Banapple of My Eye

It was Thursday, the appointed day to meet up friends at a restaurant in Greenhills and I was stuck in an old cab in EDSA for more than an hour. The north-bound lane was expected to have good flowing traffic since it was still morning but surprise, surprise -- it was the other way around, south-bound being almost free of vehicles. It was only when we reached the flyover to Ortigas Extension that the highway was suddenly cleared and the heavy traffic obviously caused by the buses taking up most of EDSA. And so I arrived at Banapple, the restaurant in Connecticut, Greenhills, almost two hours late.

Banapple: fruity name and logo

Full at lunch time on an ordinary day

Banapple is a cute name for a restaurant. I've heard about it from friends before but only got the chance to try it last week. Based on its name, one would think it offers just fruit shakes and pies but looking at the menu would reveal a line-up of mouth-watering comfort food enough to cheer me up. Almost immediately, my tired and harassed self (from my traffic ordeal) was in the mood to enjoy asatisfying meal. Hmmm...what to order?

For starters, I ordered the Banapple House Salad; for main course I got their bestseller which is hickory barbecue ribs, served with buttered vegetables and rice; and for dessert (am not really a dessert person) I was willing to take a bite of the Banoffee pie.

Colorful bookshelves add to Banapple's happy vibe

The very inviting cake display

As I waited for my orders to be released from the kitchen, I feasted my eyes around the interiors of the restaurant, which is reminiscent of old Granny’s gingerbread house -- bright colors, homey bookshelves, and quirky chandeliers. Their tables are quite fancy, too, all of them made in colorful marbles mosaic, in the image of a fruit or a flower. I wanted to blurt out, "Um, miss. Can I have three of these tables to go?" The owners must have wanted a homey facade with a rustic feel, so when people were waiting for their cakes to go, they could sit down, read a magazine, have a cup of coffee, relax and enjoy themselves.

Colorful marbles mosaic tables in Banapple

Banapple interiors

GJ and Maricel Jimenez are the proud owners of Banapple, a hard-working husband and wife team, who consider Banapple a labor of love. It is their simple and humble wish to provide customers with basic comfort food to brighten their days, to cheer them up, and provide good nourishment to their bellies. Banapple began when Maricel quit the corporate world to spend more time with her children. She would bake cakes and pies at home, which her husband would then present and supply to restaurants and coffee shops. A TV feature on their excellent baked goodsjump started the business and the couple decided to transfer their little operation down the road, along busy Katipunan near the schools. Since the bright and cheerful ambiance started attracting more people, more comfort food was added to their current offerings, and the first Banapple branch was born. Since then Banapple has proudly put up a branch along Tomas Morato, and a second one in Katipunan just across the road from the first one while their latest baby is located at the the Northeast Square on Connecticut Street in Greenhills, San Juan.

Banapple started with cakes & pies baked from home

And then my orders arrived and I must say, it was worth the short wait.

The Banapple House Salad is a happy mix of fresh greens, corn, cucumber and bell pepper bits, with shredded mozzarella plus surprise bits of honey peanuts and crumbled banana chips. Drizzled with balsamic-caesar dressing, the salad offers the right blend of sweetness, saltiness and creaminess. Light and delightful, it is now on my list of fave salads.

Banapple House Salad

The Hickory Smoked Barbecued Country Ribs is a delectable, extra tender country ribs grilled in hickory smoke and glazed with their homemade hickory barbecue sauce -- flavorful, smoky and semi-sweet. Rice is served warm, with corn relish, that complements the ribs. The meal is good enough for 2 people to share but can be finished by 1 hungry person.

Hickory Smoked Barbecued Country Ribs

The must-try Banoffee pie looks rich with the 3/4 inch thick cream on top plus the chocolateshavings. Pure temptation on a plate! Sweetness is just right, cream is not icky. Banana filling is not over riped and mushy unlike other Banoffee pies I've tried before.

Banoffee Pie

My verdict? Banapple did not fail me in my expectations based on feedback from friends who have tried the restaurant before. And because I can only eat so much calories in one day (yes, I started counting my calorie intake a couple of weeks ago), I am definitely going back to Banapple to try the other palatable dishes and cakes that they are offering. Can't wait till my next visit.