A taste of the classic Asian combination of vegetarian food and religion, even though the two can be separated here.

The Venue
At Govinda's you come face to face with the peachy exterior of religiousness, literally, as the restaurant is run by the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, aka the Hare Krishna. The glow that exudes may also come from the prayer and meditation rooms upstairs, or simply the L-shaped, India-inspired restaurant that reserves a nook for an altar to Krishna. This is one part of Soho that puts away the dim grim.

The Atmosphere
It might be the robes or the prayer/meditation music that plays in the background that effects Govinda's diners to emit a certain lightness of being which calms the cynic in most. The peaceful congruity attained by elements of air and earth in one dining space could also help lead customers who seek the path of spiritual enlightenment to believe that this is indeed the yellow brick road. The same might not be said for those looking merely for a cheap meal, although they seem just as at home.

The Food
At about £2 a pop, the parathas are not extremely cheap. And except for the advertisement for the thali platters (about £8), you won't know how much the individual dishes cost until the bill is printed - there are no menus or price tags in sight at the counter.

In a bid to keep the cost of a meal to a minimum, a diner might ask for the radiantly spicy chilli paneer (about £3 for a small portion) to go with the cumin seeds and chopped coriander-flecked paratha. The thali platter would be a more filling choice, and you still don't have to pass up the delectably warm and soft (not exhaustingly chewy) paneer, and the vegetables which are cooked to retain their integrity well. The parathas might be better forgone as they are a bit floury.

The Drink
Perhaps it's the ritual of blessing - the free self-serve tap water tastes fresh and pure, like it has rid itself of lime. Wine might turn to water here - if they offered any.

The Last Word
Good-tasting and cheaply-priced food preaches to more converts than just Hare Krishna followers.

venue information venue map view london review user reviews (1)