Written by: Aimen Khan
Posted on: July 09, 2019 | 
| 中文
Bowls at Banana Leaf (credit to the author)
The first thing which catches one’s eye upon entering Banana Leaf is the unique color this Pan Asian restaurant has chosen as its signature: flamingo pink. It’s everywhere. Splashed across its exterior and all over its interior, this soft hue of pink sets it apart from the other eateries in the city. Located inside Islamabad’s Beverly Center, this restaurant joins the pantheon of great restaurants already home to the building.
Banana Leaf is the perfect place for a quick hangout with friends or a nice meal with colleagues. And that’s just the type of crowd you’ll find inside: groups of college mates discussing classes, two or three startup entrepreneurs huddled around hot bowls of food, and the occasional pair of interns out for a lunch break. Despite the fact that this restaurant opened a month ago, the bottom floor is nearly always filled. But there’s plenty of seating elsewhere, with tables and chairs which resemble bamboos as well as plush sofas which are also flamingo pink.
Although the menu isn’t as extensive as one would hope, the prices are extremely consumer-friendly. One can easily buy a starter and a main course for around Rs.1000, and then pair up their meal with a nice, cold Mint Margarita for an extra Rs.189. Famished after a long day, my friend and I quickly ordered a bowl of Beef with Mixed Vegetables with a side of Chow Mein, Chili Garlic Chicken with a side of Vegetable Rice, and six pieces of Steamed Chicken Dim Sum.
One thing to appreciate about their menu, regardless of how brief it is, is that it caters to the needs of people over a wide spectrum of tastes, and no one feels left out.
Unfortunately, the Dim Sum we wanted was not available, so we had to do without a starter. But, despite the fact that the restaurant was bustling, we only had to wait another 15 minutes before the waiter approached us with our food. There were ACs inside, but it wasn’t as cold as one would have liked, and the outdoor seating was unthinkable in this heat.
As per my instructions of keeping the food non-spicy, the Beef with Mixed Vegetables was cooked to my taste. It had an assortment of fresh yellow, green, and red bell peppers, baby corn, onions, and carrots mixed in a light sauce which wasn’t too runny or thick. The strips of beef were also tender as opposed to being chewy or stringy.
On the other hand, the Chili Garlic Chicken wasn’t quite up to the mark, since it wasn’t as spicy as the menu had suggested. While there was plenty of beef and vegetables in my dish, the Chili Garlic Chicken had more sauce than anything else, and it was clear that the garlic was the more dominant ingredient as compared to the chilies. The Vegetable Rice, however, arrived fresh with spotless white rice and an array of crisp vegetables cut up into delicate pieces.
We both agreed that the Beef with Mixed Vegetables was definitely the winner for that meal. While the Chow Mein and Vegetable Rice weren’t particularly unique to this restaurant, their substantial portion sizes relative to their low prices was the big plus.
For a person trying Pan Asian for the first time, and afraid they might order something they would regret, Banana Leaf is the place to go with its charms and simplistic style. The easy-to-use menu with its one-line descriptions of their dishes, helped set this Chinese restaurant apart from others. It’s clear that they’re trying to leave their mark on Indo-Chinese cuisine in Islamabad, with their funky décor and fresh produce.
Towards the end of our meal, we surprisingly ran into the owner of Banana Leaf, who asked us politely about our eating experience. Considering the manageable price range, the dedication of the management, and the large portions of food, I would definitely recommend this place for a nice hangout with friends, or a lunch break from the office.
You may also like:
