Govinda’s

Weird. Has this place always been named Govinda’s? I searched for it by typing «Hare Krishna,» and I’m pretty sure that’s how most people refer to it. Nevertheless, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet… and a curry slanger by any other name can taste as equally … unoffensive.
You don’t come to Govinda’s for the taste explosion, you come for the stomach-​filling goodness offered up for 6 dollars. You get a metal plate, a metal cup, a meal and a side serving of dessert. Some people love this dessert, others hate it. For me, it depends how hungry I am. Everything is vegetarian — they are Hare Krishna after all, so don’t come here drunk after watching a champions league game and expect a lamb rogan josh or anything along those lines.

Honestly, Govinda’s is the best shit ever. I love this place. It’s absolutely cheap as chips and very healthy and very very delicious and come doused in this very chill and happy Hare Krishna vibe (a lot of the time I’ve been there there is a full on Hare Krishna musical jam going on). You can get like a full on meal for $ 6 or something. It’s almost too much food. Man, Hare Krishnas are the best shit ever. I’m really into Govinda’s. I’d give it five stars but it’s kind of dirty in there some of the time.

The Hare Krishna eatery on K’Road has stood proudly for years, feeding poor students and curry aficionados alike, and completely on the cheap. On the day before payday, I am one of those people standing in line waiting for a $ 2 samosa or $ 2 onion bhaji. For just $ 5 you can also get a huge platter of food that will fill you up good and proper. If you’re looking for something a little different, give their lasagna a go — non-​meat eaters will love being able to eat something like this again, even if it is a little on the wet side.

Govinda’s is a K Road hot-​spot for students, backpackers and, I presume, collection-​can-​rattling homeless people. This «restaurant» has the typical miasma and funk anyone from outside of Auckland would expect from the dirty and infamous road.
Wobbly, unclean tables and prison food served in divided tin plates. I have nothing against vegetarians or vegans and have a lot of respect with some of the delicious dishes they can conjure up, but the food here tastes of coloured water with rice and chick peas for substance. Curry with no garlic or onions? Untitled lumpy custard dish made me feel like I was in a very old, very poor school cafeteria, gagging on the religious peace and love and feel-​good that should kill any appetite I have left.
Maybe if they put some of the natural herbs they’re smoking into the dishes we could laugh this off and paint each other’s toenails in a log cabin in the woods and name all the stars this place will never get.