Order the hits at Bananas, and you're bound to have a good time - Review - New York - The Infatuation

"Bananas is catnip for a certain type of downtown diner. It's dark, sexy, committed to its banana bit, and there's a krapow chopped cheese available for photo ops and subsequent consumption. These are all reasons enough to keep the restaurant in mind for a fun night out, even if the menu has highs and lows. photo credit: Raychel Brightman photo credit: Raychel Brightman photo credit: Raychel Brightman Pause Unmute At best, the East Village spot seamlessly incorporates Asian flavors into American classics, like a Chinese five spice chicken liver mousse, and pork and shrimp wontons in a fragrant étouffé. Other dishes are noticeably over-produced—shrimp alfredo is bogged down by a too-thick tempura and overcooked udon noodles, and the karaage pancake, a spin on chicken and waffles, tastes more like bread on bread without enough lemon or condensed milk to cut it. Despite the misses, Bananas works nicely for a back-up date in the neighborhood. The banana theme is present but sparing: there's a banana shrine by the bathroom and a nod to the banana crypto-art-world concept piece on the wall. Otherwise, it's really just a white room with curvy furniture and people convincing themselves they like each other more and more with each glass of orange wine. Order the hits, and you're bound to have a good time. Food Rundown Chicken Liver Mousse This rich, sticky chicken liver mousse gets a lift from pickled scallions. We've run into some stale bagel chips, but it’s still a nice way to start a meal here. photo credit: Raychel Brightman Nola BBQ Octopus Imagine grilled octopus cooked so well that the inside is softer than a peach. Now imagine it drowned in a butter and worcestershire sauce. We like this dish quite a bit, but the $32 price tag does feel a bit steep for two pieces. photo credit: Raychel Brightman Étouffée This is the dish to get at Bananas. It has all of the flavors of a Louisiana-style crawfish boil distilled onto one plate, with little shrimps and luscious wontons to round it out. photo credit: Raychel Brightman Char Sui Bananas' roast pork dish comes with a full caramelized banana. It's fun and on-theme, but too much banana in one bite will overpower the pig. Alternatively, just a little works really well. photo credit: Raychel Brightman Krapow Chopped Cheese The rosemary flavor on the fries may be stronger than the thai basil is in the sandwich, but this chopped cheese is still a perfectly fine order (if a little bit sweet). If you're looking for these flavors on griddled beef, we'd point you to Zaab Burger and Little Grenjai first. photo credit: Raychel Brightman Karaage Pancake Skip these dense pancakes. Aside from the textural issue, there's not enough lemon to balance out the condensed milk on top. photo credit: Raychel Brightman Shrimp Alfredo The sticky, pecorino-forward sauce studded with peppercorns doesn't meld with the heavily battered shrimp. Steer clear. photo credit: Raychel Brightman Bok Choy You must get the bok choy at Bananas. The sauce is nice and savory, it’s rich, and there’s a bit of heat to punch up the steamed vegetables." - Will Hartman