Healthy, vegetarian, vegan…these are words that scare the gourmet in me. They represent a way of life I should be living and one day aspire to achieve, but for now, my love for new experiences and the gamut of flavors the world has to offer cringes at the mere mention of these words. Perhaps it’s because the stigma; these ideals are often associated with blandness, insatiability and tree-hugging. However, one place taught me that nothing is further than the truth than this.
Govinda’s Vegetarian Buffet was evidence that vegetarian and vegan dishes can be delicious, and there are substitutes for ingredients that, while altering the flavor of a dish, may actually be more than just palatable. Located in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Temple in Nu’uanu (Honolulu)—yes, a Hare Krishna temple, the restaurant sat adjacent to a store filled with Indian clothing and accessories. All visitors to the temple were required to take their footwear off, but had the option to eat indoors in their casual dining room, or take their meals outside and dine in a serene garden under the cool shade of a large banyan tree.
The $10 buffet offered a modest selection but was still quite a deal. The first item was a salad of greens, with a wide variety of healthy dressings, including a few vegan choices for those true to form—sunflower Italian seasoning, tamarind sauce, toasted sesame sour cream, red creamy French dressing (made with sour cream) and hot sauce with cilantro, tomato, chili. There was also a hearty soup and on that particular Thursday, it was a green split pea soup, rich with cilantro, cloves, cumin and coriander. A red Thai tofu curry, homemade rolls, brown rice perfumed with turmeric, a daily special and dessert rounded out the mix. The red Thai tofu curry was loaded with cabbage, green beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower and firm tofu in a rich coconut milk based curry.
Some of my favorite highlights from the buffet included:
1) Eggless quiche – The best dish on the buffet was the daily special. With a deliciously creamy, broccoli and cauliflower and cream cheese mix baked on a crumbly crust, almost everyone at our table went up for seconds.
2) Hallawa – Made with farina (somewhat similar to cream of wheat), this dessert changed daily but Thursday’s flavor was banana. The rich, creamy rice pudding-like textured Hallawa was lightly scented with bananas, giving this dessert a very healthy yet flavorful appeal.
3) Ginger mint lemonade – A refreshing beverage made with muddled mint sprigs, ginger and lemons, this drink was sweet but kept me coming for more.
I went to Govinda’s Vegetarian Buffet with many preconceived notions about healthy, vegetarian and vegan food, as well as a feeling of apprehension, expecting there to be clamoring parades of people chanting or singing. However, I left satisfied with the hearty meal and a little more education, lending me a newfound appreciation for a peaceful way of life to which some dedicate their entire being. While I don’t plan on changing my religion anytime soon, I feel a small part of me transformed. Perhaps one day if I were to become vegetarian, vegan, or just plain healthy, I have a warming reassurance that there is an inviting place on Oahu that may help me in my dietary transition.
Govinda’s Vegetarian Buffet Phone: (808) 595-4913
51 Coelho Way, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
Business hours: Mon – Fri 11:00am to 2:00pm; Sun – free vegetarian meal at 7:30pm during open house
Credit cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, Discover
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