I went to the Banana Tree a month ago for a Christmas meal with my friends at my youth club, but I never heard of it beforehand. It was nice, but I think (when I went there) it was a bit crowded and loud, and the price didn't sit well with me. If I had to pick my favourite part of the meal, it would be the egg-fried rice. So was it nice? Yes. Would I go there again? Well, it wouldn't be my first thought. Go only if you're prepared to pay the piper. read more

Banana Tree - Asian Fusion Near Me - London, XGL

My new go to place to thaw out with a lovely warm bowl of Pho Ga. I wouldn't say that the pho is very traditional; the chicken (white meat) is tender and the broth light but tasty. I've also sampled the Laksa and Bun Bo Meaty Salad bowl that the missus ordered; and they're both very nice. The Bun Bo (Xao) meaty salad is just that, a load of veggies served with some grilled beef over a bed of rice noodles and a side of sauce (my best guess is a vinegar/fish sauce/lemongrass mix) that you can pour over the salad bowl to taste. Less is more with the sauce if you've not tried fish sauce before as it can be rather punchy. The Laksa is a delicious blend of Chinese/Malay spicy coconut-curry noodles; pone of my faves! Can't wait to head back to pull myself away from the Chicken Pho and try out the other dishes . read more

Banana Tree - The meaty Bun Bo Meaty Salad Bowl. - Asian Fusion Near Me - London, XGL

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Great Asian fusion restaurant if you're after something healthy and filling! One of my favourite dishes here is the Bananatree laksa, a warming bowl of creamy coco-nutty broth with the option of adding chicken, prawns or coriander meatballs (vegetarian option). I also really like the bun bo chicken salad bowl which is crunchy, healthy and full of flavour. They have a nice variety of fresh juices too. The first time I met a friend here for dinner and it was super busy- we had to queue for about 15 minutes. Once we were seated the food came out quickly. I've also been for lunch a couple of times which was less busy and better value for money, although the service was slower due to an influx of lunchtime deliveroo orders. Overall this place is a really great option if you're after a heathy and filling meal priced at around £10 per person. read more

Banana Tree - Bun Bo chicken salad bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - London, XGL

Fantastic food! Southeast asian food, with a rich mix of dishes and flavours! The sweet chilli sauce that came with the crackers was just irresistible. The 5 spice chicken was amazing - do order the mega combo dish that will be enough for 2 with nice started. We had the spring rolls that come with instructions - funny and yummy! This banana tree only doesn't get 5 stars because the service was not perfect. It was good though, but not perfect... Amazing food and we will be back soon!!! read more

Banana Tree - 5 pepper chicken - yummy! - Asian Fusion Near Me - London, XGL

Great place for Thai food which to me is on a par with the much more expensive Busaba Eathai. It was busy when I got there 7.30 on a Wednesday night but we didn't have to wait long for a table. Food is served quickly and is excellent value for money. I had a delicious fish dish with basil leaves and was very surprised at the generous portions of deep fried fish. It's only a five minute walk away from Clapham Junction station and as others have said, beats Wagamama big time read more

Banana Tree - Asian Fusion Near Me - London, XGL

I'll put it simply: Lovely food, mediocre service, horrible acoustics. Worth it? Just about. Would I go again? If in the area not on a Friday night. Would I leave a tip? I'd tell the waiter not to spend a whole two minutes wiping the table with his elbow in my face while we sit there in awkward silence. Is there anything special worth trying? The non-alcoholic juices sound odd but taste splendid. read more

Fast service and delicious food. Definitely pleased with the quality of the food. Nice atmosphere and menu as well! read more

Banana Tree - Chicken Laksa starter and spicy papaya salad ! - Asian Fusion Near Me - London, XGL

One of my favourite, everyday, cheap-ish Thai restaurants. The express menu at only £5.95 allows you to dash in & dash out during a busy work day. Don't miss the delicious, authentic Pad Thai & The Legendary Rendang (its legendary for a reason!) The only down side is that they have a tendency to bring you the desert menu at the beginning of your meal in an effort to close the kitchen early & the menu changes so often that the only way to decide is 'ip dip doo'! read more

I've been coming here for years and years. Definitely not as a regular, but a sometimes spot for lunch on a weekend. I recently visited for a girls' lunch with a friend. Lunchtime on a Thursday and it was not at all busy, but the service was incredibly slow. The food is quite tasty. Nothing mind-blowing, but definitely a solid bit of yummy. This was less enjoyable when my friend needed to get back to her office and it took nearly 20 minutes to get our bill and pay. A bit of a let down. So - good food, sketchy service. Still, they have a really nice budget lunch menu which is pretty nice. read more

This is a great place to eat in the area as it's reasonable price and the Banana Leaf Meal is a good way of trying a little bit of everything without having to fork out too much as it includes smaller portions of the starters as well as including a main course. My favourite is the spicy nam prik pao or the lemongrass and coriander chicken main, which is sweet but has a special kick to it. The staff are generally fast, polite and friendly however this may be because there is a optional 15 per cent service charge which they add on regardless and question when you don't add it on. Tables are laid out lengthways a lot so you may find yourself sharing with strangers however I have never found this experience unpleasant in Banana Leaf. It's very children-friendly and you get lots of families and young people dining here and can get quite busy in the evenings and weekends, however they manage to clear tables pretty quickly so it is worth the 10 minute wait. The best bit about Banana Leaf? The Balinese rice pudding. I have yet to find a better version in any other Thai or Asian restaurant yet. It's just the right side of sticky and the coconut ice cream really complements the texture and sweetens the rice. I find myself craving it for days after. read more

A definite favourite. I have been here 3 times in the last year and I am sure to return many times in the future! This staff are friendly, the service is good and most importantly the food is delicious. Great for me as it is halal so I am normally spoilt for choice whenever I look at the menu. The beef pad Thai is my favourite dish. The most recent time I went I tried the sautéed beef and dark soya noodles to try something different. It was very nice but the beef was saltier than expected and mixed better with the egg fried rice my friend ordered (we shared most of the food we bought). Overall a great place that also offers lovely fresh juices that are perfect to wash down the meal with. Also highly recommend the sticky wings and chicken dumplings from the starter section. Very tasty! read more

Banana Tree - Egg fried rice and beef pad thai. So so tasty! - Asian Fusion Near Me - London, XGL

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It's just really tasty and inexpensive. It's a pretty typical set-up with a few smaller tables and lots of shared tables. The portions are generous and the wait staff are straightforward. I can highly recommend the prawn crackers (spicy and crunchy), pretty much any wok fried noodle dish and the marinated lamb! You just have to go and try it for yourself! read more

Yes, it may involving sharing tables (like Wagamama). But unlike Wagamama, the menu is varied and the food always richly flavoured. Looking at you, Pho. And you, Vietnamese Stew. You know what you both mean to me. I just love coming here to warm up with an enormous noodle soup at a bargain price. It may get messy, but that's how you roll with noodle soup. Don't judge me. Having just moved to the Junction Area, we've discovered the Catch 22 of Northcote Rd. The place is littered with great bars and restaurants (yay, right?), but on a weekend, everyone and their granny is trying to get in on the action (sigh). Side bar: And forget about brunch anywhere on a Sunday morning. Everyone else has had the same idea and before you had it. So, yeah, if you choose to dine here on a Friday or Saturday, you will wait outside the Banana Leaf for a table and you will likely have to speak up across the table. The secret is going mid-week. Usually no lines and you get your own table. On any night of the week, you will not be disappointed by the food. Remember slurping is a compliment to the chef! read more

We had high hopes for the Banana Leaf Canteen. However it was not to be, I order one of my favourite dishes, The Beef Rendang, and am left disappointed with the small dish and chewy meat. We 'Combo'd up for a relatively larger and more substantial meal, but even so the sides were tiny. My partners dusted Tilapia was ever worse, the dark environment also leaves much to be desired. Might be better at night.. read more

Its clean, the staff are very friendly, the food is fantastic and very good value for money. Generally you will be looking at about a tenner per head, including drink. I had a really nice chilli beef, with side salad and wan-tan balls. Was fantastic. The beef was cooked to perfection and the sauce on the side was well spiced without being too overpowering. A very pleasurable oriental experience. My only negative comment would be that it is a little loud in the restaurant. The food however is well worth an ear drum bashing./ As a restaurant it is perfect for a night out. The food is not too filling, very tasty, relatively cheap and surrounded by good pubs for beers after. read more

Yummy yummy yummy, noodles in my tummy. It was a surprise lunchtime feast; on the menu there were lots of veggie treats It was a great place to take my mummy! Sharing a table I ordered Jasmin tea, we both ordered the lunch special, Pad Thai for me. A bargain express menu, at this great Clapham venue We were so full we could have sat there 'til three. read more

Wait, so is it Banana LEAF or Banana TREE? I was confused upon entering the restaurant -- the menu says Tree, but most people say Leaf. Does this conundrum really matter? No, no it doesn't. The space inside is Wagamama-esque, meaning you share long tables with other parties, and sit on uncomfortable benches. The acoustics are GREAT, meaning it can get LOUD on a busy Friday night. We were yelling at each other across the table, trying to have a normal convo. The food -- luckily, our waitress was very helpful with my "does this have soy or eggs in it?" annoying questions. A dinner portion of the green curry comes with a huge heap of rice, a huge heap of salad, a huge heap of prawn crackers, and some fried something-or-others that I didn't try. Because I was STUFFED from all the other food. It certainly is value for money. I would have enjoyed my Banana Leaf/Tree experience a bit more without the shouting and long waits.... read more

Somewhat dour and patchy service, the bane of the restaurant goer ( sneaky inclusion of service charge on my visit, with the waitress trying to cover over the requisite section of the bill with a business card.jeeps), and extreme busyness don't seem to put a dent in the popularity of this stock Nappy Valley haunt. Personally, I find the food over-reliant on sugar and salt, and distinctly inauthentic. But then, that probably explains it's popularity sort of a posher Nando's ( a branch of which, incidentally, is right next door). A fine place to eat if your taste in food is middle -of-the-road, you've never eaten anything approximating authentic South East Asian food, you have children with you, or you have a thing for crowded restaurants. read more

I usually hold back on the I'm not sure exactly what type of asian food this is kind of restaurants as I find that sometimes mixing too much confuses the chef and the eater but this place is relatively good. We started with the chicken wings which in my mind thought why bother? Hardly anything to eat and the seasoning isn't anything to rave about. For our mains, we order the pad thai and laksa (super combo was it?) and they were both huge in portion and absolutely delicious. read more

Used to eat here a lot, mainly mid week, after work. The laksa was my favourite - loved the big wooden spoon they gave to eat it with! Lay out is wooden benches, a bit like Wagamamas, but smaller tables. It was resonably priced too, although prices have probably risen in the last few years. Overall, I was always pretty satisfied with this place. Now there is one in Angel, I don't have to think about travelling all the way to have their laksa! read more

The place looks pretty trendy. I'd give 4 stars because of an amazing dessert. Savory food was okay. I had Kway Teow Mee. It was interesting with two types of noodle, however it was too salty and spicy for me. My boyfriend ordered the Tamarind Crispy Fish with Thai Basil Glaze dinner combo. The sweet corn cake that came with the combo was very good. You must try their Balinese Pulut Hitam Pudding. It was basically bed of black rice served with a scoop of ice cream. It said coconut ice cream on the menu, but what was served was actually vanilla flavor. In any case it was delicious, the best part of the dinner experience :) read more

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I've been to the Banana Leaf a few times now. I love the atmosphere and the staff are always really friendly and efficient but I'm never fully satisfied with the food. True, I've had some good meals here and the food is fine but, perhaps it's personal taste, I just don't think it's the best that London has to offer. There's a Thai Cafe 10 minutes from me that serves much tastier food, which is a little cheaper. Prices at The Banana Leaf are reasonable but not the best. I guess, in the end up, I've not got anything terrible to say but nothing outstanding, this is quite an average restaurant but if there's nowhere else to go on a Friday night out, try it, you may just like it. read more

Went here on a Saturday afternoon - and while the prices and portions are good, I found that the food was a bit hit and miss and the service was slow. I had the Malaysian lamb curry, which arrived in a bowl with lots of lamb and sauce - pretty delicious, although it was not spicy at all, which I had expected and wanted. My partner had the Vietnamese beef pho - and it was in some ways an utter disaster. First, both of our dishes took forever to arrive - in fact, the people who sat next to us arrived 5 minutes after we did, and got their food a good few minutes before us! Secondly, when the pho arrived - they had forgotten to put the beef in it. Luckily, it was swiftly rectified by a new bowl of pho with beef. The pho, however, was probably the most inauthentic one I've seen in London. Firstly, the broth had spicy chilli oil in it - which ruins the clean pho broth taste that is the signature of pho. Secondly, the beef bits were thick and chunky, instead of the thin slices that should be used. Overall, not the best experience there, although most of the food was tasty, the portions good sized, and the prices reasonable. The London Insider http://www.london-insider.co.uk/ read more

SO DELICIOUS! A friend had recommended this place so when i stumbled upon it walking around exploring Clapham Junction I was excited to try it! Pleasantly surprised prices were £5-£7 for mains (lunch) and £3 for starters. We ordered the dumplings, spring rolls which came out in good time ( we were starving) and then the Kway Teow Mee which I thought was very well flavored and the Beef Rendang that came with rice and glass noodle salad. Everything was so tasty I wanted more even though I was stuffed. Also got the Iced Tea - which had an extra chai flavour to it (not just condensed milk) and their dessert - Fried Banana Profiteroles and the Pandan Pancake. Would definitely come back and if it were closer to where I'm staying I'd be there every day. All of that (2 starters, 2 mains, 2 desserts, 2 iced teas) came to about £40. read more

A great little cheap(ish, for London) and cheerful place for a quick meal. Not a place to linger and the high noise level, communal tables and slightly offhand service mean you're not really keen to. They've introduced me to the wonders of 'mock duck' a wheat based meat substitiute which is delicious and makes a nice change from tofu. It's not super cheap but the portions are very generous and I often end up taking half my meal home with me so it ends up being ok value for money. read more

This 'canteen' is the same concept as wagamama with the increasingly popular shared tables. The menu has a choice of various asian foods, from Vietnam to Thailand. The staff are ok and the food dishes are reasonably priced. I have only been in the day at weekends but there is always a steady stream of custom. The food is ok, nothing to write home about. I opted for the 'pho' noodle soup with beef and mushroom. It only contained one chewy mushroom and all the noodles were stuck together, although the stock was yummy. Good place for lazy weekend afternoons. read more

[Partly in response to the first review] - Why would you want a Wagamama when you can have Banana Leaf? This speedy super noodle joint serves up delicious plates of really rather authentic Thai food. It's buzzier than Wagamama and cheaper too - the food is more straight up Thai than Asian fusion, and there always seems to be a queue out the door. Particularly perfect for mid night out tummy filling, it's quick, tasty, cheap and lively - there's not a great deal more to say, but then again, what more could you want? read more

This is very much a Thai-like Wagamamas, with shared tables and quick service and, if the queues are anything to go by, extremely popular. The service is quick and it's relatively cheap and cheerful. It's definitely worth adding a Banana Platter of extras to your main - for only £2.50 you get a few extras that turn a light meal into something more well-rounded. The lamb curry was perfectly decent, and the sauce in the fish curry was delicious. One let down, though, was the aubergene curry that was drowning in oil and so tasteless as to be nearly inedible. Maybe this was a one-off, as the rest of the food was fine. I've had better Thai food in London, but Banana Leaf is a nice variation on Wagamamas, isn't too expensive and you can be in and out reasonably quickly. I'd be happy to come back if I needed a quick, cheap eat, although I'll avoid the aubergenes. read more

Great restaurant, a bit like wagamama but seems better value, fresher, tastier and more variety and great with kids. Recommended for a quick meal. We enjoyed the duck, pad thai and laksa - and all were generous, tasty serves. read more

Banana Tree - Prawn laksa, pad thai with chicken, roast duck - Asian Fusion Near Me - London, XGL

Great little Thai place, a bit canteen meets Waga style but intimate enough. Good fast service and a nice menu with starters around £4-5 and mains between £6-£10 They do an interesting twist on Nasi Goreng with Noodles instead of rice called Mee Goreng, highly recommended! Parking is available in the streets behind. Would definitely go again read more

Banana Tree is a great spot if you are in the mood for Asian fusion type food. I suggest going early as it gets really packed. Once you are seated they bring out some sort of fish crackers that are very unique. These were not our favorite but then we had a chicken vegetable stir fry, spicy noodle dish, and a beef curry, all of which were quite tasty. Portions are small so make sure to order plenty if hungry. They also have a kids menu which is great- one of my favorite things in London is that almost everywhere has a kids menu! My 3 year old son had some noodles which I actually ended up eating most of- they were so good! Service was fast and efficient and prices reasonable. Atmosphere is casual. read more

Really good Wagamama-esque food/atmosphere, but the menu is wider and a bit less contrived. Always packed and noisy, but in a good way. Service is fast, but the waiters don't all really speak english particularly well - personally I find this endearing, especially after a few drinks, which is usually when I end up here. Good value too - have been (and will be) back. read more

I went here on a Sunday afternoon. We were seated right away and it wasn't very busy, so I didn't experience the sound issues that most people seem to have. We had a few starters, soft drinks and two main meals. The bill was around £30. I can't even remember what I ordered, but whatever it was tasted good and I would go back. read more

I have been eating at Banana Leaf, Battersea Rise for some 10 years but am angry at the appalling way the relatively new manager has dealt with an incident in the restaurant a few weeks ago (April 2010). In brief a waiter cut his hand on a broken glass at a table and returned to serve me with blood on his hand shortly afterwards. We pointed this out then noticed he had served my son with a drink with blood in the glass. When it was replaced the straw had blood on it. I am not only disgusted with the way the accident was managed and risks related to the fact that we were served with blood in our drink, but that the new manager has not once offered any form of apology or explained that such accidents will be managed differently in future. In fact the mangeress now refuses to admit there was blood in our drink! The place is cheap and cuts corners. I strongly recommend you do not eat there. I have never submitted a review before so you can tell how disgusted I am by my treatment after years of eating there. Antony Haworth Battersea. read more

The smells emanating from this place are incredibly appetising. This is undoubtedly due to the open plan kitchen and the fact they keep the massive windows open when the weather cooperates. I'd been wanting to go to this place for ages and when my parents came to visit and wanted Thai, I jumped at the chance. Even on a Monday night, the Canteen was packed and we had to wait about 15 minutes (we had a group of 6 so that had an impact too I'm sure). Minor issue was them seating us at a table for 4 which was a bit of a squeeze but we made it. Menus were provided immediately and we select a light white from the short wine list. As far as drinks, you are basically looking at half a dozen each for red and white wines, a handful of beers, and the usual vodka or rum well drinks. We started off with lamb lettuce wraps, some chicken parcels, and dumplings. The lamb lettuce wraps is most accurately described a roast lamb salad with the usual crunchy veggies and tasty lamb in a lettuce bowl. Not quite a wrap as I've come to expect but very good flavours nonetheless. The lamb cut into fine slices, marinated in sweet (somewhat like honey bbq with dark soy) sauce and then likely grilled. The chicken parcels were basically ground chicken wrapped in a thin pastry and deep fried. There wasn't much flavour although I quite liked the presentation as they looked just as the name implies. The dumplings were steamed then pan fried for that added crispiness but as far as taste wise were just average. Being a sharing family, we ordered several dishes for the table. We opted for the duck curry, pad thai, special lamb curry, and a fish curry. I have no idea what the thai names are but I can tell you the curries were M3, M5, and M6 (well definitely M something and I think those were the right numbers). The pad thai was exceptional (always the test of a thai restaurant) which crisp crunchy veggies, succulent noodles, and savoury chicken with a solid helping of sliced chillies. I must have knocked out a third of that dish by myself. The lamb curry was tasty although the meat slightly tougher than I would have liked and the dish lacking in colour. The duck curry likewise was tasty and had the added benefit of colourful peppers however only a couple slices of duck. I'm not a huge fan of the thai method of cooking fish which leaves it a bit rubbery (or maybe that's the choice of fish) but my parents enjoyed it. My biggest issue was the portion size. For £8 I expect a larger bowl of curry (it was about the size of a clenched fist) or at least a bit more meat. The small bowls of jasmine rice at £4 a bowl was also a bit of a ripoff. The pad thai was the only generous serving (a full plate) for less than £10. Overall, I liked the tastes and loved the pad thai. I left feeling not hungry but not full either which was a bit disappointing. Banana Leaf Canteen is still one of the best thai options in the area but that's qualified in that there aren't many thai options. I'll keep it in mind when around CJ, otherwise Thai Rice does a better spread. read more

Busy atmosphere, great staff with friendly service. I ordered the Aubergine half and the monkfish noodles as I am vegan and both were delicious! I was impressed with the number of vegan options. We didn't book and there was a 20 minute wait but once seated our waiter was pretty attentive and our meals came out pretty quickly. read more

O banana tree! I have been here about 5 times now. Dishes are often good. Service often horrible. Price a bit over reasonable. A true mix of all Asian dishes, a fusion of Asia. I will most likely eat here again as Clapham junction does not have a large array of culinary delights to fight over. I often leave feeling like a spent to much on lunch but that's the name of the game when eating out these days. I'm never floored by the food but it's worth a bite! read more

Cheap and cheerful canteen style pan-Asian restaurant. The aubergine dish is probably the best vegetarian dish I've tasted. There's a nice little kids menu as well - and the portions are very generous. The laksa is delicious too. Good for families. read more

Really yummy! Got there at 7:30 on a Friday and seated right away for a group of 4, but the queues for spots started pretty soon thereafter. Got the duck red curry and it had awesome flavor. Definitely recommend the banana leaf platter so you can try some other sides and you don't need a starter. Not a huge selection of beer and wine and no cocktails but it's not too pricey and there are plenty of places nearby to grab a drink after. read more

Although we had to wait 20 minutes for someone to take our drinks order, the Greek manager's charm made up for it in the end. The food is very tasty and the portion sizes more than enough. Shall certainly be back here. WAY better than Wagamama! read more