Banana Leaf Malaysian Cuisine

Since my initial experience at the Banana Leaf on West Broadway, I’ve been back several times with my partner and family. Over the intervening months, I’ve had the pleasure of trying different menu items while also re-visiting old favourites. In the end, I’m left to…conclude that maybe – just maybe – I was a little hard on the Banana Leaf in my initial review. But, hey, at least I’m not afraid to offer a revised opinion should one be merited! My initial comments on the atmosphere at Banana Leaf remain the same. It is a colourful contemporary space, replete with Malaysian influence. The mix of individual tables and long booths, punctuated by the “splashes” of greenery from the plants, makes for a vibrant yet cozy dining environment. Of course, there is one big difference between my experience of 2019 and that of 2020: The COVID-19 pandemic. In the current day, seating capacity has been reduced so as to comply with Provincial Health guidelines and plexiglass barriers have been erected between some tables. In addition, servers must wear face-masks at all times. Surprisingly, none of this impacts the environment or atmosphere at Banana Leaf. The servers remain engaging and friendly while the overall ambiance of place and space remains warm and inviting. I think all of this is a testament to how well the team at the West Broadway Banana Leaf operates – you do not really notice the pandemic measures in place while dining. I won’t comment on all the dishes I’ve tried since my initial visit; however, I will note that all of them, including some I knocked previously, have been exceptional in both presentation and flavours. Consider the tiger prawns sambal. Served with a fine and fair mix of chili, shallots, garlic, turmeric, lemongrass and dried shrimp paste, the dish is beautifully presented, with the jumbo prawns taking center stage. The vegetables are vibrant and bright while the prawns are succulent and juicy. The spice is enough to give a “kick” to the dish, but doesn’t overpower the natural flavours of the prawns. Similarly, the sablefish with caramelized ginger highlights what Banana Leaf does well – West Coast fusion with traditional Malaysian sauces and preparations. The sablefish, which is a naturally rich fish, works beautifully with the caramelized ginger. Finally, I also had to re-try the assam curry scallops, which I’d previously described as “the biggest disappointment” because “it was just so bland.” Well, I’ll be more than happy to eat my words because my most recent experience did not reflect that at all. The scallops were cooked to perfection – tender and juicy – and nicely infused with the curry. I appreciated the subtle hints of lemongrass and garlic, which elevated the dish to new heights. FOOD: 5/5 SERVICE: 5/5 VALUE: 4/5 RECOMMENDATION: In my previous review, I concluded by saying that “I would rate the Banana Leaf at 3.5 out of 5” because “What we had was above average, but not quite ‘very good.’” Now, I’m very happy to do an about-face. Since my initial dining experience, I’ve been here a number of times and been wowed by both food and service. In fact, the Banana Leaf on West Broadway has become my partner and I’s “go to” for date nights! Highly recommended. PS: If you found this review helpful in any way please consider hitting the “helpful” button!More

Banana Leaf have been around for quite awhile as I remember. They also have multiple locations which is convenient. I really like their Rendang beef curry, satays, and pineapple fried rice. Their ginger beef is a close second. Every banana leaf is decorated different but…has a Malaysian feel to them. It makes a Good atmosphere for friend gatherings, family or a date night. The restaurant can get loud at times though before covid. The service was good, servers were attentive and accommodating. I have yet to try out all of their locations, but I’ve been to the ones in Kits, Davie and Broadway. The food quality is quite similar, which speaks to their dedication of holding up standards across the board.

I’m travelling from my small northern community to Vancouver for a medical appointment. I had visited Banana Leaf in June on my previous medical trip and was impressed so returned this time. I ordered 3 appetizers and a glass of wine. The food was scrumptious…and the service great. I observed the best cleaning after guests left that I’ve seen anywhere. If you are nervous about dining out, this restaurant should make you feel safe.

Have been to Malaysia and very much love Asian food, this is different, more versatile and creative , Kung Pao chicken amazing

This was one of our favourite Malaysian restaurants but the last two times we’ve been there, the food was subpar. We are trying to eat plant based so we requested items without any meat products. Orders came out with meat which we didn’t eat. They…watched us and said we could have a dairy filled dessert, which we declined. We later found ourselves regretting eating anything at all. The GI effects were pretty severe. This is terribly disappointing. Fairly pricey for lunch.

We got the Nasee Lemak special and it was all flavourful. The fish and shrimp were very fresh, and the curries were decadent. Highly recommend this place.

Every dish was delicious, the wine list is surprisingly good (many excellent BC wines), the service was friendly and professional, the COVID protocols were strong. No wonder the restaurant was full on a Tuesday night. Also, wine is 50% off on Tuesday, but that’s just…a bonus.

Due to covid haven’t made Canada (vancouver) for 2 years. We like it so much we ate there our first nite and when we came back thru a week later. Exotic food, great roti and the litchi margaritas wonderful .Shrimp lovers paradise..Haven’t found aniything like…it in the StatesMore