buns instead. Another thing is that we had no choice but to order the chicken and pork Bahn Mi due to the reason that the Vietnamese Meat Bahn Mi was not available. It was very ironic due to the fact that the flavor that was the closest to the traditional Bahn Mi was not available. The Beef Pho was okay though in my opinion it lacked flavor, on the other hand the breaded mushrooms were surprisingly delicious and appetizing as well!
After having a light meal at Pho Hoa, we decided to have our heavy lunch at Banana Leaf, one of my favorite Asian restaurants! At Banana Leaf, we ordered Thai Style Pad Thai, Chicken Satay, Malayan Beef Curry with Potatoes, Roti Canai, and Teh Tarik. The dish that I liked the least was the Chicken Satay because it was too dry and lacked flavor. The Curry and the Roti Canai was really good, the combination of the spices that the curry brings together with the crispness and flakiness of the Roti Canai was an excellent combination. Lastly, my two favorite dishes were the Thai Style Pad Thai and the Teh Tarik. The Pad Thai is the greatest thing that I have ever tasted in Banana Leaf so far, the al dente bite of the rice noodles plus the sweet spicy taste of the sauce together with the shrimp is a perfect balance in my palette. You really just can’t dine in Banana Leaf without ordering Pad Thai! With the Teh Tarik on the other hand, I myself have experienced making a traditional Teh Tarik in our Asian Cuisine Class, though the Teh Tarik that we ordered tasted better than the ones we made in class, we weren’t so sure if they really did “pull” the drink like how the traditional Teh Tarik is supposed to be prepared.
All in all...
both restaurants are highly recommendable. If you are craving for a Vietnamese fast-casual dining chain that serves fresh ingredients and healthy dishes Pho Hoa is a good eating place, although if you want a taste and experience of a modern Malaysian, Singaporean, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, and Indonesian Cuisine, then Banana Leaf is a must try!
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