Did you just say American Jain

An ‘American’ joint that specialises in organic ‘Jain’ food—now that may not sound quite right but that’s exactly what BKC’s newest restaurant The American Joint is all about. And just like its combination, the restaurant too springs quite a few surprises—some pleasant and some not so much.

But there are a lot of things that work for this quaint little joint that’s nestled deep in a typical BKC high-rise, the menu certainly being one of them. The menu in many ways is similar to the restaurant itself—minimal with an emphasis on innovation. First up, for the appetizers we started with Hummus To You ('180). To start with the pros, the pita bread was crunchy and added a lot to the plate. However, if the pita bread is a highlight in a dish with hummus, it means you’re doing something wrong. The hummus turned out to be a little thin with a watery, diluted feel to it. Though not too bad, it would suffice to say it didn’t really bowl us over. For the second item, we couldn’t resist ordering the Mountain O Nachos (Rs 210) and we have to say we might have been raving about this joint if we had tasted this one first. The portion was generous and so was the amount of shredded cheddar it was topped with. The queso sauce and charro beans too certainly worked in its favour. The primary highlight of the restaurant was its ‘organic’ tag so trying a salad was a given. We went for the Southwestern Cobb (Rs 225), which again was impressive. Tastefully made with generous greens and dressing, the salad is something one should try at this joint. A sparing burger menu meant that vegetarians look for more variety for once will again be disappointed. But the much-anticipated burger menu didn’t impress much. With not many options to experiment, we ordered the Chilli Cheese Burger (Rs 275) and the Broiling Garlic Paneer Burger (Rs 275). There’s not much there to be said about the former except that it turned out to be a glorified vada pav. But the latter was quite flavourful and certainly worth a try. Their signature chipotle sauce added a distinct Mexican flavour to the burger and the generous combination of cheese and garlic made for a satisfying bite. For the drinks, the Watermelon Lime Spritzer’s (Rs 99) sharp and slightly spicy flavour was a treat. For the rest, stay away from the Lemonade Stand (Rs 80), which is a thorough disappointment. As for dessert, there’s not much to rave about but the Coffee & Donuts (Rs 149) is worth trying. All said, there were quite a few disappointments in the menu, but what was good in it certainly made up for the bad. Go here for the quaint and cosy ambience (in spite of the disappointing music) and for the innovative vegetarian option and filling portions that come with a guilt-free organic tag.

Our rating *** Cost for two Rs 1,000/- Address: 1st floor, Capital Building, BKC