Mike L.
Yelp
Admittedly, before coming here, I knew nothing about Banan. However, as a huge fan of all things Hawaii, I was immediately intrigued when my friend told me how this was their first location here on the mainland. Of course, I was even more intrigued once I heard about what they specialize in - non-dairy soft serve made primarily with bananas. While the non-diary aspect is probably what appeals to folks the most, especially anyone that's lactose intolerant, the banana part is what got me excited! Not only is it unique, but I could only imagine how good it would taste with so many flavor combinations!
Located right in the heart of Noe Valley, Banan stands out from its neighbors like a bit of an oasis. In part because the surrounding area is nothing like its roots in Hawaii, but also because it's one of just a couple of places around here to get dessert. However, unlike Easy Breezy down the street, Banan's offerings are a bit more interesting. Beyond their "banan" soft serve itself, nearly every one of their various smoothies and banan combinations (you can also create your own of the latter) sounds so good! Strawberry Liliko'i, Paradise Passion, Matcha Mochi, Strawberry Shortcake...the only real dilemma was trying to decide which of these to try first!
-- CHUNKADELIC - Banana Banan Topped with Macadamia Nut Honey Butter, Dark Chocolate, Shaved Coconut, Honey, and Nana Joe's Granola...$9 (cup)
This seemed like a logical pick, given how well bananas pair with each of the toppings. In particular, the mix of the macadamia nut butter, granola, and honey tasted really good with the banan while the dark chocolate helped to cut down on their collective sweetness.
-- MATCHA MOCHI - Matcha Banan Topped with Mochi, Shaved Almonds, Strawberries, Black Sesame Seeds, and Honey...$9 (cup)
Matcha flavored banan initially seemed odd, but this was so good! The banana was actually pretty subtle, so this tasted like a matcha dessert...with a lot of toppings that go great with matcha! Although the black sesame didn't do much for me, I loved how everything else complemented each other!
With both types of banan, the thing that I liked most about them was how they didn't taste nearly as sweet as I thought (feared?) they would. I'm not sure if it's because of the type of the banana they use, its ripeness when it gets used, the amount in the recipe, or some other reason (and/or all of the above), but the banan has just the right sweetness to it. Plus, it doesn't have any added sugars in it (all of it comes from the bananas), which is even more impressive!
Considering the relative lack of options for dessert in Noe Valley, Banan's pick of SF neighborhoods to expand into was a solid one. That's without even mentioning all of the families that live in the area, the nice weather this side of the city gets, and how plentiful parking is at night (certainly less so during the day, though). However, even if there were more alternatives around, Banan and their banan bowls are so unique and tasty that I would (and will) come back regardless!
FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now.