Food Review: All in all, Jain

Cheese corn balls, Vada pav, California maki roll sushi and Shanghai cottage cheese

Food: Flavourful
Ambiance: Vibrant
Service: Prompt
Cost: Reasonable
Verdict: 2/4

This writer remembers her first family trip as a child to Manali. It was Chaumasa (a four-month long Jain festival), and we had to explain time and again what Jain food means to the chefs at the restaurants we visited. Hailing from Mumbai, finding Jain food has never been a problem. It is, however, challenging to find Jaina purvak food (food that can also be eaten during our fasting periods) at restaurants across the city. Naturally, when All in 1, a Jain fare-only restaurant opened in Girgaon, it became an instant hit with the community.

Royal falooda

We reach the restaurant at 11.30 am on a weekday. The kerbside setting stands out with its striking, green façade. The interiors are inviting with an added purple, red and yellow seating arrangement, nailing the colour-blocking trend. We are greeted with an installation of a waterfall from a mountain, enshrined on which is an idol of Parshvanath (23 of 24 tirthankaras). Another installation of a tree trunk reaches the roof of the second floor, around which runs a spiral staircase made of glass.

Being able to consume Jaina purvak food in a restaurant that is not a dharamshala is not very convincing to our mother. So, the moment she notices the fine-dine vibe, her guard is up. When we are served water, the questions begin to roll out. The attendant assures her that only boiled water is served by observing the three boiling points' method, and is not served if it is beyond seven hours-old. The exhaustive menu boasts of Gujarati, Rajasthani and Maharashtrian fare, to Lebanese, Mexican, Japanese, Thai and other continental fare.

Pics/Devanshi Doshi

We begin with Shanghai cottage cheese (Rs 375). We are told that the paneer is freshly made in-house. This starter of four cubical slices of paneer drenched in Shanghai sauce is a winner with its playful, spicy and tangy flavours. The cheese corn balls (Rs 400) that follow have a thin, crispy layer, filled with a burst of cheese. On the recommendation of a few teens seated at a table nearby, we order the California maki rolls sushi (seven pieces, served with soya sauce) (Rs 500). While it isn't the best on the menu, we see why it is a hit among younger patrons of the eatery.

If there is one thing that Jains are more likely to get wrong, it is vada pav. There are only a handful places that we think can nail this Mumbai-special with banana vada minus the lasan ki chutney. When the server arrives with the dish (Rs 200), which looks different from the local version, we are impressed by how this multigrain, yeast-free, freshly made bread with the banana vada served with Jain chutneys, tastes. If the vada was chunkier, it might have even become our favourite place to grab a Jain vada pav from.

As we wait for our mains to arrive, a woman at an adjacent table orders for a fasting-special thali and recommends that my mother try it the next time she fasts. By now, we learn that this restaurant was founded by Nirav Shah, whose pre-teen daughter would complain about going to school parties and being unable to enjoy the various cuisines because they weren't available in Jain.

The Mexican fajita sizzler (Rs 750) can easily serve up to four; it's a flavourful mix of sauces and vegetables, sided with banana fries. We end our meal with a royal falooda (Rs 275), topped with a large scoop of ice cream and refreshing rose syrup. We know it's a surefire community restaurant after our mother steps out with a content palate and new a set of friends.

All in 1
Time 11.30 am to 10 pm (daily)
At Krishna Bhavan, opposite Royal Opera House, Charni Road East, Girgaon.
Call 9004894358

Other Jain-friendly eateries

. For snacks and vada pav
At Royal Bite, Khotachiwadi, Girgaon.
Call 9920799407

. For a multi-cuisine menu
At Munch Box, Navi Mumbai.
Call 9346609976

. For Chinese
At Achija, MM Marg, Asha Nagar, Mulund West.
Call 25600058

. For Asian cuisine
At East Asia, Rayani Gram, Borivali West.
Call 8410678888

. For Italian fare
At Relish, Dinshaw Vacha Road, Churchgate.
Call 42135419

4/4 Exceptional, 3/4 Excellent, 2/4 very Good, 1/4 Good, 0/4 Average. All in 1 didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals