No onions, no garlic- Jain Restaurant Recs?

Submitted by MBN2022 t3_yejk6o in washingtondc

I’ve developed an allium intolerance and can no longer consume onions, garlic, shallots, etc. I’ve been researching to see if there are any cuisines that don’t use those and came across some articles on Jain dietary restrictions. I’ve tried looking for Jain restaurants in the area without much luck but thought I would check here.

Avoiding onions and garlic when dining out is super super hard, and the idea of being able to order anything off of a menu is thrilling!

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nirajdesai10 t1_itz5unl wrote

If you go to an Indian restaurant in the city and ask them if they can make any dish Jain style, they will know what you are referring to. Most Indian restaurants are used to accommodating Jain versions of their dishes.

Outside of the city Herndon, Fairfax, reston etc have a lot of Indian restaurants and they can definitely accommodate Jain versions of their dishes.

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Ubizubi t1_itzagb0 wrote

Maybe "jain style" is a magic phrase, but in my experience over the years, waiters in Indian restaurants are the absolute worst at reassuring me that there are absolutely no onions in something and then later find out it just meant that they didn't think I would notice. :(

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MBN2022 OP t1_itz8o5x wrote

I didn’t know I could just request that. Thank you so much!!

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d1dzter t1_itzc7ek wrote

I would be a bit wary. Some restaurants maintain a stock of sauce which can have onions or garlic in it.

I am of Indian origin, but not Jain, and have never tried this - but I did work at an Indian restaurant in college.

I’d call ahead to just confirm to be safe.

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DefiningFeature t1_iu0zhl9 wrote

I'd also be careful of counting on this. I'm intolerant of garlic and several Indian places have told me there weren't *any* menu items without it (other than plain naan). One fancy Indian place downtown marinades 100% of their chicken in a garlic marinade days in advance! Fortunately, I'd called a few days before my work was going, so they were able to set something aside for me. Can't remember the name - it was a few years ago.

Low FODMAP cookbooks and food brands are going to be your friend! Fody Foods is one of the brands I use. There's also some weird rule about how garlic in olive oil can be used to infuse it with the taste, but the harmful chemical gets filtered out? I'm only intolerant rather than allergic, so I'd do some more research on this one. Fody makes tons of marinades and sauces that should be safe for you and they are carried in some grocery stores (very hit or miss - there's a lot more on the website).

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nirajdesai10 t1_itzp74q wrote

Agreed. You should always check and with all things there is no guarantee but when Jain style is requested, Indian restaurants generally understand it is a strict religious requirement for Jains. I’d be cautious about Indian restaurants in the city but the ones out in VA will 99% times accommodate Jain style properly.

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Tulrin t1_ityupmg wrote

Just FYI, Commissary over on P Street is great at handling allergies if you're looking for places you can eat.

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MBN2022 OP t1_itz8saf wrote

That’s good to know, thank you!

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shotofpatron t1_ityzczw wrote

Research low FODMAP options. It's much more restrictive, but keeps out onions and garlic. I've found that keeping things simple: ordering a meat, veggies, and potatoes makes it easier to tell the wait staff about the allergy and they may be able to accommodate. As weird as it sounds, you are probably fine at true Italian restaurants. Look at the menu and don't assume everything contains garlic (but definitely give them a call or talk to the waiter). Stuff like carbonara shouldn't. When I was doing low FODMAP I ordered steak frites everywhere and made sure they didn't use anything except salt and pepper on the steak. Expensive, but delicious.

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MBN2022 OP t1_itz90sm wrote

Yeah, I’m just entering my reintroduction phase of FODMAP. I also don’t eat meat so I’ve just been getting tired of undressed salad and fries when I go out. Looking forward to branching out! Good tip on true Italian restaurants, I wouldn’t have assumed that. Thank you!

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shotofpatron t1_itz9hpr wrote

I discovered I was intolerant to garlic just before going to Italy. It was shockingly easy to accommodate that intolerance, there! Red sauces seem to be more likely to be full of garlic.

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skitlets t1_iu0bj1k wrote

Chinese vegetarian restaurants typically avoid alliums, following the Buddhist tradition. Yuan Fu in Rockville is solid.

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NotEnglishFryUp t1_iu1msjy wrote

I went to Yuan Fu for the first time this weekend and was surprised by how much I liked it. The sesame "beef" was a fave.

The Peking "duck" came with spring onions, but they are on the side. (I suspect to keep some people happy.) But I think most everything else is fine. Always good to ask.

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MBN2022 OP t1_iu47k4m wrote

Oooooh I may try to go there this weekend, thank you!

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Lizzibabe t1_itz9to7 wrote

If you still want the taste of onions and garlic in your cooking, try using a spice called hing. Its a very stinky spice before you cook it, and you only need a tiny bit. I usually bloom it in hot butter in the pan at the beginning of cooking

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oxtailplanning t1_itzds9s wrote

Every time I cook with hing, I cannot stop myself from smelling it. I don't know why, it smells awful every time, but at this point it's a reflex. Open it up, think "man this must smell awful." Smell. Confirm. Repeat.

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Lizzibabe t1_iu1v742 wrote

I keep the whole container in a small glass jar with lid to keep that stinky smell sealed away. It's unbelievable how rotten it smells, and then you cook with it and the smell disappears and the food smells amazing

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k8freed t1_itzyp53 wrote

I also have an allium sensitivity, so I feel this (literally and metaphorically). It's so hard to avoid garlic and onions! I find that sushi is often a safe bet. I also just discovered a meal delivery service called Epicured that has low fodmap options. The downside is that it's pretty expensive. However, the portions are pretty generous.

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veloharris t1_iu047lr wrote

Amma in Vienna has a sheet listing all of their dishes that follow this need.

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KaylaBoBayla2007 t1_iu1q41q wrote

Sushi doesn’t typically have those ingredients.

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MBN2022 OP t1_iu47pky wrote

Yessss, that’s been my saving grace so far!

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Playful-Translator49 t1_ityfzya wrote

You should definitely open one. It would be the best in the area!

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