 3-4 stars. not rude, but not exactly stellar. it's too bad, because the very first time i ever tried banana leaf, the server for our table was so friendly and happy, i fell in love with his jolly nature.
Listed in: FOOOOOOOooD
I love Vancouver because it has not one, two, but a plethora of Malaysian restaurants. Banana Leaf is probably one of the better ones. They have three locations in Vancouver.. one in the West End, one on W. Broadway, closer to the east side, and one in Kits, also on Broadway.
Try the calamari appetizer and the oh so good char kuay teow. (Their roti canai is probably the best in Vancouver) Not anymore. Sorry, Banana Leaf, Jonker Street beat you with the Roti. If you're adventurous and a Malaysian food virgin, they have a great tasting menu for $25 per person.
They have pretty yummy cocktails too!
Listed in: Have you eaten yet, lah?
Ate at the Banana Leaf last night, a Friday. Our table of three had to wait about 45 minutes for a table, which was expected because I know it's a popular place.
It was very busy in the restaurant for the duration of our meal, and I thought the service was great. Our server and the people who brought us some of our dishes were extremely pleasant, attentive and friendly.
The food was great, very tasty, abundant, and served hot.
The atmosphere was good.
If you have to wait when you go to the Banana Leaf, it will be well-deserved once you get to your table. It's a great restaurant!
If you are looking for spicy, tasty, cheap food- Banana Leaf is your place! Make sure to start with a order of Roti and then try and narrow down your main course choices. The spicy shrimp green beans are awesome and there are lots of traditional meat dishes to choose from. Make sure to get a few orders of coconut rice and finish your meal with deep fried banana and ice cream. If you plan to go for dinner on Friday or Saturday night make sure to call ahead and make a reservation or you will be waiting for a bit in the cramped waiting area.
Make sure to try their guava juice- yummy!
This place is a super-friendly way to introduce non-ethnic-food-eating people to some delicious Malaysian food. I have taken my meat-and-potatoes father and a group of visitors from Ohio (if you haven't heard, it's not a State known for its International food) and they've all raved about it.
The food is all served family style, so you can order a few dishes and share them with your group. It's a great way to experiment with a lot of new flavours and ingredients. The food comes out as soon as it's ready, so if you don't share one person might finish their meal before all the plates have arrived. So share!
The service has always been as warm as the colours on the walls. There's a nice selection of wine and beer to choose from. I've tried a lot of their menu items, and enjoyed all of them. My favourite is always the Abundance Seafood in Gulai Sauce. That Gulai Sauce is so good you just want to lick the plate. Another favourite was a seasonal plate with mango, prawns and chilli. It's not on the regular menu, but it was such a treat that I now pay close attention when the server goes over the specials!
One of the bonuses is that the food is rarely spicy. I find that even the food that they might label as spicy is not. I really like spicy food, but it's easy to add heat to a dish. These dishes have intense flavours without the heat, so you don't have to worry about having something to give spice wimps at your table.
Listed in: Value Restaurants I Love
Almost ideal lunchtime restaurant. Good food, good service. The restaurant decoration is basic though and there was a peculiar (hairy) odour at the back, near the kitchens. But this is authentic appeal. The service was zippy-fast and we were in and out in 40 mins. Pretty well tailored to a lunchtime visit. I'd recommend getting there before 12:30 - that's when the queues start to form.
been here many times, and every times the food and the service is always excellent!!! food are always fresh and delicious, wait staff are very accommodating and very helpful...
the food we have tonight are:
mussel in cumin and ginger sauce
roti Canai
nasi lemak
mee goereng
haianese chicken
fried calamari
satay - beef , pork, chicken, and lamb
malaysian pasta with abundance of seafood
malaysian fried rice
and fried banana for dessert!!!!
All are yummy!
I was really looking forward to having my first meal at Banana Leaf and am a huge fan of Malaysian Food. I had read rave reviews about this place. Unfortunately, I was in for a disappointment. The dishes all tasted like bad Chinese food. Their roti canai was way too sweet for my liking and the Hainan Chicken was all bones. Most of the portions were small and I found the prices pretty high for what we were getting. Our waitress was too overwhelmed to help us but we understood given the fact that she was juggling so many tables. The biggest downer was the front hostess who was snooty and unnecessarily rude to us. Unfortunately, I think we'll have to go back to Tropika.
There are some really good things about Banana Leaf and some really bad things. The key to a good meal is to avoid the fish. I NEVER send food back, but we actually sent the fish back because it tasted awful. We said that it didn't taste fresh and our waitress told us that's because it's not fresh, it's frozen. Frozen fish in Vancouver. I think not. At least they took it back without any hassle. Don't waste your meal on the frozen fish. Instead order the Char kway teow. You have to get the roti too. It's delicious. The calamari is also really yummy.
on a trip to vancouver a few years ago we checked out this place since we like Malaysian food. I don't remember much but it was pretty good but I think we weren't that impressed. They served cendol as a drink which is different from what I've had in US restaurants, but fine because sometimes in Malaysia it's served in a bag, sometimes a bowl. I think they had cendol but it's not on their online menu now so I'm not totally sure. I think I got sayur lodeh (sayur lemak?) and it was decent. I don't remember if we had roti or not. looking at the menu now it doesn't have many vegetarian options at all so we may have had a hard time finding something veg. I don't remember now!
They overcharged me on my drink special. Instead of charging me $3.99 they charged me $7.50. When I complained, they took a dollar off. When I asked how much my drink was, they said it was $6.50 because it was a double! When I told her I didn't order a double she informed me that all drinks were doubles unless we tell them we don't a double. WTF? Well, they should say that in the menu and tell us when customers are asking about the drink specials. Lesson learned. The food is fine but check your drink charges. :(
I was not impressed with Banana Leaf. After hearing very good things about it and having high expectations going in - I was thoroughly disappointed. There is absolutely no selection of veggie dishes!! I had one thing to choose from!! And it was super greasy and really not appetizing; needless to say I left the restaurant hungry.
I wasn't big on Malaysian food until a friend of mine told me to try the Banana Leaf. I like Indian food, and even though these two are completely different cultures, their food is quite similar. The restaurant is like something out of Malaysia itself. Such a colorful room with Malaysian artifacts on the wall and traditional music played softly in the background. The servers are so nice it almost makes you feel ashamed of your own bad manners. We ordered the seven course dinner. At $25 per person, it gives you a taste of all the best food they have to offer. The roti canai and the spring rolls are to die for! There are so many flavors. It's like every plate served in front of you brings you to another level of culinary delight. Your palate will multi-orgasm with every change of dish they serve you. Their fried banana dessert is a good way to end the meal. It's a unique choice for dinner or lunch out, but if you're in the mood to try something new, try the Leaf.
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