Review: Banana Leaf, Cambridge Street
When my girlfriend suggested we go for a meal to Banana Leaf on Cambridge Street recently, I have to admit I had never heard of the Malaysian/Chinese restaurant before, but as someone who has always been a fan of Chinese food I had to give it a try.
Just a short walk from Stow College and right across the road from the Thistle Hotel it is in a quieter part of town even on weekends, but still close enough to all the main pubs, night life and cinema if you’re heading out afterwards.
The restaurant is quite small and was very busy when we entered. Fortunately another couple were leaving just as we arrived so we got a table easily, but it would definitely be best advised to book a table at weekends. We immediately noticed how friendly and cheerful the staff were; all very courteous and helpful while still having a laugh with the customers to create a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. Even though cutlery is provided, they try and encourage the use of chopsticks and leave them beside your plate. When one of the waitresses saw me making a very unsuccessful attempt at using them, she came right over to the table and proceeded to try and teach me how, giving us all a great laugh when I still couldn’t perfect it. The laughs continued when the waitress went away and returned with a little device to hold the chopsticks together, telling me its “what babies use”. It was that kind of personal touch I really appreciated, and it added a lot to the meal.
Our food arrived quickly after we ordered. In similar restaurants you can expect to wait for quite a while but it wasn’t long at all - much to my delight really, as just reading the menu (with its fantastic selection of dishes) was making my mouth water.
All good so far, but the real jewel in Banana Leaf’s crown was how unbelievably tasty the food was. I ordered “Stir Fried Sliced Roast Duck with Ginger and Spring Onion” with noodles and I wouldn’t be exaggerating to say it was one the best meals I’ve ever eaten! As I said, I’m a big fan of Chinese food in general, but can also be a harsh critic if a takeaway or restaurant isn’t up to the standards I’m used to. Without doubt Banana Leaf blew me away - the duck was so delicate and tasty, with the soft noodles the perfect partner to it. It was a brilliant meal that gave you the feel of authentic Chinese food the way it’s supposed to be.
For dessert I went for Pandan Pancake filled with ice cream and, again, it was beautiful and served quickly. Our drinks were also regularly attended to, basically as soon as our glass was empty.
The only downside to Banana Leaf is the size, as it will be almost impossible to get a seat once word spreads about how good this place is.
The bill at the end of the night was very modest considering how much food and drink we had ordered, and our experience at Banana Leaf was fantastic overall – a great night out that I would recommend to anyone from Glasgow or visiting the city.
