A banana leaf meal on paper

PETALING JAYA: You've had “paper thosai”. So how about paper banana leaf lunch?

Breaking away from tradition for the sake of hygiene and due to a
shortage of banana leaves, a popular restaurant chain has decided to
replace the leaves with bio-degradable paper “lookalikes”.

Kanna Curry House, which is famous for its South Indian banana leaf
meals, is now serving the dishes on paper “leaves” that look like the
real ones.

Patrons settling down to a banana leaf lunch at a popular restaurant
in Petaling Jaya. But it was a banana leaf spread with one big
difference. - RAJA FAISAL HISHAN /The Star
“We have a shortage of banana leaves,” said restaurant assistant
manager Muthu Kumar, 23, at the chain's Section 17 outlet here.

“Another reason for the change is because a lot of our customers have
been complaining that the leaves are dirty. For us to clean each leaf
individually is just too much work.”

He said the restaurant chain used up to 5,000 banana leaves daily.

Muthu added that the change would be implemented at the other outlets
all over the Klang Valley.

“Some of our regular customers said using the paper leaves take away
the authenticity of the traditional banana leaf meals.

Breaking tradition: An employee of Kanna Curry House showing the
difference between the banana leaf (left) and the paper leaf.
“However, most of them don't mind the change as it ensures
cleanliness,” he said.

A regular customer at the restaurant's Section 17 outlet for over 15
years, Mary Chong, 48, said although she preferred having her meals on
a “real” banana leaf, she would continue to patronise the restaurant
because she enjoyed the food.

“The paper leaves take away the feel of a banana leaf meal, but the
food still tastes the same,” she said.

Shamrat Sengupta, 34, who frequents the outlet for breakfast before
heading off to work, said it was “strange to eat from leaves made of
paper, but at least it was clean”.

Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners' Association president Datuk R.
Ramalingam Pillai said he did not foresee other banana leaf eateries
in Malaysia following suit and replacing organic leaves with paper
ones.

“Indians have practised eating on banana leaves for centuries. In
Malaysia, the banana leaf meal is a staple among locals and has even
become a tourist attraction.

“It is true that it is harder to get the leaves now, but in my
opinion, banana leaf restaurants should not stop using real leaves as
it takes away the authenticity of the traditional meal,” he said.