Banana Leaf (Fairview) – Rasa Summer Platter

Summer barely started in Vancouver this year and now it’s almost over… what’s a person to do? Get down to a restaurant and try out their special summer menus before they disappear for the season!

We’ve been to Banana Leaf many times (see our other post here: Banana Leaf) but this time, we decided to try some of their summer specials. To compliment our meals, we started with a virgin Lychee Mojito and Kalamansi Soda. The mojito had a subtle lychee flavour and the kalamansi (like a minature orange) had a very refreshing citrus kick.

It’s probably a personal taste, but I still think Banana Leaf has the best Roti Canai around… the perfect amount of flakiness and soft, chewy texture. I’ve tried the roti at Bo Laksa King on Joyce before they closed out and it was okay but I didn’t think it was as good as Banana Leaf.

The Rasa Summer Platter is a collection of their small bites and is perfect for sharing.

At first, I thought this was squid ink but it’s actually steamed eggplant that’s been marinated in black rice vinegar and served cold.

The mango kerabu is a mango salad served with kerabu and sweet and sour dressing… perfect for summer weather. Next to it is the sole fillets.

The peppercorn oysters were outstanding and my favourite part of the dish. As well, the grilled prawns were fresh and tasty.

I had trouble deciding between the Malaysian and Singapore Laksa but wound up getting the Singapore Laksa and I’m glad I did. The rich coconut soup base was so flavourful… I could just drink this on it’s own. Of course, the soup also comes with a nice collection of chicken, squid, tofu, egg, fishcake, and shrimp.