Review: All Stir Fry

Meghana, (my wife) and I are not believers in exercising or working out. At least she goes to swim as much as she can but no hard-core working out as such. This Saturday, as I was contemplating on what to do for dinner, Meghana springs out of the blue and says, “I feel like a walk today!” This was rather surprising but I just shrugged and said, “OK… Where?” “Colaba” she smiled back. There’s even more confusion on my face now. I take a second before asking, “Why right now?” She frowns back, “because… it’s time for dinner!?”

Full confusion! I tried to sound like I was not thinking her completely mad, when I said, “Are you completely mad? If it is time for dinner, let us go have dinner… why go for a walk?” She palms her face and bursts into peals of laughter. After a couple of minutes of this hysteria, she tries talking between gulps of air, “I… meant… W.O. K. Chinese…. not…” and fades out.

Ah! THAT WOK… HAHAHUMM… (Stupid face)

So we go to ‘All Stir Fry’, Colaba, that serves wok across a live station. You pick your bowl and dump the veggies that you like in it, choice of noodles, walk over to the chef and he stirs it up in the sauce of your choice. We invite her friend, Sumi, too.

I had been there before and had not liked the wok so much, so I chose to call for a couple of starters of my own. 

The crackling spinach is another one of their specialties and an absolute must have. I called for it and what came was a large bowl of honey fried spinach which was as crunchy as those last crumbs of potato chips at the bottom of a Lay’s bag that you tip over your wide open mouth at the end. I loved it but what I didn’t get is, why fill up an entire serving bowl with just that? Imagine an entire bag of Lay’s filled with just crumbs. While I liked the texture and the sweetness against that earthy, herby taste, it was a bit too monotonous. 

Along with it, I called for Penang tossed veggie salad. It was delicious. Pieces of Zucchini, broccoli and tofu tossed in a peanut and coconut based curry-sauce that is nice and sticky and heart-warming. Again, it had tad sweetness about it from a dash of honey-chilly. This too was quite a portion and since Meghana and Sumi were deciding to go for the wok, I knew I would have to finish it all by myself. So again, a sense of monotony set in… Until, I felt a bulb go off in my head.

So I had this...

And I did THIS!

I added some of this… (Chilly oil)

And it was like two soul-mates who found their better halves and they were bonded in culinary matrimony. The veggies were al dente, the chilly oil just about cutting through the sweetness, the honey giving the dish its somber depth and the magic of the crunchy texture of the crackling spinach against the softness of tofu… Ah, I loved it and finished both dishes very happily.

The wok as usual had the regular stuff. The soy took over most flavours and it was an almost heady, umami taste. But there was a particular sauce which Sumi had that had a coriander base: Sapo, I think, which was awesome.

I would recommend this place for its wok only if you don’t mind the (and I say this with no airs of being a purist) "Indianisation" of the flavours. Otherwise, spend some more and go to Henry Tham next door. 

If you like Asian cuisine for all it’s worth, give this place a shot but the service, let me warn you, is more like an Udipi “hotel” where the waiters pick your plates up before you have finished chewing your last morsel. And they are not particularly interested in making your dining experience worth any memory. Ambience is good, well lit and not crowded; so thumbs up to that.

All-in-all, it was a thorough Asian experience and the heat from it did not spare me the next morning, if you get my "drift". (I sure hope you don't... LOL)