I TAKE my hat off to Banana Leaf. It’s a restaurant of choice for many heading to the Canberra Theatre Centre and within a nanosecond it can transform from being half full to bulging.

The staff and kitchen handle the rush with finesse, conscious that customers have to be out the door on time, but don’t want to feel pressured. When there’s time, your experience starts with staff bringing their hands together, bowing their heads and saying: “Ayubowan”, which means “Welcome. We hope you will enjoy the presentation”.
Three of us ended up at Banana Leaf before heading off to see Ten Tenors (with one of the singers, Toby Francis, from Canberra).
Banana Leaf’s menu is ambitious; pages of dishes celebrating the inspiring food that represents Sri Lanka. The restaurant is correct when it reports that the menu offers dishes tempered with Indian, Arab, Malay, Moor, Portuguese, Dutch and British influences. If your taste buds prefer, select from the small number of modern Australian and Italian dishes.
We started with roti and spicy condiments. It was the best roti I’ve had in ages, super soft and sumptuous and piping hot.
I ordered the chicken biryani, a dish made with rice, meat and spices. There are so many varieties of this dish it’s unbelievable. This one was created with oven-baked basmati rice and chicken cooked in a ginger and turmeric stock with secret Sri Lankan spices and herbs. It comes with a boiled egg and condiments ($27.90). It’s an amazingly generous dish, so much so, I couldn’t finish it (at least not without falling asleep during the show).

My dining companions ordered the Sri Lankan-style rice and curry dish, which one companion had enjoyed before and was determined to have again. It’s gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan (whew). This traditional dish is like a mini buffet on a plate, with a couple of curries, rice, coconut sambol and thin, crispy pappadam. It’s an explosion of colour and flavours ($28.90).
I will return to Banana Leaf on a Friday, between 6pm and 8pm, which is the only time the restaurant serves Sri Lankan Plain and Egg Hoppers, a popular street food. These special crepes, made often with rice flour and coconut milk, are formed into edible bowls. At Banana Leaf the special is with three plain hoppers and an egg hopper served with beef, chicken, fish or vegetarian curries ($28.90).
If you’re a seafood lover, dig into the spicy king prawns curry or garlic or chilli prawns.
Banana Leaf is casual by day and more refined at night, with indoor and outdoor dining. My recommendation, if you’re heading to the theatre, is to book in advance. If not, you’ll likely miss out.
Banana Leaf, 2/240–250 City Walk, Civic. Call 6193 9335.