a good way to share
By se7enthbird
@se7enthbird (8307)
Philippines
June 7, 2010 7:47pm CST
we were at the mall yesterday and we are looking for a place to eat. my wife spotted this restaurant that serves the food on a plate with banana leaves. and some orders are wrap in banana leaves. so we gave it a go. while we are waiting for our order there was a poster there with information of the restaurant. the restaurant is called BINALOT , that means to wrap. that is the reason why some of the orders are wrapped in banana leaves. it is said in the poster that when you eat there you give farmers to plant more banana tree and to harvest banana leaves. they have this DAHON PROGRAM (dahon means leaves) has empowered the women of the community as they now earn about 200 pesos a day from cutting the leaves, the environment has also benefited from the program as leaf trimmings. heres the link to read more http://www.binalot.com/csr. i was satisfied eating there, not because the food taste great, but also i am happy that i was able to help by eating there. me and my wife will sure be visiting BINALOT more in the future.
1 person likes this
8 responses
@mspitot (3824)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
i haven't tried binalot though they say it's good. there's also a restaurant i know where they serve food in sinamay (not sure if that's really how it's called) plates then lined with banana leaf. it's our traditional way of serving food in the Philippines. they don't have any fork and spoon for you have to use your hands in eating like how we pinoys traditionally eat. my korean students before and even more korean students now like eating there for the pinoy dining experience. it's not actually a real restaurant for it's more of an ordinary eatery if you'll base the appearance but many people even those rich and "pasosyal" eat there.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
there was this restaurant that i forgot the name that they also serve it on banana leaves. when we eat also every reunion on a long table and covered with banana leaves. that is fun and the food taste better specially when you put it on the top of banana leaves and the food still hot. suman also has a distinct taste due to it is wrap with banana leaves. thanks a lot for the response and it is cool to know that foreigners like your korean students love to eat Fil food.
@keval32 (1096)
• India
8 Jun 10
Wow!! Great to here that, it's great when you help someone whether directly or indirectly. It seems that you're from Philippines, I just startled that at Philippines there is people being served on Banana leaves.
Here in India, at south region people are used to eat on Banana leaves, at country side everybody eats on Banana leaves, and also there at urban area there are many restaurants which offers meal on Banana leaves. That's great I think, it inspires farmers to plant more tree.
Liked your post !!
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
yes i am from the philippines and yes people from the country side here eats on banana leaves too. here in the city the fast food are all styro and plastic spoons and fork. this restaurant is affordable, it taste good and you give work to farmers to plant more trees and the woman to harvest more. leaves no longer go to waste. thanks a lot for the response. it is good to know that you like my post
@rajaiv0810 (1012)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
I used to eat at Binalot before in SM Megamall. It was only in the food court t that time. They really have good food and was on the budget. However, I am not sure if this all the same Binalot though. But as you mentioned it I suddenly crave for adobo in a gata. yum yum. It's also good to know that they have programs as such for farmers. In that way you are helping them out earn a living.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
13 Jun 10
now coming to my discussion and reading your response made me crave for adobo also. har har har. the binalot place here at the mall near us was not just at the food court they have their own little restaurant and poster are all over that gave us the chance to read it and to know about their program. thanks a lot for the response
@Roseo8 (2947)
• India
9 Jun 10
Hi Se7enth,wow its great to hear that there is a restaurant in your country where food is served on banana (plantain leaves)......Actually here in Kerala it has been the tradition for years to eat /serve food on plantain leaves ,and especially for weddings too...My state is full of natural vegetation,including plantain trees,and even in most hotels they serve food on plantain leaves....Yes you are right food served on these leaves do taste better,and we even make some dishes by wrapping in plantain leaves and steaming them........
Hats off to BINALOT for opting for this mode of serving food,and their reason for doing it is really laudable.......
Hats off to BINALOT for opting for this mode of serving food,and their reason for doing it is really laudable.......@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
13 Jun 10
we also have traditions like that. we also have foods that are cooked inside the banana leaves, but this is different, you dont just bought a affordable yummy food but also you helped farmers and the harvesters to have income. we also, when we have our reunion we have this long table covered with banana leaves and that is where we all eat together. its fun, eating using hands no fork and spoons plus the taste is different for the food when its hot and place on the top of the banana leaves is more inviting and yummy. thanks a lot for the response roseo. and yes hands off for binalot for thinking a great idea for food presentation and for helping not only people but the environment as well.
@srganesh (6340)
• India
8 Jun 10
i am from India and here banana leaves are used almost in all hotels and restaurants.It is our culture to serve food in banana leaves and it is easy to dispose too.And it is hygienic too as there is not second use like plates.
I appreciate the thought of helping farmers in your country.Well,our economy should boost their lives.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
13 Jun 10
yes here also in our country there are hotels that uses banana leaves as well specially when their motif is local, there are different nationality hotels so they serve the food the way their culture do it. so there are places that uses bana leaves and there are places that are not. there are a lot of chinese restaurant here as well and they use china wares than banana leaves. thanks a lot for the response
@emdyey09 (264)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
I love BINALOT! Its somehow more appetizing if you eat in a banana leaf. It's very natural. And I'm also aware of this program that they have and I believe that BINALOT is a company that is not just environment friendly (because they use purely organic materials), but is also very active in helping the marginalized folks to earn more income.
And now that I've been reminded of BINALOT, I'll definitely eat there soon!
I wish they have BINALOT in all malls here in the Philippines.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
welcome to the world of mylot emd. the binalot branch in the mall near us is newly open and it was a great experience to eat there. we learned a lot of things, plus we also bought take outs like leche flan, salted egg and laing in the bottle. har har har. i know we will be visiting that place again. thanks a lot for the response
@asereht1970 (424)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
I haven't tried eating at Binalot, but i have tried a lot of times before eating in banana leaves. The food when wrapped in banana leaves seems to taste better than in a styro.
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
yes it is better than styro. the hot rice gets a special flavors from banana leaves that adds goodness to the food. food that was wrap in banana leaves smells more flavorful than when you open a food in a styro. thanks a lot for the response and have a great day.
@juicekodai (1121)
• Philippines
8 Jun 10
i love eating foods in banana leaves it seems to taste good if the plate is the banana leaf and its taste better when shared with friends or other people...
