How would you rate Govinda's?

paky

I went to Govinda's on Georges Street last week. It was my first time eating there, I normally go to the one on Abbey Street, and I was surprised that they served up the same slop as they do in the other place and had the cheek to charge me 10.45 for it.
I'm a vegetarian three years now and the dinners I make at night are far better than any of that cr.ap they serve up in Govinda's.
Honestly, ever since I've been going there they have pretty much the same stuff on the menu, bland and tastless.
I also notice when you tell them what you want they begin by filling your plate up with rice which I think is a disgrace.
I've been to two other vegetarian restaurants in Dublin, Blazing salads and Cornucopia. I think Blazing Salads is fantastic and Cornucopia ok, although I have only tasted the breakfasts in Cornucopia.
But in all fairness, I don't know how Govinda's stays open, it's probably because vegetarians only eat there out of principle and not out of taste because what is been served up there aint food, it's pure slop.

--LOS--

Honestly it used to be so much better, the one on abbey st anyway, recently I've gotten fed up of them just serving that mixed bean thing which you can easily make yourself. But some days I go there and it's awesome. You say you paid 10.45, well that's for a bigger plate, in abbey street I normally share the middle sized plate with my OH and it's more than enough for us, if I was just eating there myself I get the little plate for about a fiver, so it is really cheap. I find the Aungier st one better but Im usually too lazy to go up there. So I normally walk to abbey st, if it's just looks like they've opened a tin of mixed beans and made a stir-fry I'll walk back out again, if they've something nicer like moussaka or lasagne I'll stay. Cornucopia is good but too dear. Never been to blazing salads.

Zombienosh

I think they vary a lot. The one on aungier st is awful, the one on abbey st is ok but I hate the way they always burn incense. The best govindas is the small one on baggot st.

blatantrereg

Disappointed to hear that it's not so good these days. I haven't been to one in ages, but I always was very impressed with the food and the price when I went.

Wagamama do really good vegetarian food at reasonable prices (especially if you go early). They do serve meat dishes as well, in case that's a deal-breaker.

holding

I love Govinda's. I always get the smaller plate for 7euro or so, and ask for a "vegan selection". They always load it up with delicious things! I love the huge samosas they've started doing there in the last year or so. Yum.

Washout

why not go to the place on Moore St?

Tar.Aldarion

Well first off, you shouldnt be getting that size plate...a family of four didnt finish that before. I actually share a smaller plate and pay a couple of euro each, and tbh, I still get too much food on that medium plate shared.

They are very hit and miss and I'm a bit put off now that they dont change very often. If they don't have a nice dish of the day then it's just crap. If they do then it's great, some lentil moussaka or something. Pity as their stall in the galway market is so lovely. Still every now and again I just get a craving to eat there, it's not like I don't like it, just they have some very bland dishes as well as the nice ones. For the few euro I pay I get a LOT of food that I like though, so it's good in my books.


Also eat in cornucopia when it's not breakfast, it's quite nice, bit dear. I'm surprised you like it there for breakfast, you seem to get very little for the price from what I can see on the menu.

Zombienosh

Don't like cornucopia at all, think its a rip off.

fatb0y

I go to Govinda's once every 6 months or so, and then get reminded why I don't like it so don't go there for months again :-)
It's a real pity because there isn't a problem with the quality and the prices are very reasonable (the small plate is fairly filling).

The selection they serve has such a great potential.... They make (allegedly) fresh paneer (Indian cheese) in house everyday, and yet what they do to it is just criminal (they fry it before adding it to the dish). The other dishes, including samosas do 'look' nice but just don't have the flavour.

I think their intentions are all good but they just don't have a fair handle on the cuisine they so proudly serve.

SilverLiningOK

Dublin is quite poor for quality vegetarian food, compared places like Cork. I rarely eat in any of these places compared to years back, as the food I cook at home is far better and I know what's in it and what's not.

Govindas stuff was described a slop by another poster, and it is generally in that ball park. Blazing Salads, when they had the cafe upstairs in Powercourt, was very hard to beat. Their meals were very agreeable and filling. Cornucopia, of late, seems to either put cheese in the vegetarian and tofu in the vegan options. That's a no-no as some people (like me) want to limit intake of both dairy and fake dairy.

One of the best things to happen over the last while is the Veg Bento offered by the Yamamori chain, it is available with brown rice and the components of it change daily. The lunch version is good value under 10 euro for what you get. I know tofu features but you would expect it to unlike elsewhere over using it.

ashmash

I kind of like Govinda, especially the ones on Abbey Street and Baggot street.
It's not the most amazing food I've ever had, but it's a good deal for the little money they ask. The small plate is more than enough, as they pile up a Giza-sized pyramid on it.

I don't like cornucopia that much. It feels like rip off. It's not the price, as that they have miserable choice of spices sometimes.

In my opinion, the best place to find a decent vegetarian and vegan meal in Dublin, is in fact not a vegetarian restaurant. Konkan in Harold's Cross (they recently opened a new venue in Dundrum) offer so many vegetarian and vegan options. The vegetarian options are far cheaper than the meaty once as well (around 10 euro a dish).

strandroad

I actually love Govinda's, the Baggot St one is my regular haunt and I consider it my comfort food, when other folks would go to a chipper! Therefore their limited range does not bother me, it's not like you expect novelties from your comfort food place. I was to Abbey St once only and the place looked so scruffy with stale cooking smells and steamy windows that I never went back. Aungier St is somewhere in between.

You can ask to skip the rice or to prioritise vegan, they also gave me a couple of cool cooking tips. They are not bad at all, but I agree that we need more higher end veg haunts.

What is good to order in Govindas in baggot st?

strandroad

The menu is similar across all three, it's just that I like the Baggot St place more - it's more compact, neat and serene. My usual is small plate of everything but rice and paneer + fresh salads + anything karob. Or for lunch, soup with great breads, fresh salad and lassi.

Zombienosh

I agree I favor the baggot st one because it's usually nice and calm in there. I can sit down and chill out for a bit. The abbey st govindas does however seem to have a more varied menu.