A CULINARY TOUR OF SOUTH EAST ASIA IN ONE SITTING

By: Lotis Soriano

            The food of South East Asia is perhaps one of the tastiest in the world.  It is sweet, tangy, and spicy all at the same time, it’s a beautiful burst of flavors.  One could truly say that the richness of the Asian tradition can be found in it’s food because it’s a mixture of different influences from India, China and Europe adopted by each country to create that unique taste.  

Stir Fry Crab with Spicy Golden Garlic

            South East Asian Food can never be bland because Asia is where the Europeans discovered spices.  The common thread that binds South East Asian Food is the ingredients which are mainly coconut milk, lemon grass, sugar, basil, fish paste and chili.  And if you’d like to have this wonderful experience in one sitting, only one restaurant fits the bill, Banana Leaf.

Hainanese Chicken

 

            A classic Banana Leaf dinner will start with Roti Canai from Malaysia dipped in either curry sauce or condensed milk. For the main dish you can have Hainanese Chicken from Singapore, Thai Green Curry Chicken and Vietnamese Fried Rice.  They offer the best Asian food prepared true to it’s tradition. This is the exact Tom Yum Soup or Pad Thai that you fell in love with in Thailand. The Roti, Satay, Char Kuay Teow that you wanted to go back to in Malaysia. The Chili Crab and Laksa that you can’t have enough of in Singapore. The spring rolls of Vietnam that makes you crave for more. The Sambal and Goreng in Indonesia that you can’t forget.

Chicken Satay

            And when Banana Leaf says authentic it means business because the main ingredients are sourced from their country of origin and prepared by Asian chefs in all branches day in and day out.  Other restaurant will just hire Asian chefs to standardize their menu but Banana Leaf makes a big investment with their expat chef who makes sure that every visit at any branch will give that unique South East Asian dining experience.

Deep Fried Pomfret with Malayan Seafood Curry

            No wonder it has become a restaurant of choice among Asian expats and Pinoy travelers who have fallen in love with Asian food.  They have curved a niche in the market and is now the leading and perhaps still the only restaurant that offers traditional Asian food.    Banana Leaf has also managed to stay in the list of Philippine Tatler’s Philippines Best Restaurant from  2004-2011.

Penang Char Kway Teow

            The dining experience at Banana Leaf is a treat not just for the food but also for its interiors.  There are intricate wood designs that is uniquely Asian and of course literally eating on a Banana Leaf signals that this will be one great eating adventure.

Malayan Chicken Curry with Potatoes