Banana Leaf is a truly unique venue, right in the heart of the city. Stepping through the doors, the venue seems a million miles away from the hustle and bustle outside, with its soft lighting, wooden tones and white linen tablecloths.
The unique menu features a strong dose of traditional Sri Lankan dishes, combined with a light blend of bush tucker. If you’re unsure of what to order, the knowledgeable staff are more than happy to further explain the dishes or offer suggestions.
Visiting with two friends, we were swiftly seated and offered drinks from the wine list created to compliment the eclectic menu.
To start off, we share three Sri Lankan dishes. The Vegetarian Pan Rolls are fresh garden vegetables flavoured with Sri Lankan spices and herbs wrapped into a crepe and lightly fried, then served with salad garnish and condiments. The rolls are crispy and delicious. The Octopus A-Lanka is fresh baby octopus infused with spices, char-grilled and served with chilli mayonnaise on a bed of salad, creating a sweet and flavoursome dish.
The Isso Masala Vadai was lentil patties prepared with fragrant herbs, fried and garnished with a king prawn and
served with green chilli and coconut salsa to give it a real kick.
To accompany our entrees, we also ordered some Rotti with lentil dip. While it doesn’t take much to impress me when it comes to Rotti, this particular version took the cake for me. The Rotti was light and crispy on the outside, and incredibly doughy on the inside, perfectly accompanied by the creamy dip.
For mains, I was intrigued to try the Yaka Ge Kaama, which is traditional Sri Tankan pub food. I chose the chicken option, but you can also choose beef sirloin or fresh market fish. The meat is cooked in spices, chilli and tomato sauce, and served with fragrant steamed rice. During the cooking process, the chicken really soaks up the spices, creating a really flavoursome hot and sour dish.
My dining companions chose more locally-influenced dishes, with the Roast Fillet of Kangaroo, and Arnhem Land Barramundi. The kangaroo was served with mountain pepper berry, sweet chilli sauce and a wild mushroom dumpling very similar in texture to a muffin. Having never tried kangaroo before, my friend was impressed with the succulent meat, perfectly when soaked up with the sweet sauce.
The Barramundi was grilled with lemon myrtle and Dorrigo pepper and served on a bed of kumara mash with delicious chunks of macadamia, creating a tangy and enjoyable dish.
The dessert menu was a difficult to narrow down, so we chose a selection with a bit of help from the staff. The Carrot Cake was surprising dish, made from the chef’s special recipe including a touch of Sri Lankan spices and served with ice cream, custard and a cherry on top. The incredibly moist cake was delicious, and can be made in dairy free and gluten free options.
We also tried the Sri Lankan Faluda, a popular Summer dessert and a favourite for the kids. The milk drink combines ice cream, rose sherbet, red and green jelly and topped with casa casa grain, which is a green chewy grain similar to bubble tea. Once you stir all of the ingredients together, it creates a colourful and refreshing drink to finish off your meal.
All dishes are served fairly mild to cater for the majority, but if you prefer more of a kick, the expert chefs are more than happy to kick things up a notch, depending on what you can handle.
Ideally located on City Walk, the big glass walls offer the perfect place to watch the world go by, or it’s handy for a meal before the theatre.
If you’re looking for a fine dining experience with a difference right in the heart of the city, visit Banana Leaf.
