A truly authentic tropical cuisine. They have variety of noodle bowls to die for. You can find most Malaysian Taiwanese street food here.
The food is delicious and the service is great! Used to go a few times a week when I lived in Calgary! Would definitely recommend it!
Have never found a bad thing on the menu. Very friendly. Thank you for always giving us a great experience.
Fantastic service and food. One of my favourite places to eat in NE Calgary.
Highly recommended! The authentic food taste fantastic and loved the friendly fast service.
Oliver Thomas Halliwell
+5
Excellent! Just discovered this place, close to work. Authentic Malysian cooking from a hole reataurant. Lovely roti chanai.
Phenomenal! Come here and get the satay chicken and have your life changed!
Super authentic comfort food! Just as yummy for takeout or dine in. I always bring guests from out of town here.
Oh my god you made my stomach soooo happy. So good
This is authentic as it gets! Amazing food!!!
Authentic and amazing taste!
Delicious!! Keep it up! :)
Food:
• The Hainanese Chicken rice was delicious. Everything about is was reminiscent to what we get at home. The rice, soya sauce, chili blend and chicken were all delicious and so flavorful. The aroma of ginger, garlic and steamed chicken was to die for and authentic.
• The nasi lemak combo had a huge portion. Rice, egg, anchovies, peanuts, cucumber, sambal and a huge side of chicken curry. I was in heaven after this dish. I even had half a portion for dinner that evening. The sambal was very authentic and spicy! The chicken curry was extremely flavorful and delicious. It all worked together as how a great Nasi Lemak usually does.
• The curry chicken with roti was also very good. The same curry chicken from the Nasi Lemak combo but with Roti Canai instead of rice. It all worked together and was appetizing. You can get either curry chicken or curry beef for the roti as well.
• The Curry Laksa was amazing. You have a choice between seafood, chicken, beef, fish or beef balls, or a vegetable laksa. Also, you can pick between yellow or vermicelli noodles. I went with the seafood and yellow noodle Laksa. My mom is from the part of Malaysia that specializes in Laksa and because of this she is an expert laksa maker and I am forever biased. However, the laksa here is delicious as ever. Although not my mothers level of laksa, it definitely is something I would order again and again. Great level of spice and extremely flavorful with spices. I also ordered a side of sambal to go with the laksa. This gives it an extra kick to the dish.
5/5
Full Review: thelocalepicure.ca
Instagram: @thelocalepicure
I love love love this place. I dream about their beef Curry and roti! Their Laksa is amazing too. And let's not forget about their Taiwanese fried chicken tenders!!!
Delicious! We had Roti Canai, Hainanese Chicken with Rice, and Seafood Tom Yum. Everything was delicious. Eat here, welcome to flavour town. They serve tepid water so get the tea or try one of their fancy drinks.
Looked at my trusty Zomato app for great Asian cuisines in Calgary and Banana Leaf Tropical Cuisine popped up with positive reviews. I was with 5 people and even if they were crowded they managed to accommodate us within 10 minutes. The food was very flavourful but there were some issues with the service. I was given the wrong drink and when I asked about it the man said that was what I ordered and it wasn’t. My friend’s other drink did not arrive at all throughout the meal even if we reminded them about it. But would still recommend this place because of the food. It’s a very small place.
Delicious food and amazing service! Everything we tried was perfectly spiced and full of flavor! The waitress was very attentive and fast. Will definitely be back!
We were a little skeptical based on the not so good reviews but we felt that the menu seemed interesting enough to give it a try and we are so glad that we did. Every single dish that we ordered was a hit.
We ordered roti canai and Taiwanese style crispy chicken nuggets for appetizers. The roti canai was so so so good, the roti itself was crispy from outside, soft and tender from inside and the curry was creamy and spicy and delicious. The chicken tenders were so crispy and moist and tender from inside.
For main we got Seafood laksa and Nasi Lemak combo. The seafood laksa was really good and the seafood was perfectly cooked. Nasi lemak had amazing delicious chicken curry with extremely tender chicken and the spicy sambal anchovies was also so good.
Everything was perfect. Another thing that I liked that they didn't "westernize" the spice level. Everything was perfectly spicy and I feel authentic.
I am surprised how this place doesn't have better reviews, maybe they don't have consistency but everything was delicious for us and in-fact it was one of the best Malaysian food that we had in North America.
went there for lunch on this wintery spring day. its a cozy restaurant which was about half filled when we got there at about 12:40 pm on a sunday. service was quick and efficient. mybhusband ordered the seafood laksa and honey milk ice tea to wash it down with. and i got the beef curry laksa and mango iced milk tea. the laksa was hot,spicy and salty goodness which cleared out ur sinuses. the portion was generous. price wise it was on par with calgary standards which in my opinion is always too high. the bill came to $39 plus tip.
Amazing Place with Authentic Flavours, the Beef Rendang was amazing and the service was really good. Super Authentic Malyasian with spice levels matching the way food is served in Malaysia. Must Eat in NE Calgary
I have had Malaysian food before & it was great but the meal I had here this weekend blew me away. Me & my buddy came here on a Sunday evening for a late supper we ordered a couple apps to start the fish ball in curry sauce & deep fried crispy chicken nuggets & both were very good but the chicken nuggets were so good I wanted to horde them so only I could eat them so much flavour. The fish balls were also very good fish tasted good & went well with the curry sauce. My main I got Hainanese chicken laksa with yellow noodles & its a great bowl of soup with lots of chicken, tofu, fried onions, green onions & hard boiled egg in an amazing spicy broth that I could not get enough of it. This place was so good that I will be back this week!
Good authentic Bukateh that sells out all the time! Laksa is very flavourful as well. The noodle dishes comes with lots of toppings/ingredients. Portion sizes are great for the price.
This place is tucked into an auto strip mall, which was slightly off-putting, however the food is delicious and extremely reasonably priced. We had several dishes, all amazing, and our bill came to around $30 for two people.
Start your engine, walk run, Get here. We were told by another foodie to get ourselves here. There is nothing special about the decor or location. don't be fooled, it's incredible. Service is great. Make sure you get here before 7:30 they take final orders and lock the door. Curry Beef Brisket Laksa - I'm drooling over it now, it's incredible. chicken skewers for the kids were great, roti canai is perfect. laska is perfect. The menu is fantastic, the get the beef brisket you will be fighting your table partner for some.
This little tiny restaurant should not be overlooked!! I'm craving another bowl of laksa! I ordered the Seafood Curry Laksa (with yellow noodles). Delicious shrimp, white fish, fish balls and squid in an amazing flavorful and spicy coconut curry soup. It's a must try! The most popular dish there is the Curry Beef Brisket Laksa with yellow noodles. The beef is so tender it just falls apart! Can't wait to go this weekend and get my laksa fix!
This little hole in the wall has the most delicious, perfect soup broth I've ever tried!! I ordered #26 with the yellow noodles and for me it was the perfect level of spicy 🌶 and flavour. I actually didn't have to add anything! The beef is nicely stewed and there's plenty of it. All ingredients are spot on!
The service is fast, very friendly, as well as competent! They would be perfect if they had a better looking establishment and if they served alcohol.
Well worth the trip though for this little gem 💎 😋
This place is an amazing hole in the wall. Busy at times but is worth a wait. Come with a friend not a big group I recommend.. Service is always so friendly and quick. The food is so good on a cold winter day. Roti is a must! The Laksa is not too spicy for those wanting some spice. Always will be back
Seriously amazing !!! A total hidden gem. We came for lunch and it was busy, food comes out quickly and is so flavourful ! I ordered the curry beef laksa with yellow noodles. It was incredible, the meat was so tender and each bite was delicious. What a perfect spot. Looking forward to going back and trying more !!
Wow our friends have been bugging us to visit for a while. I am so glad we finally got the chance. Amazing. Curry Beef brisket and rice was awesome, hainanese laksa was incredible. Service was great, it was busy don't miss the roti canai best ice coffee in a long time it was perfectly strong and perfectly sweet. The only reason I am not giving it a perfect 5...... I did read a menu on here that says takes credit cards..in fact they do not. Cash or debit only
You must come here and have the beef laksa. The beef falls apart and melts in your mouth and the broth is rich and perfectly-spiced. Breathtaking!!
Have been to this place a few times, always crowd but serves great food. I am a fan of their laksa, but wanted to try something different this time. So I ordered the Bah Kut Teh with noodles. It was pretty good. The broth was rich and meat was tender. Will definitely order it again the next time!
Luckily we got there around 6, after we got seated, peoples started to come and it got packed within 5 mins.
The food was ok, not the best one I had. But the price is good and the portion is very big. I had a banana leaf grilled fish and I couldn't even finish half of it. I had a little too high expectation but wasn't disappointed either. I think I would give it another try.
Small quaint joint. Cute style reminding me of IKEA.
I got beef laksa noodle soup;
- broth had nice blend of flavors, deep, rich, hints of citrus, flavorful, lemongrass aroma.
- beef was very tender, meat would easily fall with each pull from the chopsticks. Was pretty good.
- yellow noodles were alright. Would have enjoyed a more chewy consistency.
Very cheap bubble tea options. $4.50. Service was prompt. Would come again.
Having heard good things, I dropped by for lunch and ordered a #28 Chicken Laksa and some tea. What a great introduction to this restaurant and what a tasty lunch! The chicken was fresh and tender, the broth perfect with the right amount of coconut and spice. Service was friendly and quick. I definitely want to return and try several more items from the menu. Thanks.
Great Malaysian food. I had the Roti Canai which was amazing and the fish ball curry lakhsa. I will definitely be back to try other items on the menu. Great prices as well.
The prices were great for the absolutely massive portions that they serve! I quite like that they keep the curries / rendang in a separate little bowl so that you can mix it as you prefer. I really appreciate the variety of authentic dishes they offered without having to serve "fusion" food. The staff are friendly and service was fast. It's a small little place but the turnover was quite quick - I was there for about 45 minutes and a lot of customers came and went for both eat-in and take-out. I'm so glad I found this great little place that sells Malaysian / Singaporean food! I will definitely come back!
Banana Leaf, please come to Edmonton. Looking up reviews before a recent trip to Calgary, I stumbled upon Banana Leaf as a place to try authentic Malaysian and Taiwanese food. I stopped by with 3 others on a Friday night around 7pm, and the restaurant was pretty full. After we were seated, our order was quickly taken since their final call for kitchen is 730pm (after this they change their sign to being closed, even if their hours are until 8pm). Being a Laksa lover, I was super excited when I saw they had so many different types of Laksa! I got their Hainanese Chicken Laksa, while others had their Nasi Lemak and Roti Canai with Curry Chicken. Food came out extremely quickly and was very well done. It was overall very authentic - it reminded me a lot of the foods you'd try when in Singapore and Malaysia. The tenderness of the chicken and the spiciness and taste of the Laksa soup gave it that extra kick that left a fantastic post-meal feeling. Roti with curry tasted just like something that's homemade and was also a great choice.
This place has the best Laksa I've ever had in a restaurant and the other food choices are fantastic too. I'd love to come back and try their Bah Kut Teh (which I've heard is also really good). I wish this restaurant would expand to Edmonton - I know I'd eat there on a regular basis if they did. Prices are very reasonable too, around $12-14 per dish. All in all, highly recommended and I can't wait till I'm back in Calgary to try it.
A friend suggested this place. I tried their new dish with home made wonton noodles stir fried with two types of pork topped with fried onions and green onions. Wasn't bad, I don't like salty so it was just right. Service as great. My fiancé had a lemon grass chicken and rice dish was spicy, he thought it was alright. We had higher expectations but weren't disappointed anyways. Would return if in town again. I like the bright coloured walls in here.
Banana Leaf is really good! It offers Malaysian, Chinese, and Taiwanese food.
There is very limited spacing in this restaurant, but the food is amazing!
Been here a few times, I've had the "Hainanese Chicken Rice", "Roti", "Satay Chicken Skewers", "Grilled Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaf and Rice", and noodles etc. and all of them are quite delicious.
"Grilled Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaf and Rice" though was quite spicey. Even though it only had 1 chilli sign on the menu, it was quite a spice.
The servers are always very friendly. I just wish there were more seats.
Overall, recommend!
Oh Banana Leaf, how I wish you existed in Edmonton. I’ve been to Banana Leaf more times than some of my Calgarian friends (see here and here for previous trips)! If that ain’t a stamp of approval, then I don’t know what is. Seriously, one of my favourite places in Cowtown!. We decided to come for a late Sunday Mother’s Day brunch (sans mothers!) and it was busy. Wait time was about 25 minutes to get a table for four but as always, totally worth the wait. People eat and go so turnover is fairly quick. Hurray for Asians being considerate when it comes to eating. The two waitresses/daughters run the front and are always excellent.
Phenomenal! I've been to this little hidden gem place a couple times now and their food is simply fantastic. Their made-famous Chinese herbal soup runs out fast so you'd better go there during lunch time. I've had the curry as well and they're just what I have expected. I'm not a spicy food eater so it's a shame that I would not be able to explore every item on the menu but I'm already content with everything I've had at Banana Leaf. Must go.
Beef brisket laksa is yummylicious. Huge bowl of food, so come hungry. Spicy, not too salty, and big tender pieces of tofu and beef. Can get it on vermicelli to avoid gluten.
I love this place for Malaysian and Chinese food. My favourites are the Vegetarian Noodle Soup, Bah Kut Teh (Chinese Medicinal Soup) Noodle Soup, the Deep Fried Chicken with Thai Lemon Sauce with Rice, and Hainanese Chicken. Food quality is very good. Menu selection provides a lot of variety ranging from appetizers, rice dishes, noodle soups, curries, laksa, and various drinks. Definitely one of my favourite restaurants in Calgary!
Located in the Horizon Auto Center in the corner of 32nd and 32nd in the NE, this unassuming little gem is tucked in the middle of the strip mall. I stopped here after work on Friday to grab some take-away. Naturally, the place was empty since it was around 5pm, but I know for a fact that once it hits 6pm all the tables will be full. This restaurant has both Malaysian and Taiwanese cuisine. I've been here a few times and each time the service and food was excellent. This was my first time getting take-away from here. I have tried at least one of every variety on their menu. Their laksa is very good and very spicy for me. It took me a while to eat it with a lot of water and soya milk with grass jelly. It was worth it.
Second time eating here. The Laksha was fabulous and quite spicy. The Hainanese chicken delicious. Roti canai - agree it's a bit too oily especially with the oily sauce.
Service was good.
The Laksha is a good dish for a cold winter 's day!!
Have to go again to try the other dishes. You should too!!
Authentic Malaysian restaurant. Yeah!!!
Wife and I were so excited abut the possibility of a delicious Malay resto we ordered more than what our appetite can handle: Roti Canai, Chicken Satay, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and beef randang (comes with rice).
Service was very efficient and prompt. All dishes were delivered to table within 20 minutes after ordering.
Servings were generous and the food taste were all flavourful. Beef Randang was rich and full of spicy flavour. For me it has a slow burn (equivalent of about 4 chilies).
This is a rustic family run restaurant. Casual atmosphere reminiscient of the street side offerings in SE Asia. Highly recommended if you are adventurous and enjoy a spicy SEA meal.
Top notch service! it's small and the waiters are personable. If you're coming with a group of 4+, make sure you call ahead for reservations. Logistics aside, the menu offers a variety of asian/malaysian cuisine.
Although a bit greasy, the roti is a really nice fluffy pita bread type dish that has stolen my heart. The dipping sauce is super spicy but is an excellent complement to something that doesn't even need sauce.
A certain number of Spicy glutinous rice rolls are made every day and every time i go, there are none. This only feeds my curiosity more. After several attempts, they finally had some and to my dismay, were only mediocre. The sambal sauce was spicy, but not overly flavorful.
For mains, definitely try the ground pork sauce on rice. it sounds simple, but with similar spices, this dish brings me back to Taiwan's favorite braised pork on rice.
Satay Chicken and peanut sauce on rice. One of my favorite dishes. No one makes satay like they do. It's well seasoned, not too spicy, comes out steaming hot, and has the cucumbers on the side to cool/cleanse your palate.
The deep fried chicken with Thai lemon sauce on rice. amazing. They brine the chicken so that each piece comes out extra moist. This takes a awhile to cook, but you won't regret waiting.
Also try the Hainanese Chicken on rice for a basic chinese classic, and the laska with egg noodles for a Malaysian taste.
First time experience here and it was amazing ! This place is a gem .will be back to try more on the menu ..food is good, prices are good and service is great too .5 stars recommended
This place gives such a homely feel. The food was delicious, drinks were great, service was super friendly! I'd definitely recommend anyone to try this place. I ordered the deep fried chicken in aa spicy lime sauce and it was perfect 👌🏻 I'd definitely come again and try the other foods they have on the menu.
Such a good meal. Restaurant is small, but cute and bright green. Service was chill, but good. The milk tea was a delight. The spring rolls were my least favourite part, fairly generic, but still good. The seafood laksa with vermicelli however was sooooo good. It was spicy, but the kind of spicy that hits you the first couple bites and then your body gets used to it. I thoroughly enjoyed it, kicked my rating up to a 4.5. I still feel pleasantly full.
Another amazing Malaysian restaurant. Banana Leaf is kind of hidden off of 32nd in a tight squeeze area. The parking spots are super tight too and its busy so sometimes hard to find a spot. The restaurant itself is not very big and can very busy. I do call ahead of time to see if they are super busy. We usually order the roti, deep fried tofu, deep fried chicken and seafood curry laksa with yellow noodles. each of the dishes are super delicious and have a lot of flavour. The laksa is spicy though, a bit more than tropical delight. I definitely need a glass of water with that. Overall, great place for some tasty treats :)
A local Mom and Pop shop, this restaurant has always been a favourite in the Calgary foodie community, and with good reason. Banana Leaf offers authentic Malaysian cuisine that has always been consistently flavourful and well-priced. The staff are friendly, and can help newcomers navigate through the menu of Malaysian delights. Although the location is on the smaller side, wait times have never been unreasonable, as the food does tend to come out quite quickly, and choosing takeout is always an option as well. Definitely a stable gem in Calgary's ever-shifting food scene.
Spent half my time here in tears.. Beware, this stuff is spicy! Delicious, but when they rate a dish with 3 hot peppers, it is 3 HOT PEPPERS.
Food was delicious! Highly recommend the laksa since it seems to be most popular here. Just about every table here had it.
Staff were also very friendly. Being a small restaurant, they were very good at taking care of us.
If you're a fan of spicy food, Banana Leaf is your place! The Haianese chicken laksa is always satisfying. Make sure you get a dairy based drink as you'll need something to cool your palette down. A lot of people complain about the service based on the reviews but I have never had a bad experience.
My new favorite lunch spot in the Northeast. Quick, super friendly service, and nothing short of delicious. Definitely worth your time and appetite to stop in and try the menu. Well done! :)
Oh the food is so good. Lots of oil used though. Prices are reasonable but not cheap. Quite a busy restaurant. Service is ok. I still have yet to try the whole menu.
Great food and experience! Must try the roti canai!! Loved the fresh fruit mixed berry drink, the seafood laksa with vermicelli and the satay chicken skewers were all amazing, can't wait to go back!
Wow, this place is the real thing! Delicious Lahksa and full of ingredients and flavour. The one with the seafood is by far my favourite along with a side of roti and the chicken nuggets are really good too.
The food is really reasonably priced and for 3 people and a few appetizers to go with our Lahksa was under 40.
The place is very busy and the restaurant is small so you may have to wait but be patient, it's worth it!
I don't know about you, but I find it difficult to find good, authentic Malaysian food in Alberta. Very few restaurants in Edmonton serve Malaysian food, and for those that do, I find that the food isn't overly impressive or consistent. Instead of being frustrated by the local options, I took my search to Calgary and found a great spot thanks to a recommendation from a friend.
Best place for Malaysian food!!! The food can be uber spicy (you can request less spice) but that's why it's so addictingly good! We've been here so many times that we've lost count. Everything on the menu is worth trying. You can't go wrong! The place is always packed during peak hours so plan carefully or you will have to wait in line for a bit. The service is great and the staff are super friendly and helpful. Can't wait to go back.
Highly Recommend!. Went with my friends on a chilly Saturday afternoon and the place was jammed packed. I tried the Curry Beef Brisket Laksa and the roti, they were fantastic!! I am definitely coming back for more!
I don’t do many repeat posts on places I’ve visited before but daaymmmn, Banana Leaf Tropical Cuisine is seriously the best place. If I lived in Calgary, I’m pretty sure I would come here on a weekly basis. Totally worth the drive out to the northeast. You want legit Malaysian? This is THE SPOT.
We decided to try out two new dishes but seriously, I don’t think you can go wrong with anything on their menu. Everything looks so good and it’s crazy cheap! Hidden gems are bomb. We went on a Sunday relatively early (11:30am) but within a half hour, the place was busy. Make sure you get there early if you don’t want to wait.
First time there. Ate lunch. Will definitely go back!
Wish they had bottomless fountain pop... "Two chillies" is HOT, but delicious!
4.5 out of 5.
Definately will be back. Good Food, Good prices (~$12 a meal)
The restaurant is a little small so tables are fairly close.
Otherwise a great place.
Great food, good prices and consistent quality. I have been going to Banana Leaf since it opened earlier this year and although there are little nuances regarding the running of this restaurant, they are dismissable because of the great food this restaurant serves up consistently.
The laksa is creamy, rich and just spicy enough. Although I have tried the beef, chicken and seafood, my favorite is the veggie laksa which has a rainbow of different vegetables soaked in the delicious broth. I always get a mixture of both the vermicelli and the yellow noodles so that each bite is just a little different. The roti is also phenomenal, as is the chicken satay, spicy beef noodle soup, pork sauce on rice, herbal noodle soup, chicken nuggets and hainan chicken. The quality and quantity (huge) of the food is always consistent and I can always count on them for satisfying bowl of whatever I am craving.
I have always had good service with the understanding that this is clearly a mom and pop restaurant with their kids working front of house. I'm not expecting 5, 4 or even 3 star service, or ambient atmosphere, just great food at a great price.
Regarding the little nuances, it is true that this restaurant closes intermittently for 'plumbing problems' or just because. It does get frustrating if I show up when it's supposed to be open and it's closed but I've learned to call - they always pick up. Plus, I would rather they close if they are short staffed, not feeling well and unable to produce the food than open and give us something less than superb.
Overall, great restaurant and a consistent staple for me.
Take out. We ordered take out because we knew it was a busy place to dine in for lunch. Can't wait to go back and eat in because the food that we had was very good. The menu on Urbanspoon needs to be updated as prices and menu numbers have changed. Food items ordered varied from chicken & beef curries, chicken nuggets and fish on banana leaf. YUM!
Yummy!!. It's hard to find good malaysian food in calgary - this place is awesome!! Love the roti and satay - definitely my favourite! It's small and comfortable. The staff is very accommodating.
A New Fave When I Crave. I can finally contribute to the ever-growing list of positive reviews for this restaurant!
Unbeknownst to most people, you CAN actually call a few days ahead of time and book a reservation. However, if you're going for a spontaneous meal - like others have mentioned, be prepared to wait for a table as this place has been known to consistently have the line up out the door. So clearly they are doing something right! And yes, they are.
From friendly service to mouthwatering, closest-to- authentic-without-actually-travelling-there Malaysian and Taiwanese dishes, this place is definitely good to go.
Being aware of how busy this restaurant gets, I thought it best to call ahead and book a reservation (called on a Sunday and booked for the Tuesday for a party of 4). Unlike an old "Seinfeld" episode - Banana Leaf was extremely professional and kept our reservation.
We were seated promptly and even though not all of us had yet arrived, our server was considerate and continued to check up on us.
So once we were all present and accounted for - the food indulgence began.
Due to a best friend's tip that the dishes are designed to be eaten individually - as per her suggestion, we ordered a few dishes so we could all have a chance to sample more than one dish.
A party can do this - just make sure you let your server know that you are sharing and they will kindly bring you more bowls to make it easier to do so.
So a pretty great visit for my first time - as we ordered 5 dishes and got to take pleasure in all of them!
We asked for : 1) The Roti Canai (2) The Beef Rendang which is served with a fried egg and Rice... Mmm... Fried egg... (3) The Curry Beef Brisket Laksa (w/Yellow Noodles) (4) The Seafood Tom Yum (w/Vermicelli) and (5) The deep fried Taiwanese Style Chicken Nuggets (Spice Salt). C'mon now, you know I had to get my chicken fix one way or the other!
And... The verdict: 5 out of 5! I tell ya, wish I was a skinny fat person so I could order more as there are also so many other dishes that have been recommended that I want to try. Especially now that I know that peeps aren't kidding when they say, "You gotta try this..."
Oh, and as you noticed above I put in parenthesis what kind of noodle type we had with our soup dishes - it's because one can choose between the two. It's nice that they give you this option.
Revisiting the reality that this place gets packed, once it's a full house, the staff becomes concerned that the wait for your food is lengthy, so they become extremely apologetic. But the reality is, the wait isn't that long and appetizers come out so quickly that you're good inbetween to wait a bit without feeling hungry. Your digestive system will thank you anyway.
And to top it all off, prices are extremely reasonable. Example: For 5 dishes, including maximum tip - it only cost us $16 each between the 4 of us. And THAT would've been even less had we not added a second order of the Roti... Yeah we did.
So the only real downside is that they are closed Mondays and every night at 8pm. But hey, this staff certainly deserves their rest considering they work so hard to keep our palates and stomachs happy. Which you'll understand once you decide to pay a visit to Banana Leaf.
Sidenote: The phone number presently on Google is incorrect. It is actually: 403.450.3880
You'll wanna program it into your phone - I sure did as I plan to add this place to my Faves When I Crave list.
NOM NOM!!!. Holy crap, I don't know why I didn't discover this place sooner. Super close to my house, and super delicious! This place is literally a hole in the wall, so make sure to make reservations or go during their down time (if they even have down time!) as this place usually fills up fast. I have already been here 3-4 times in the past couple of months. The fish ball laksa is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE! Make sure you get that! I have a high tolerance for spicy, and I find their soup is REALLY spicy.. The third time I went, I did get it less spicy so it was a bit better if you want to taste the other dishes you get. The satay chicken with the rice is also delish! Make sure you get that! Definitely try this place out if you haven't! I got my parents hooked as well!! =)
Food is always consistently delicious. Make a reservation if you don't want to wait because it's a small place that is usually packed in the day time. Server knows the menu well if you ever need suggestions or recommendations for your taste.
Obscure location, delicious food. Friends took us here for dinner, as we often try different cuisines with them and none of us had ever had Malaysian. It's in a very random spot in the north east. Closer to the industrial area than the commercial or residential locations, so you may have a hard time finding it. The inside is very cute and is tastefully decorated with brightly coloured walls and tables and chairs that actually match. We had three appies which was probably more than we needed but they were so delicious it was worth it. The satay, roti and chicken nuggets (not Micky D's kind) were a hit. The Roti was flaky like a croissant but savoury like Indian or Caribbean rot. My husband and I both had the soups (there is a traditional name for them but I've completely forgotten) and our friends had the curry chicken and the steamed fish. Portions were huge and fairly cheap- less than $15. Malaysian is very spicy so be prepared to sweat, drinks gallons of water and then take a break before you can dig in for more. This is a great little hole in the wall that I will be sure to hit up next time I'm near 32 Ave NE.
Good food, no parking spaces. The food is excellent. I think I ordered spicy Laksa with yellow noodles. The menu they've posted contains old prices; instead of being $9.50 the Beef Laksa is now $11.50 plus tax. It's quite expensive in retrospect but at least the quality made up for it.
This restaurant is owned by real Malaysian people.
Parking might be difficult as this restaurant sits right in the middle of multiple body shops (e.g. Midas). Lots of cars are parked and cars are moving in and out. Look over your shoulders before crossing.
Good food, good price. I haven't found a restaurant like this one. Food is delicious and the prices are reasonable. I make the 30 min drive just for the hainanese chicken on rice and milk tea with grass jelly. This place gets super busy at dinner time so make sure you arrive early (no later than 6:30pm). Otherwise, do takeout. Great place for Malaysian food!
Spicy but delicious. I can't eat food that is spicy, but I find myself frequenting this place. Non-spicy items are stated in the menu, but the server will also help you navigate the menu to find items where they can reduce spiciness.
Service is efficient and friendly.
Food portions are generous and are very well priced.
Although the restaurant is smaller, they've always made the effort to accommodate different sizes of groups (up to 8)
Very happy with this place :)
Great food. I arrived here on the nick of time as a flood of customers came in right behind us. For a tiny place like this, we were more than lucky to have a table right away! We ordered the beef laksa, chicken and rice, and chicken nuggets. The beef laksa was nice, a little bit on the bland side but a little bit lemon juice helped a lot! I loved the chicken and rice due to the moist chicken and plenty of sides which made a really balanced dish. Nuggets were ok, also bland.
Edit: They must have just had an off day when I visited for the first time because I visited for a second time and all of the food was absolutely delicious with great service!
Excellent authenticity and diversity in the menu. All meats and some veg options with rice/noodle dishes. Food is extremely cheap and fresh and good quantities too. I'll be going back the curry is very tasty and spicy.
YUM!. The food was DELICIOUS. Got the chicken nuggets because of all the other reviews... It was a great choice, we finished it super quick. I got the #30, flavour is a little hard to explain but i really enjoyed it. Boyfriend got the #25, a little too spicy for my taste buds but the soup was delicious! The price is very fair, totally got our money's worth. Definitely coming back soon!!!
Yum!. The beef laksa and chicken nuggets are to die for!
Fantastic Laksa. This is just a hole in the wall restaurant with fantastic laksa. Don't expect anything more and you'll love it. The curry beef laksa is amazing - one of the best I've had anywhere. There isn't a lot else on the menu, the place is tiny, and the service a bit disorganised, but it's still well worth the wait. Can't wait to go back!
Excellent Malaysian food - A true hidden gem. As most of people agreed the food here is truly fantastic and I don't think you can get any more authentic than this. I've heard from their staff that the owner is very keen on quality and freshness. Everything is cooked fresh daily and they often sold out their food before closing time hence they close their store early sometimes.
Be patience and you will enjoy it.
1st time. Need to go back for more.. A few of my friends recommended this place and told me I had to try it out. A friend and I went for dinner on a Saturday night. We go there before the dinner crowd. The tables and seats could be updated, and needed heating as cold air swept in every time the door opened.
We ordered the Laksa, Chicken Curry and Taiwanese Chicken. I loved my laksa, although I think they made a mistake as there was no spice to it at all. My friend loved his curry dish and the Taiwanese chicken was amazing.
The only con other then the interior was that we wanted to order the shaved ice, but we were told the machine was broken for some time already. Other then that, I have been craving to go back ever since.
Laksa and Chicken Nuggets. Grab a Laksa and grab the Deep Fried Chicken Nuggets when you visit Banana Leaf.
If you like spicy soups loaded with ingredients, the Laksas are going to hit the spot. Hard boiled eggs, protein, and firm noodles in a creamy coconut-infused sweet and spicy broth. For around $10 they really hit the spot if you're hungry.
The rice dishes are also generously portioned. The Nesi Lemak with Curry Chicken is a huge platter with amazingly tender chicken in a savoury mild curry sauce.But for my preference, the spicy salt chicken nuggets are a must have. I could eat those alone if it didn't mean missing out on some other exotic foods.
Banana Leaf is a nice addition to Calgary cuisine, in a market saturated with Asian soup spots, this Malaysian restaurant really stands out. It's a small space that was absolutely packed with people waiting to enter at around 6 p.m. on a Saturday night, so it's not always easy to get in, but that's the beauty of take-out.
When it's extremely packed, service gets slightly flustered, but they do their best and still remain pleasant to deal with. This is definitely a spot I'll be revisiting frequently.
Fantastic. Had a late lunch today and the food was great! No issue with the service at all and not sure why people expect 5 star service at mom and pop style family restaurant. The Chicken Laksa was delicious with just the right amount of heat and the broth was insanely tasty. I always judge a place like this on the food and it's really good, if all you care about is service avoid this and the other 5000 Asian restaurants in this city.
Smaller place, designed to seat 2 or 4's. Capacity is about 25 people total. Yummy food. Generous portions and lots of flavors in various dishes. I love the roti and curry. Would definitely recommend this place to my friends.
That fried chicken dish was huge and so good!
Best Laksa!. We had no issues with service, waiting for a table, or the food. Everything was just perfect!
The most authentic Malaysian cuisine I have ever had the pleasure of tasting since being in Canada. The place is a small family style restaurant and the place was packed at closing, but the service is fast and courteous. The portion size is very generous and food was top notch for the price. I would gladly return to this place again to fulfil my Malaysian food cravings.
Friendly service. Food arrived quickly. Generous portions. Very tasty. If you're not a fan of chili peppers in the sauce, you can have the sauce on the side.
I come here once in awhile I think it's a bit heavy to have too often but it's awesome. Super spicy so be ready for that. It's often not busy so it's great for a quick meal.
Authentic and delicious!
As a Malaysian I highly recommend this place! The flavor is 90% close to what I’ve had back in Malaysia. The Hainanese Chicken Rice is very authentic (don’t let the pictures fool you, it’s just the restaurant doesn’t have the best lighting). The chicken is very flavorful! Just like Jesus, tender and mild. Nasi Lemak is very good too! The sambal is the best I’ve had in Canada. Will come again to try out other dishes for sure!
Great food, great service, great restaurant. We came after the lunch rush, but the restaurant was still full. It was definitely worth the short wait. They asked us to wait outside and called when the table was ready (very good). They inspected our Vaccine Passports, and everyone else that came in after (very good). They cleaned thoroughly between guests, and spaced the tables out really well. Thanks for that.
The meals came out very quickly. We had the Seafood Laksa and the Hainanese Chicken & Rice. Both were wonderful. The Laksa was spicy, rich and delicious, with big chunks of fish, squid, shrimp, fish balls, tofu. I am a big Laksa fan, and this one was awesome. Big dish too, could easily be shared by two people. The Hainanese Chicken was perfectly cooked, steaming and tender. Such a beautiful dish. Way too big for my wife, we took home half for dinner later.
Service was friendly and fast, the two young men that served us were terrific. The room is cute and spotlessly clean, prices are very good. We will be back to try the rest of the menu. Thanks!
The food was delicious, although some of the party found it too spicy.
Service is friendly and quick. The place does only accept debit card or cash, and therefore can be an inconvenience for some.
Authentic Malaysian food that is full of flavour and delicious! The seafood laksa is my go-to, along with the roti and Hainanese Chicken Rice.
Greeted with plastic tumblers of boiling water, just as if we were in Malaysia. Nasi Lemak. Just like in Malaysia except for the bonus that it came with coconut curry chicken! Milk Tea just like I remembered it. Perfect breakfast.
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