I’m sorry, Banana Leaf- it’s just not working out.

I’ll cut straight to it: Banana Leaf does decent Malay/Singaporean food, but it’s not worth the price or the crowds. I’d rather go to Banyan Garden (in Union City) or Layang Layang (in Cupertino).
When it first opened, I loved going there because I had been yearning for some good Malay food. Their Roti Prata is tasty, as is the Huat Dan Ho and the Banana Leaf Rice (more commonly known as Nasi Lemak). The fried banana/ice cream desserts aren’t bad either.
But after several visits, I started noticing how small the portions were and how much I was paying for it. Then I realized that I didn’t like that many dishes on the menu… and that the service was usually lacking.
I’ve tried a large part of the Banana Leaf menu, and while the food’s not bad, you can get better food (and larger quantities) for your money at the other places I mentioned.

Great restaurant. I’ve been there since the beginning when this place opened a few years ago. The owners are family friends. The wife actually went to Malaysia for a few months to train from Malaysian chefs. Not only did she learn the intricacies of this cuisine, she immigrated a few chefs from Malaysia, helped them find housing and now employ them in her restaurant. So this place is as authentic as it gets.

Celebrating somebody’s birthday, promotion, or getting laid off? Banana Leaf is a favorite place for techies to go when the occasion is a little more special. Why only special occasions? Mostly because it is so popular on M-F during lunch that you will end up waiting for a very long time. This place gets PACKED!

Serving a mix of Southeast Asian dishes including Malaysian, Thai, Indonesian, Singaporean, and Indian food, Banana Leaf is perfect for the diverse Silicon Valley set. In addition, they feature a reduced price lunch menu that makes for a decent meal at a decent price.

Love the food, hate the wait and crowds…. Instead of this place I head to Coconut Grove in the Great Mall. Not quiet as good food, but…its less crowded and fast

The restaurant is very nicelydecorated and clean; the ambiance is nice but depending on what time of day, it can get really loud. The service is okay, there are days when it is good there are days when you sit around for a while before the server comes. The food…its okay. I think the best one they have is the roti which is around 2$. Everything is okay but by how much it cost, you would be better of going somewhere else. The portions are small also. I’ve tried their pad thai; it looks like spaghetti (too red) and it is way too spicy. Their yellow curry with vegetables has probably 5 pieces of meat and all vegetables; but the veggies are mostly cauliflower—i thought that tasted kinda weird with in curry. Their satay and pad see ew are tasty but again, small portions.

Good Malay food. Have gone for both lunch and dinner. Can get loud and crowded, but worth it for the authentic southeast asian food. I need to bring my friend who is originally from Malaysia to find out if she consider this place is as good as back home.