Promising New Indian Restaurant In On 2Nd Road: Banana Leaf

[Jingthing]

This new place is just across the road from the Alcazar theater. It's on the second level of the building there.

As suggested by its name they have South Indian food. But their menu suggests a complete Indian menu including tandoori dishes. However, the tandoori part of their menu won't be happening for a few weeks.

I stopped in for a South Indian vegetarian Thali, under 200 baht.

Got a very generous and tasty thali served in ceramic bowls rather than a metal platter or banana leaf. 3 or 4 curries, generous portion of rotis, very generous portion of decent basmati rice. The curries were very pleasant and spicy as requested. I was even offered REFILLS of anything I wanted which is the tradition with South Indian banana leaf meals even though this wasn't served on a leaf.

The general pricing of the menu is on the low end for Pattaya. The authenticity factor appears high. So I think this might be the beginning of good value Indian food choice for us, something that is a bit rare here.

Based on the other customers, it appears they are catering to small tour bus groups of Indian people coming in for set meal tour group meals. That isn't necessarily a bad thing if they can cook delicious authentic Indian food, which so far, I believe that they can and do!

So more good food news in our multicultural city.

[toenail]

Indian restaurants in town have sprung up on every block like tailor shops. It is good to know which ones are "good" and which ones are catering to the one time only tourist. (One of my favorites is Spices near Royal Garden by the way.) I don't understand why every Indian restaurant in town has to have the heavy wooden chairs, white table cloths on long tables, with a boring decor.

[Jingthing]

Isn't Spices known better by its nickname Prices?

[Jingthing]

OK, just to let you know, I've been back to this Banana Leaf joint three times now and the place is consistently good. To my palate, the food has character and soul, kind of like I imagine good Indian home cooking. I recommend it highly and they sure would appreciate the custom as well (you WILL be warmly welcomed). OK, I must admit they upped their prices a tad, but not much.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Jingthing

[BlackPuddingBertha]

OK, I must admit they upped their prices a tad, but not much.

How much is the 200B Thali now, and do they still refill?

I fancy going to this place. Indian food is so overpriced here.

[PattayaPhom]

Mr jingthing, I have vowed never to try an Indian in Thailand again however my tastebuds require an Indian sensation. Saturday I looked at a place in Jomtien and didn't even bother entering after seeing the prices. I will try this place on your reccomedation and hope it will be good. I trust you will refund me if it's not upto scratch

[Jingthing]

I will try this place on your reccomedation and hope it will be good. I trust you will refund me if it's not upto scratch

Not a chance, mate! AYOR.

[Jingthing]

OK, I must admit they upped their prices a tad, but not much.

How much is the 200B Thali now, and do they still refill?

I fancy going to this place. Indian food is so overpriced here.

The veg one something like 240 I think. The one with chicken curry 260. Refills still? Don't know but whatever they give you should really be quite enough food. I think the tandoori oven is working now as well.

BTW, this place obviously has the expected South Indian stuff like dosas but for dosa type stuff I personally prefer SARAS.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Jingthing

[BlackPuddingBertha]

The veg one something like 240 I think. The one with chicken curry 260. Refills still? Don't know but whatever they give you should really be quite enough food.

Veg sounds just right. I do like a decent amount though. Do they do chapatis with it or only roti and rice? I like chapatis.

[Jingthing]

Chapatis AND rice.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Right, I'll try it soon.

[aliep]

Spices on 3rd road takes a lot of beating, but it's expensive and sometimes gets a bit loud

[BlackPuddingBertha]

I tried it. Or at least I tried to try it.

Dragged myself off to Alcazar at around 7:30 Saturday evening, which seems a reasonable time to be eating.

Had a lot of trouble actually finding the place. It seems to be called Palm Leaf rather than Banana Leaf, and the 2nd floor sign is barely visible from street level. No signs at all at street level. After quite a bit of searching I found an escalator (not signposted) that led to what appeared to be a completely deserted 2nd floor, with no signs anywhere, but tucked away around the corner there was indeed something that looked like an Indian restaurant. It was a bit hard to be sure as the only sign visible anywhere was one saying "no drinks from outside allowed". No menu in the window. No "open" in the window. No "welcome". Not even a "p*ss off".

No customers inside (there's a surprise), just three Indians who could have been staff, or the owners, or just some blokes off the street who fancied a quiet nap which indeed they seemed to be getting.

I looked once, I looked again, and then I turned around and walked away.

Nowhere on the entire planet have I come across a more badly promoted business. These people deserve to fail; they are just too incompetent for words.

[Jingthing]

Yeah, you're right, I guess it's called Palm Leaf. Oops on that.

I never said the place is crowded! I have seen an Indian group there and they get some small tours, but they are starting out slow.

Believe me, IF you had walked in and asked to see a menu, they would have perked right up.

I don't think it is very fair to diss a place you weren't even willing to try. If they were there, they were open.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

I have no idea what the food is like and I didn't comment on that, but I do feel entirely justified in "dissing" their business acumen: they have none at all.

[Jingthing]

I have no idea what the food is like and I didn't comment on that, but I do feel entirely justified in "dissing" their business acumen: they have none at all.

You don't actually know that. They might be banking on their groups. Also if you're not Indian, they're not really expecting you. I would agree that's silly of them but unless we are brave and walk in to such places, order, eat, and pay, they might be right! I didn't mean to suggest your reaction the zibe there isn't valid and probably accurate. Some people aren't as adventurous as I am, I reckon. At that place once you break the ice and show yourself as a customer, believe me, it will be a warm experience. Edited December 15, 2012 by Jingthing

[PattayaPhom]

I tried it a few weeks ago. Yes its called Palm Leaf and yes up the escalator. Lady that was inside looked liked she found a penny and lost a pound. The whole place remineded me of a 1970's works canteen. The service was atrocious (to begin with)...waited a lifetime for order to be taken even though only a few customers. Didnt write anything down hence they forgot drinks and had to ask twice...........however, not sure if their lottery numbers came up as suddenly it was smiles all around and very attentive. The food arrived, very large portions as mentioned.....naam bread is the best have ever had in Thailand, curries were okish and rice plentiful....not exactly cheap and nothing special.....I wont go again but it is definately worth a try as may suit some peoples palate.

[Jingthing]

I forget to mention. At that place, like many others, if you're white, and you want lots of spice in your curries, you need to ask for that and ask for that FORCEFULLY. Otherwise, they will dumb down. they might even dumb down if you ask but less than they would if you didn't. Fact of life.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Jingthing

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Hmmm.

Do I spend 240/260B for a Thali in a tin-pot place that treats me badly and may make the food tasteless because I am white, or do I spend just 299B for a first-class Indian buffet in Dicey Reilly's where they treat me correctly and make me feel welcome, and where the food is cooked by a very good chef and is authentic in flavour?

Sometimes decisions aren't hard.

[Jingthing]

Hmmm.

Do I spend 240/260B for a Thali in a tin-pot place that treats me badly and may make the food tasteless because I am white, or do I spend just 299B for a first-class Indian buffet in Dicey Reilly's where they treat me correctly and make me feel welcome, and where the food is cooked by a very good chef and is authentic in flavour?

Sometimes decisions aren't hard.

Up to you! I tried Diceys and found it atrocious. Their curries were swimming in fat. I could only eat a TINY portion of any of the curries and in my view they designed it that way to be stingy on buffet food costs. Yes their spicing is good but I would NEVER go back there because of their SUPER RICH FATTY curries. Once bitten. Again, food is subjective. Edited December 16, 2012 by Jingthing

[ray35ty]

i went to ali baba two times with my girlfriend and myself. it was wonderful service and excellent food. both occasions i spent 1100 baht. we had 3 meals with rice and a couple of nan bread.

[Jingthing]

i went to ali baba two times with my girlfriend and myself. it was wonderful service and excellent food. both occasions i spent 1100 baht. we had 3 meals with rice and a couple of nan bread.

Well that place has been around for Donkey's years so they're doing something right, I guess. Do I like it? No.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

I tried Diceys and found it atrocious. Their curries were swimming in fat. I could only eat a TINY portion of any of the curries and in my view they designed it that way to be stingy on buffet food costs.

The first time I went it was indeed a little rich. Since then they have altered the recipes and I didnt find the main dishes over-rich at all when I was there the other week.

I think it would be better if they had plain rice as well as the "fancy" sort, and some plain chapatis would go down well also as an alternative to the rather oily (but very tasty) roti/naan.

[Jingthing]

I tried Diceys and found it atrocious. Their curries were swimming in fat. I could only eat a TINY portion of any of the curries and in my view they designed it that way to be stingy on buffet food costs.

The first time I went it was indeed a little rich. Since then they have altered the recipes and I didnt find the main dishes over-rich at all when I was there the other week.

I think it would be better if they had plain rice as well as the "fancy" sort, and some plain chapatis would go down well also as an alternative to the rather oily (but very tasty) roti/naan.

I hear you but I'm skeptical, so I won't be back, plus I seriously dislike the vibe in that joint. Good for you that you enjoy it, different people, different tastes. So totally plastic, corporate, touristy. About as Irish as Whoopie Goldberg. Edited December 16, 2012 by Jingthing

[Jayman]

I tried Diceys and found it atrocious. Their curries were swimming in fat. I could only eat a TINY portion of any of the curries and in my view they designed it that way to be stingy on buffet food costs.

The first time I went it was indeed a little rich. Since then they have altered the recipes and I didnt find the main dishes over-rich at all when I was there the other week.

I think it would be better if they had plain rice as well as the "fancy" sort, and some plain chapatis would go down well also as an alternative to the rather oily (but very tasty) roti/naan.

Where is diceys and when it's the Indian buffet?

[Jingthing]

Where is diceys and when it's the Indian buffet?

To the right of Royal Garden, 2nd road. One night. Wednesdays. Starts at 6 P.M. It does not last long and there may be issues with replenishment. Suggest showing at 6 P.M. for the best possible experience. The drinks are touristically priced.

http://www.diceyspub.com/article-detail/17/?crmid=365b574f680a53112f586d844de36477

[londoedan]

Where is diceys and when it's the Indian buffet?

To the right of Royal Garden, 2nd road. One night. Wednesdays. Starts at 6 P.M. It does not last long and there may be issues with replenishment. Suggest showing at 6 P.M. for the best possible experience. The drinks are touristically priced.

http://www.diceyspub...f586d844de36477

And its really cold - bring a jacket.

[PattayaPhom]

Indian food in an Irish pub in Thailand...have to laugh at that....lets face it, there really isnt any decent Indian food in Pattaya, mediocre at best.

[Jingthing]

Indian food in an Irish pub in Thailand...have to laugh at that....lets face it, there really isnt any decent Indian food in Pattaya, mediocre at best.

I don't agree with that. I think there are some decent places for Indian food in town. Not the best in the world, but decent. There are some high end places that I'm too cheap to try so can't comment on those, but for example I consider SARAS (vegetarian) decent and its clear the Indian families eating there do too (for one example). Maybe this is a semantics thing, but I would consider decent a notch up from mediocre, but not to mean stellar. I do think the MAJORITY of the Indian food in town is actually SUB-PAR (less than mediocre) and on average nowhere near the quality of what I used to get in California in Indian areas.

Obviously a lot depends on your palate and what you have been exposed to before, and also what you think of what you have been exposed to before.

Edited December 17, 2012 by Jingthing

[BlackPuddingBertha]

I hear you but I'm skeptical, so I won't be back, plus I seriously dislike the vibe in that joint. Good for you that you enjoy it, different people, different tastes. So totally plastic, corporate, touristy. About as Irish as Whoopie Goldberg.

The chef is Indian and knows his job, and that's all I care about. I dont eat the decor; dont even notice it to be honest. I'm there for the food. The chairs are comfortable and the service is good. The beer is way overpriced but that's the same in all "pubs".