Review: Banana Tree Oxford, George Street

Thai cuisine is one of those cuisines that rarely disappoints: bold flavours, comforting curries, fragrant noodles and plenty of choice for both meat-eaters and vegetarians.

Banana Tree Oxford brings those flavours to the heart of the city, offering a lively, approachable take on Thai and South-East Asian food right on George Street.

Located centrally, Banana Tree is surrounded by theatres, pubs and other restaurants, making it an easy choice whether you’re planning a relaxed dinner, pre-theatre meal or evening drinks with friends.

Disclosure: A complimentary voucher for Banana Tree Oxford was received in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I booked a table for 7pm and, even at that time, the restaurant already had a good buzz.

We were greeted warmly on arrival and shown to a table on a slightly raised section of the restaurant.

This layout works well, with smaller tables for couples alongside larger ones suited to families and groups, making it feel like a versatile space.

We kicked off the evening with cocktails (of course!), and Banana Tree’s drinks menu is impressively varied.

Alongside classics, there are plenty of fruit-forward and more exotic options inspired by South-East Asian flavours.

We tried several cocktails between us, including a Lychee Martini and a Passion Fruit Cooler. All were refreshing, well-balanced, and not overly sweet.

It’s easy to see why Banana Tree is popular not just for meals, but also for casual drinks or celebrations, especially with their cocktail deals – 2-4-1 cocktails all day, every day! How crazy is that?

The menu is extensive, covering Thai curries, noodle dishes, stir-fries, bo buns, and regional specialities from across South-East Asia. There’s a lot of choice, and so deciding what to eat will be the hardest part of the meal.

Bo buns are one of my very favourite Thai dishes but you don’t see them too often at mainstream Thai restaurants, so I was happy to see them here.

Service was impressively quick, too, our food arrived around ten minutes after ordering.

For my main, I chose The Legendary Rendang, a slow-cooked beef curry with a rich, coconut-based sauce inspired by Indonesian flavours. The menu said this was the undisputed ‘King Of Curries’, so I had to try it!

The portion size was generous, with tender beef full of flavour, served alongside rice, salad, sweetcorn cakes and a large prawn cracker. It’s the sort of dish that’s deeply comforting and surprisingly filling.

My boyfriend opted for the Banana Tree Spiced noodles, which smelled amazing.

It contained a mix of both prawns and chicken, as well as an abundance of crunchy vegetables, eggs and wheat noodles.

Served with sweet corn cakes, Indo Viet crackers as well, this dish was equally large (but disappeared quickly)!

By this point, I was incredibly full, but my second “dessert” stomach kicked in.

I weighed up the Thai pancakes (pandan pancakes filled with coconut) or the warm chocolate indo-fondant, eventually picking the latter.

This was served with a ball of coconut ice cream and added the perfect dose of sweetness to the end of our meal. It has quite a thick, creamy texture, which contrasted perfectly with the ice cream.

My boyfriend chose the Banana Frotiteroles, served with ice cream and a splodge of chocolate sauce, which were also very tasty.

The service throughout the evening was friendly and attentive, with staff happy to offer recommendations and check in without hovering.

In terms of value, the meal felt very reasonable for the quantity and quality of food, especially considering the central Oxford location.

We had a really friendly waitress called Roxy who made sure that our drinks were always filled and was happy to recommend dishes.

Banana Tree Oxford is a great option if you’re looking for flavour-packed Thai and South-East Asian food in the city centre.

It works just as well for a date night as it does for group meals or casual drinks, with a menu broad enough to suit most tastes.

If you’re a fan of curries, noodles and creative cocktails, it’s well worth a visit.

Find out more about Banana Tree Oxford and find one near you on their website here:

Website
www.bananatreee.co.uk

Address
63 George Street
Oxford
OX1 2BQ

Opening Hours
12-11pm