Banana Tree for South East Asian Street Food

Banana Tree, a restaurant chain in the UK. The pan-asian restaurant is a delightful spot that offers an escape into the vibrant flavours of Southeast Asia. Being from the region ourselves, we were eager to check out just how authentic the flavours were. Read on to find out what we really thought.

The Banana Tree boasts Asian inspired dishes from Kyoto (Japan), Hanoi (Vietnam), Chiang Mai (Thailand), Phuket Island (Thailand), Kajang, Penang (Malaysia), Singapore and more. According to the Big Table Group (the owners of the chain), their menu is made up of the best dishes from around the region.

The Interior

The Banana Tree restaurant on Milsom Street, in Bath (formerly Cafe Rouge) is a casual yet buzzing atmosphere. It makes a great destination for both intimate dinners and group gatherings. There are your typical two, four, and round table seating arrangements as well as canteen style, long tables and benches.

We were familiar with the building itself as we had been there a few times when it was Cafe Rouge. While the interior doesn’t quite transport you elsewhere like it did when it was Cafe Rouge (to France), the mix of modern and minimalist decor with neon signs, bright murals, framed photos, large potted (fake) banana plants and a full size bar, does somewhat work. However, the paper placemats Ala Wagamama is a giveaway that this is yet another restaurant chain.

Banana Tree Canteen Long Table and Bench

The Food

The menu at Banana Tree boasts a variety of dishes that cater to an array of tastes and dietary preferences. From the aromatic and flavourful Laksa soups to the hearty and comforting Tamarind Spicy Aubergine (Aubergine Half with Aromatic Caramel Sauce), each dish serves up authenticity with a modern twist. The Malaysian Kajang Chicken Satay is a particular highlight, served with a sort of peanut sauce that’s both sweet and savoury.

We ordered the following:

Prawn Crackers
Malaysian Kajang Satay
Singapore Laksa Soupy Noodle with Chicken
Thai Chicken Massaman Curry

Prawn Crackers

We ordered the Prawn crackers to tide us over until the mains came. Most places, Rosa Thai, Thai Balcony and Thaikun usually bring a basket of these crackers to start without it needing to be ordered, or at least it is usually offered. At £3.99 (at the time of writing) it was pricey for what was served.

We also realised later that the crackers were a feature in a lot of the mains including the Thai Chicken Massaman Curry and Rice that we ordered. It is also served as a side for all the different Pad Thai stir fried noodles, rice and other dishes.

Prawn crackers are actually a difficult thing to get wrong. It is simply a case of deep frying them in sufficiently hot oil. The challenge is in controlling the temperature of the oil, not hot enough and the crackers don’t puff up, too hot and the crackers burn. unfortunately the ones served at Banana Tree whilst not terrible, were not perfect. Some were slightly undercooked and had hard bits in the midst of the overall crunch.

Malaysian Kajang Satay

Whilst we are not originally from Kajang, we are extremely discerning satay aficionados – which in a way is rather unfair. Our standards are extremely high. So did the satay at Banana Tree pass the taste test? While the marinate and flavours are pretty spot on, the Satay at Banana Tree consisted of chicken breast meat.

For satay to be truly authentic, dark meat (ie deboned thighs and drums) is the usual option. The mouth feel of dark meat vs white meat is significant. The firmness of more chewy texture of white meat while perfect for most ‘Western’ dishes, does not work as well for Asian cooking and especially for satay.

While the convenience of breast meat when threading satay sticks is a real advantage, it is significantly easier to get breast meat on to skewers compared to thigh or drum pieces, the end result is not quite the same. Thighs and drums have a slightly higher fat content which means that on the barbecue, they end up more juicy and tender.

The peanut sauce served to accompany the satay was also disappointing. It was watery and too sweet for our taste. The condiment dish used to ‘hold’ the sauce did not make it easy either. Traditionally, satay is not just dipped in the peanut sauce, but rather swiped in a mass of it, ensuring that each mouthful is a huge complex mix of the satay, the sauce and often and accompanying piece of cucumber or onion. This means that the peanut sauce is usually served in a low, shallow dish. Satay hawkers in Malaysia are usually very generous with the sauce, as reputations are made and built on the accompaniment alone. Unfortunately, it was not the case at Banana tree. There was barely enough peanut sauce for even our small portion, 4 sticks of Satay. Points for presentation though.

Singapore Laksa Soupy Noodle with Chicken

Likewise, the Singapore Laksa at Banana Tree does not detract too far in terms of taste and flavour. The rich, creamy curry broth did do justice to its name. Unfortunately that is as far as authenticity goes.

The bowl of laksa was a fairly large portion however, the noodles that would traditionally should consist of fine rice vermicelli was instead made up of the slightly thicker rice noodles usually used in Pad Thai. The accompanying vegetable consisted of aubergine and a single strand of coriander and a slice of chilli served as garnish. The wedge of line, sliced barbecue chicken and tofu pieces did serve the overall dish well, although that too was a slight deviation from the original.

In terms of taste, the Singapore Laksa passed as authentic. However, lime wedges are not strictly Singapore Laksa (usually only found in Sarawak Laksa), the toppings could go further to include prawn slices even half a hard boiled egg. The chicken is usually boiled shredded chicken meat and not barbecued.

Overall, the taste hit well, but everything else from the noodle choice to the accompanying toppings and garnish were disappointing.

Banana Tree Singapore Laksa with Chicken

Thai Chicken Massaman Curry with Jasmine Rice

Thai Massaman curry is a difficult dish to get wrong. The standard massaman paste and easy to cook method makes this a usually ‘safe’ option. At Banana tree, the Massaman curry chicken was authentic in terms of taste and flavour. The portions were fairly generous and the overall presentation was pretty. Served with jasmine rice, a side salad and two pieces of prawn crackers, the plate was enticing.

The curry consisted of approximately 5 large slices of chicken breasts cooked well in the sauce. The whole-peanut topping however, while tasty was a detraction from the curry. It would have made for better presentation and taste if the peanuts were coarsely ground and added as a garnish instead.

The disappointment in this dish sadly, was that while the curry was served piping hot, the rice was lukewarm at best. It did not make for a great combination and although the curry sauce was warmer, it was not warm enough to heat up the rice. The salad was a nice addition and offered a refreshing and healthier alternative to the other items on the plate. Overall the Massaman curry was a tasty option, although let down by the slightly cold rice.

The Service

Although the food at Banana Tree was not amazing by any means, the great save was the service; staff are friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, and eager to recommend dishes based on your preferences. They contribute significantly to the welcoming environment, making you feel like a valued guest.

At the time of our visit, there was a 2-for-1 offer on all cocktails and mocktails, making the relatively pricey £6.75 per drink much better value. The 2-for-1 were for two exact same drinks. The options do complement the cuisine provide an interesting pairing.

Would we go back

Value-wise, Banana Tree’s mains veer towards the more pricey end of the spectrum. They would be considered fair, possibly even cheap by London standards but outside of the capital, there is better value to be found elsewhere. The portions are generous but not huge; definitely not large enough for sharing, although they are not meant to be, as standard orders.

Unfortunately for the discerning foodie, Banana Tree is not a special experience. The lack of attention to the finer details of each dish was disappointing. The overall taste and flavour were enough to make everything work really well, if only it was more focussed on authenticity and less on fusion. In a way, it would have passed if it were marketed as fusion rather than the originals.

In a similar vein, the use of dried bamboo leaves as a plate decoration under the rice and the satay as opposed to fresh banana leaves was not an equivalent replacement.

Overall, while we probably would not visit Banana Tree again, we would recommend it if you’re new to Southeast Asian food and are interested to have a taster. However if you’re looking for something authentic and true to the real experience, skip Banana Tree and head out to one of the many great independents.