(AUTHOR'S NOTE: This review, first published in March 2014, talks about Banapple's Katipunan Too branch. In case you're wondering why it looks different here, it's because this review was finished a year before the Katipunan Too branch caught fire in March 2015. Fortunately, this branch has been rebuilt and now sports a different facade.)
I had two wisdom teeth on my lower jaw removed some years ago, with the aim of having orthodontic braces in the future. Despite not having braces - the tooth surgery was successful and I no longer experienced headaches (which were apparently caused by the teeth hitting my mandibular nerves.) I had the sutures removed a week after the surgery as the scars already subsided, which was a quick procedure. A last-minute decision made me take four jeepney rides to Banapple's Katipunan Avenue location.
Banapple has two locations along Katipunan: this one I wrote about, and another branch right across the street (with sister establishment Sandwicheese sharing its space.) Both Katipunan locations aren't easily reachable by public transportation, but new branches in malls have sprouted to address that. Orange and other pastel hues contributed a bright and lively atmosphere. The tables were decorated using different-colored glass marbles embedded in cement. Surprisingly, service was fast - considering I arrived at almost lunchtime (a busy period for establishments like these). Still, it's best to go here early before people start flocking.
I ordered a cold drink to start things off -- in the form of the Dark Chocolate Smoothie. It was thick just like how a smoothie should be, but I found it more "chocolate" than "dark". I added water to thin it down, and the dark chocolate flavor finally emerged. I didn't really mind, however; the dentist joked that a glass of something cold can easily take care of any post-surgery mouth pains, and this drink does a perfect job.
This first-timer tried out Banapple's Bacon Fried Chicken Steaks with Milk'Shroom Gravy. It consisted of three breaded and fried chicken fillets with milk and mushroom gravy, topped with bacon bits and served with garlic rice and corn relish. Its fragrant smell when served caught my attention - and more so the taste! I originally wanted the Chicken Breast Parmigiano, but this wasn't a bad choice at all! The chicken fillets were tender, the gravy complementing its flavor! The extras -- corn relish and bacon bits -- added texture and reinforced the dish's heartiness. However, one question lingered: where are the mushrooms? I could only surmise that they used cream of mushroom soup as the gravy base, given the absence of actual mushroom chunks in the dish.
A trip to Banapple will never be complete without trying their signature pies and cheesecakes. The Snicker Fudge Cheesecake capped off my meal: crushed Oreo cookie base, cream cheese layer, and chocolate fudge and chopped pecan topping. The cake was well balanced as the cream cheese's neutral taste tempered the sweetness of the top and bottom layers. What I did was to eat this dessert in "halves": the top consisting of cream cheese, chocolate, and pecans, the Oreo and cream cheese making up the bottom.
All in all, I enjoyed my lunch at Banapple - more so that I no longer had to deal with post-operation swelling. A year after I published this one, this branch of Banapple caught fire and was renovated soon after. A newly-built function room, a larger dining area, and a bigger parking space were some of the highlights from this newly renovated branch when I dined in 2018.
Until the next review, bon appetit.