You know what they say, no one eats more Asian food than a hungry Asian. And if you’re that hungry, try this place!

I eat delicious Pinoy dishes every day of my life, but that doesn’t mean my love for food can’t extend to the cuisine of our Asian neighbors. For instance, one of my personal favorites is Vietnamese food, just because it’s so so yummy, with the way its seasonings, spices and herbs are mixed together in a recipe.

Now, imagine being in a mall, trying to figure out what to eat. Your dad likes Indonesian food, your mom likes Thai, and you like Vietnamese. Where do you go to eat?

Thank the heavens for Banana Leaf cause it basically houses the whole Southeast Asian cuisine under one roof. They have Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, and Indonesian! Perfect for when you need to eat Asian Comfort Food after a long day at work. Or maybe just about any day. They’re a multi-awarded international restaurant (just look at their website for the seals), and if you try and dine at their resto, you’ll know why. Apparently, they’ve been around since 2001 (that’s 17 years and counting). I actually thought they opened way back.

ALSO READ: Yeongyang Hansik: The Place You Should Visit First When at the Eat Street, Kapitolyo

When my ate celebrated her birthday, we decided to eat our dinner in Banana Leaf Estancia because we absolutely adore the place. Been there several times before, and we love the food more and more each time we come back! I wasn’t able to take a lot of photos because we were either busy chatting or I just got hungry and didn’t bother. Lol.

Photo time while waiting for the food we ordered!

Some of our orders:

Other Recommendations

Some of the meals I tried before and really left a mark are the following:

• Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls. I love Vietnamese food, and this one is my favorite ,so of course, totally recommend! Fresh spring rolls make for a good appetizer… normally before you eat Pho, or just about anything. It’s light and satisfying and even filled with yummy protein and veggies! (Talk about healthy)
• Deep Fried King Fish with Mango Thai Style. Probably one of the best fish cuisines we’ve had here.
• Penang Fried Rice with Salted Fish and Chicken. Big rice order for sharing. If not this, a good alternative would be the Vietnamese Fried Rice.
• Pomelo Salad. Always go for salad to balance your meals. Doesn’t matter if you’re Vegan or not cos this is the bomb! Also helps when you feel “umay” with other food. If you need a quick meal, you can just order this and be on your way.
• Charcoal Grilled Sliced Pork Steak Thai Style. To be honest, I don’t remember what this tastes like, but I remember eating and liking this.

Observations

STORE: I haven’t been to other Banana Leaf branches except for Estancia, and Shangri-La Plaza, but I prefer the former. The ambiance of the place is so chill, and the interior is pretty nice. Like modern native.

Wait, let me find an old photo where you can at least see the wall design! HERE:

PEOPLE: Is it just me or their personnel’s uniforms seem like the uniform of Singapore Airlines FAs? I mean, really. Also, I’ve never had a bad experience with a server from Banana Leaf so it’s all good. Take note, “I’ve,” meaning I. I don’t speak for others.

FOOD: You absolutely get your money’s worth eating here. The serving is pretty big, their food is not “nakakaumay,”  it’s not expensive because the food is for sharing so you can mix up the food choices together with your buddies, pluuuuus lots of choices to choose from! From the Southeast Asian cuisine, that is.

Would totally go back here if I’m in the area! ❤ Hope you can find a branch near you as well. Click here!

Enjoy!