BANANA LEAF — Restaurant in Riga

This place is in the heart of Riga Center, easily accessible. Staff is really nice, polite and very well behaved, they always greet you smile on the face. I met with the owner of this restaurant as well, what a nice and well behaved guy. Guess every resturant owner should learn from him. Thank you sir.

Coming to food options, I had tried almost everything in Vegetrian options and to my surprise this place really serves the best authentic indian taste. Highlights of my visits there and the reason why I visit the place so often: Masala tea and Ginger tea is really out of the world, the aroma of tea and when I took the first sip omg it was really took mw back to India. Onam festival food: Being oitside India, they served the food on real BANANA LEAF and above all the special food on Onam was delicious, finger licking. I asked the owner once to give us Paniaram(was not in the menu yet, onlg possible by delivery with BOLT food app) and he agreed to serve the dish, going out of the way to make the special dishes for me and my wife. And we tried Salted Paniaram & Sweet Paniaram, I cant say much about these dishes, never tasted such food even in India. This dish was really having authentic South Indian taste, made my day. Ghee roast dosa: I mean what could I say about it, this dosa is my favourite and when I am not in good mood, go there and order Ghee Roast Dosa and it really works for me. :) :) Gobhi fry with Lemon slice: I did not expect this dish to be good from South Indian place but truely speaking I was so happy that I tried this dish here. Spinach Chetinad dhal: This Dhal with Phoolka(Roti/chapati) is really make you feel eat more. Additionally they have pure wheat chapati. Masala papad: I liked this as well because they make it mouth watering. Kothu Prota and Kothu Idli: I tried this for the first time in life and I was more than happy after eating this. Mango lassi: Must try item, controlled sweetness and...

Noticed this small restaurant/bar while walking by and seeing Indian people eating there, thought it must be at least somewhat authentic then. Visited this place a few times afterwards, was happy to encounter really pleasant staff and nice atmosphere. The place specializes in southern Indian cuisine, as opposed to "Singh's" northern dishes, and most people in Riga will likely find the menu very exotic, unlike Lage's "Thali". Prices are fair for the most part (with some exceptions like 6 EUR for a teapot of masala tea), and portion sizes are decent. I haven't tried many meat dishes here yet, but it seems like they don't put as much as you would expect in different places. For example, chicken biriani contained a singe chicken drumstick, bone included - which I guess is probably authentic, but I'd expect pieces of filet or thigh without the bone. However dishes with paneer or dosa are tasty, filling and spicy, so I'd recommend trying those. Desserts are really nice and I haven't seen some of these options elsewhere in Riga (like carrot halwa, kesari, etc). Really recommend trying those.

Depending on who serves you, there might be some communication issues. Like ordering an entire teapot for two people and getting a single cup, then asking for another cup for a second person and getting an empty cup since the server thinks you want to share.

All in all recommend visiting at least once.

Gatavo un apkalpo indieši, jāzin angļu valodu lai pasūtīt. Ir meņu latviešu valodā. Pipars ir pat neassos ēdienos, prasiet mazāk čili oficiantiem. Ļoti autentiski. Готовят и обслуживают индусы, надо знать английский для заказа. Меню на английском и латышском. Не острые блюда тоже пряные, просите добавлять меньше перца если...

Dear Banana LeafTeam,

I hope this message finds you well. I feel compelled to share my recent experiences at your restaurant, as they have left an indelible mark on my perception of your establishment.

A month ago, I ventured into your restaurant, enticed by the allure of your delectable cuisine. To my dismay, the exceptional food was overshadowed by the deplorable service I received. It was an evening marred by frustration, where the service was nothing short of abysmal.

Hoping that my first visit was an unfortunate anomaly, I decided to return again with a friend, who shared my eagerness to sample your culinary delights. However, our enthusiasm quickly waned as we found ourselves ensnared in the same web of service-related issues that had haunted my previous visit. It was disheartening to realize that my friend too encountered the same lamentable experience.

I am sharing this feedback with a heavy heart, as I genuinely appreciate the quality of your food. It is my sincere hope that you take this matter seriously and embark on a journey of service improvement. Your potential to shine brightly in Riga's culinary scene is undeniable, and I believe that by addressing these service issues, you can unlock the full potential of your restaurant.

Please accept this feedback as a heartfelt plea for change rather than a mere complaint. I sincerely wish for your restaurant to become a beacon of exceptional dining experiences, where the service matches the excellence of your cuisine.

Best...