While not as famous as its great cousin, the Decent Wall of Thailand once kept the nation safe from semi-barbarous invasions and roving gangs of stump-tailed macaques—best of all, it sealed in flavor. Today’s Groupon grants access to these long-protected tastes and textures with $25 worth of authentic Thai cuisine for $10 at Banana Leaf. The restaurant’s casual ambience and riptides of exotic scents bear their lauded dishes to the palette's center stage. Your Groupon is not good toward alcoholic beverages but can be used on any cuisine from the restaurant the Dallas Observer named Best Thai Restaurant in 2002.

Banana Leaf's headmaster, Steve "the Cajun Asian," treats each customer like a houseguest, so be sure to ask for him before perusing the menu or borrowing his toothbrush. Bring taste buds to blossom with an appetizer such as the shrimp blanket ($4.99), comprising jumbo shrimp wrapped in a rice sheet, then deep fried and served with homemade sweet & sour sauce. To satisfy a poultry addiction, nosh the larb chicken ($12.99), a delicious disarray of pummeled poultry, red and green onion, cilantro, mint, rice, and lettuce tossed in a homemade lime dressing and Thai fish sauce. You’ll also find dependable noodle dishes ($11.99–$12.49) and other entrees ($10.99–$12.99) prepared in a health-conscious way.

Banana Leaf is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, and also includes an outdoor patio, full-service catering, and a private room for hosting parties. Check out a sneak peak of the cozy atmosphere here.

Dine-in only.

Reviews

Banana Leaf was named Best Thai Restaurant in 2002 by the Dallas Observer:

• Banana Leaf, whose twin mottos are "the leaf that's delicious" and "to-go, or reservation," does all the staples--pad Thai, panang, satay, spring rolls--with skillful aplomb. – Dallas Observer

Citysearchers give 4.5 stars, and Yahoo! Local reviewers give four:

• If you've ever been curious about Thai food. This is the place to go. Banana Leaf has wowed my family continuously throughout the several years of living here. Each dish is so unique. – Addictedtomangochicken, Citysearch