Govinda's Vegetarian Lunch

This vegetarian canteen of a Krishna temple/cult has been on my Google Maps Saved List for a few months.I finally got to visit this place as I had a meeting at the nearby NYU Tandon.This restaurant is set very casually in the basement with chants played in the background.The menu is limited and is served by a volunteer over a buffet-style counter.The salad tastes somewhat western/American perhaps because of its dressing.The dal (or lentil soup) was excellent!The rice and black beans was decent, the potato curry was good.Additionally, there was a novel orange-vegetable curry made of sweet potatoes, orange and yellow capsicums.The special dish of the day was lasagna.While the food was tasty, it was very oily and greasy.It looked unhealthy, unlike the satvic food you think of in a temple's canteen.But, atleast a subset of items is good and healthy, and I plan to go there again and eat specific items.

I went to Govinda for lunch and enjoyed it very much. The atmosphere was very calm and relaxing and it let me enjoy my meal. The food was very good, a little bit too oily for me personally, but it was lots of food for a fair price. Everyone was kind and welcoming.

More close to home cooked food. If you are expecting a typical masala/restaurant then this is not for you. The lady at the counter is extremely friendly and will explain to you what each dish is.Vegetarian options: Only vegetarian food is served.

It's been a long time since I've been back here and overall, the place still retains most of its charm. The staff is friendly and the food is overall still tasty. I had their new item that replaced the Nutloaf, the Spinach lasagna and it was pretty good, though I think their Eggplant parm is still a lil better. The kidney beans and the mixed veggies I got were also pretty nice but I don't think it's as good as their curried vegetables, their samosas or their blueberry cheesecake, none of which they happened to have today sadly haha. Their pickles are exactly as I remember it though. Pungent, sour, vinegary and a perfect balance that cuts the rest of the items. A few things have changed since I last came here as well. The lights are brighter (it used to be really dim) and now you can get a signal down here as well which are both pluses. They did get rid of the flavored water near the front though which is a shame because it used to be such a nice plus. Also, probably just an off day to not have any of the dishes I was really craving for but, I will be back! Hopefully to sample their samosas and cheesecake again haha.

I showed up a little bit after 2 pm on a Monday, and I wanted to go when there wasn’t as many people. A lot has changed since I last went.. you have to buzz yourself in, the door is no longer open as before and no one wears masks. I thought they would at least ventilate the place as much as possible, especially with all the viruses out now. They do now offer electronic options for payment, which I guess is good, but not sure if they charge a fee.The BIGGEST loss is that there’s no free bread or free water/juice like before. The place is DEFINITELY NOT what it used to be.. I bought two items, as I usually get when I go there, and the portions were always generous before. However, this is no longer the case… the tofu fillets were soggy and underwhelming, and the peas with sweet potatoes were decent, but the portions leave a lot to be desired. You’ll be served the smallest portions possible, and you now have to ask for chili pepper pickles to be served (you’ll get one or two pieces instead of serving yourself as you wish) but maybe it’s because I showed up at an off day/time. You have to buy drinks, and it’s sad that I thought they would at least offer a cup of water.I am not returning again, the value isn’t the same and it was a miss in terms of food quality.