Imam Banana Leaf Restaurant Pte Ltd — Restaurant in Singapore

Imam Banana Leaf Restaurant: A Decent Supper Stop with Room for Improvement (3/5 Stars)

Rating:

• Food: 3/5 (Decent pratas and drinks, but not exceptional; chicken curry was acceptable, but fish curry was disappointing) • Service: 2.5/5 (Quick to answer questions, but not particularly friendly; communication was a bit difficult, and the server seemed hesitant to fulfill our request) • Atmosphere: 2/5 (Lively atmosphere, but the back alley seating was dirty and unpleasant; the front was cleaner but not particularly charming) • Value: 3/5 (Prices were reasonable, but the overall experience didn't warrant a return visit)

Overall: 3/5

My friend, Donkey and I were cycling home after a day exploring the city when we decided to stop for supper at Imam Banana Leaf Restaurant. The lively atmosphere and its reputation for authentic Hyderabadi biryani caught our attention.

I ordered a tissue prata, while my friend & Donkey opted for a plain prata. My friend also tried the homemade iced lemon tea, though I didn’t get the chance to taste it myself. The pratas were acceptable, but they didn’t meet our expectations—they weren’t crispy, which was a bit disappointing. I also had a teh tarik, while Donkey went for a kopi cino. Both drinks were acceptable, though nothing particularly special.

Initially, we tried sitting in the back alley, but it was unpleasant—the tables and chairs were dirty, and there was a strong, unpleasant smell. We moved to the front of the restaurant, where things were cleaner.

The service was another area that could use improvement. While the staff were quick to answer our questions, they weren’t particularly friendly. The server struggled with English, which made communication a bit difficult. When we were first served chicken curry, Donkey requested two plates of fish curry instead. The server seemed hesitant and gestured to the curry we already had, but after Donkey insisted, he reluctantly brought us the fish curry—though he didn’t seem happy about it.

Overall, our experience at Imam Banana Leaf Restaurant was okay. The food was decent, but the overall cleanliness and service need improvement. While it wasn’t a terrible visit, it’s not a place I’d rush to return to...

I visited Imam Banana Leaf Restaurant on 14th Dec 2024 @ 10.30pm and had a very disappointing experience. The kitchen was visibly dirty, and I saw the staff handling food with unwashed hands, including picking up sunny-side-up eggs from one plate to another with no gloves or thongs. He used the same unwashed hands to pick up the ingredients and the ladle to continue cooking, simply no hygiene measures.

The staff member, Veera, insisted that 'Daging' (beef) was actually 'Kambing' (lamb), despite the fact that it was clearly beef after we tasted it. My friend is Hindu and he not suppose to eat beef due to religious reasons. When we questioned this, he claimed they only sell "Daging which is lamb" and they have the necessary certificates to prove that is Lamb/Mutton. Come lah even the signboard got put "Daging", "Ayam".

We had to wait more than 30 - 40 minutes for simple Maggi Goreng, Nasi Goreng Kampung and Kway Teow Goreng and despite being told our food was next to be served multiple times.

When the food arrive, its so high in sodium which is salty. None of us took more than 2 or 3 bites. Not only unpleasant to consume but also concerning from a health perspective.

The restaurant was stuffy and poorly maintained, and there were no clear systems in place for managing orders. There is no menu cards nor pricing of the food stated anywhere on the shop boards.

Overall, it was a frustrating experience, and we left hungry and dissatisfied.

DINE AT YOUR OWN RISK! DON'T SAY WE DID...

Kitty, a friend, and I were cycling home from a day exploring the city, when we decided to stop for supper at Imam Banana Leaf Restaurant. We were drawn to the lively atmosphere of this well-established eatery, known for its authentic Hyderabadi biryani.

Kitty ordered the tissue prata, while I and our friend had a plain prata. Our friend also ordered a homemade ice lemon tea, though I didn't manage to try it. While the pratas were acceptable, they didn't live up to our expectations. They were also not crispy. Kitty opted for a teh tarik, and I had a kopi cino. Both the teh tarik and the cappuccino were acceptable.

Initially, we tried to sit in the back alley, but the chairs and tables were dirty, and there was a strong, unpleasant smell. We moved to the front of the restaurant, which was cleaner.

The service, however, was lacking. While the staff were quick to answer any questions we had, there wasn't a sense of friendliness. The server was not very fluent in English. When we initially received chicken curry, I asked for two plates of fish curry thereafter. He seemed hesitant and gestured that we already had curry, but I insisted. He reluctantly provided the fish curry, but he didn't seem happy about it.

Overall, we had an acceptable experience at Imam Banana Leaf Restaurant, but it wasn't really enjoyable. The food was decent. The overall cleanliness of the restaurant...