Indian food - vegetarian

Top posting as per observation:

As an authentic Indian, I don't consider Govinda's (Lindell, near SLU) authentic Indian food. They are truly all vegetarian though and have a lot for the vegans, but I've been there and had Eggplant parmesan (slightly Indian style), tofu varieties, hummus and other dishes, both vaguely Indian and completely not. So I wouldn't guarantee Indian food for any given visit there. They probably have Indian food during their Sunday buffets with the religious service combined, but I've been severly warned not to go there on a Sunday for the same reason one might warn someone not to venture near the Christian Scientology building in the U City loop.

Back to food issues, I've been there several times and the best I can say for the taste quality of the food is that it has a home cooked taste. That comes with several features. One is that home cooked Indian food ocassionally cooked by Polish or American devotees is not neccesarily authentic. Another is that home cooked food often has the same range of quality that you allude to, but I've personally seen far more of the lousy to decent range there. The second best thing I can say is that it is indeed vegetarian and the third best is the value of the meal when it one goes with the airport counter coupon of 2 buffets for $6. But since there's a devotee who serves the food, refills of food become a little awkward. Also as with any religious place, not sharing the beliefs but sharing the food comes with varying amounts of uneasiness depending on personal feelings, the day, and the particular devotee who serves the food that day.

As for the Hare Krishna group as a religion, I would have plenty to say, but on a different forum.
-Anjana.

Bill W. wrote:
> Thanks for the review. I value your input for authenticity. I've been to
> most of the places you mention and for the most part agree with your
> assessments (even though as an American, my assessment means squat :-)).
>
> I wonder though why you didn't review the only all vegetarian restaurant
in
> town - Govinda's. I realize the religion practiced at the temple in the
same
> building isn't Indian authentic as I understand that "Hare Krishna
> Consciousness" (or whatever they call it) is an Americanized Hindu
religion
> (obviously, I share the food but not the beliefs).
>
> Govinda's was my first introduction to Indian food. I understand that it
is
> common Southern Indian style. Govinda's serves an all you can eat buffet
> with Chapati's, a Dal soup, Halva (or some other dessert), a Subji
> (vegetable dish), Pakora (or something along the line), Basmati rice (or
> brown rice, if you prefer), Pampadam (sp?), salad and honeyed tea. The
cost
> of the buffet is $6. What is offered within the genres varies day to day
so
> you get a lot of variety even though you are always served the same kinds
of
> food. I found that the flavor of the food varies depending on which
devotees
> are stationed in St. Louis preparing the food. I've had it range from
> exquisite to lousy food. When it becomes lousy, I decrease my frequency of
> eating there until it becomes good again.
>
> I never liked things spicy, but I soon learned to love the various
flavors.
> I even took a six session cooking class from a devotee couple once. I now
> cook Indian food at home. I roll a lousy chapati though.
>
> I looked up the other Indian places after experiencing Govinda's. My
> family's favorite place to eat is India Palace. Since it's convenient, I
hit
> India's Rasoi frequently for lunch. Is it true that Indian's cook food a
lot
> spicier than what's in restaurants for their own consumption?
>
> Bill Warner
>
> "The smaller the better"

> wrote in message news:3ceb3aa1$ ...
> > St. Louis now has a sizable list of Indian restaurants. I am an Indian,
> born
> > and raised there and have been in the United States long enough (6.5
> years)
> > to give these all a good comparison and absolute standards test.
> > These opinions are based mostly on the vegetarian offerings.
>
>

NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 16:10:49 EDT
Organization: Prodigy Internet http://www.prodigy.com X-UserInfo1: Q[R_@S^D@JUWRT@[^H]D]_HBWB]^PCPDLXUNNHDK@YUDUWYAKVUOPCW[ML\JXUCKVFDYZKBMSFX^OMSAFNTINTDDMVW[X\THOPXZRVOCJTUTPC\_JSBVX\KAOTBAJBVMZTYAKMNLDI_MFDSSOLXINH__FS^\WQGHGI^C@E[A_CF\AQLDQ\BTMPLDFNVUQ_VM Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 20:10:49 GMT Xref: usenet.INS.cwru.edu stl.dining:1540

Thanks for the excellent series of "mini-reviews".  Since you were born in India, you have valuable insight.  I hadn't thought about northern vs southern cooking.

You mention the Rasoi in Manchester.  I have eaten lunch buffet there.  It was good, but they lost me forever as a customer by charging for each refill of soda, with no warning.  $1.50 for 6 ounces of coke each time doesn't cut it.  Once a restaurant does that, I usually don't return.  If I must, I order water.  Especially a restaurant with spicy food - unforgiveable sin.

I agree with your recommendation on the India Palace.  I've been there for the lunch buffet and dinner - both were excellent and enjoyable and we've been back many times.

"The smaller the better"
wrote in message news:3ceb3aa1$ ...
> St. Louis now has a sizable list of Indian restaurants. I am an Indian,
born
> and raised there and have been in the United States long enough (6.5
years)
> to give these all a good comparison and absolute standards test.
> These opinions are based mostly on the vegetarian offerings.
>
> Most of these have lunch buffets ranging from $6 to $8. Most of them serve
> dinner at an average of $10 to $15 per person with tip without drinks.
>
> India Palace (top of the Howard Johnson, near the airport)
>     -Top notch. Excellent North Indian food. Good value lunch buffet.
Heavy,
> and is best before a contented nap.
>       Great view of the runways and cool decor. Good place for an
afternoon
> date.
> Maharaja (On Manchester, just West of the 141)
>     -Extremely good food and good buffet. North Indian food, less heavy
than
> India Palace but taste on par.
> Priyaa (Dorsett in Maryland Heights) (Only restaurant offering good South
> Indian fare)
>     -Extremely good South Indian food with a very good weekend lunch
buffet.
> North Indian food is not great.
>      Idli's, dosa's and other main South Indian courses are very good and
> fairly consistent. Kulfi is to die for.
>      Rumor has it that it is part of a California chain, and California
> Indians hold their chains up to a high standard.
> Curry in a Hurry (Chesterfield Mall food court)
>     - Very good. Suprisingly good mall food. North Indian.Somewhat heavy,
> but good. $5-$7 combo plates
> Curry in a Hurry (Downtown)
>     - Good North Indian food, a little heavy. Not the best value for
money,
> but far better than other vegetarian choices downtown.
> India Bazaar (Page, East of 270)
>     - Weekend only, stand up snack bar at the back of the store. Very good
> traditional Indian snacks and chai.
>        Cheap, fast and filling.
> House of India (Delmar, Just East of 170)
>     - Better for dinner than lunch buffet.Fairly good North Indian food at
> dinner.
>        Ok food at the lunch buffet, but good value for money ($6)
> Tandoor Hut (Hampton, near Chippewa)
>     - Rich, oily and not always consistent. North Indian food. More
> expensive than worth it for the quality.
> India Kitchen: (Ladue Road, Chesterfield)
>     - Good lunch buffet. North Indian food is slightly better than South
> Indian fare. Good office lunch break.
>        Dinner values aren't as good as other places, especially for
quality.
> Rasoi (Clayton, near Central)
>     - North Indian food. For American tastes, not entirely authentic.
Taste
> to food volume ratio is low.
>        Appetizers are excellent (Samosa)
>        Lunch buffet, palatable. Dinner is expensive with small portions.
For
> the American elite who want to think they're global.
> Rasoi (Central West End)
>     - Same as Rasio-Clayton
> Rasoi (Manchester, new)
>     - Unreviewed, but told that it's pretty good, and much better than
other
> Rasoi's
>
>
>
>
>
>

NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 22:18:03 EDT
Organization: Prodigy Internet http://www.prodigy.com X-UserInfo1: Q[RGG_CEBJVWCQ\Y\BCB^]\@PJ_^PBQLGPQRJWQHBATBTSUBYFWEAE[YJLYPIWKHTFCMZKVMB^[Z^DOBRVVMOSPFHNSYXVDIE@X\BUC@GTSX@DL^GKFFHQCCE\G[JJBMYDYIJCZM@AY]GNGPJD]YNNW\GSX^GSCKHA[]@CCB\[@LATPD\L@J\\PF]VR[QPJN Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 02:18:03 GMT Xref: usenet.INS.cwru.edu stl.dining:1541

Thanks for the review. I value your input for authenticity. I've been to most of the places you mention and for the most part agree with your assessments (even though as an American, my assessment means squat :-)).

I wonder though why you didn't review the only all vegetarian restaurant in town - Govinda's. I realize the religion practiced at the temple in the same building isn't Indian authentic as I understand that "Hare Krishna Consciousness" (or whatever they call it) is an Americanized Hindu religion (obviously, I share the food but not the beliefs).

Govinda's was my first introduction to Indian food. I understand that it is common Southern Indian style. Govinda's serves an all you can eat buffet with Chapati's, a Dal soup, Halva (or some other dessert), a Subji (vegetable dish), Pakora (or something along the line), Basmati rice (or brown rice, if you prefer), Pampadam (sp?), salad and honeyed tea. The cost of the buffet is $6. What is offered within the genres varies day to day so you get a lot of variety even though you are always served the same kinds of food. I found that the flavor of the food varies depending on which devotees are stationed in St. Louis preparing the food. I've had it range from exquisite to lousy food. When it becomes lousy, I decrease my frequency of eating there until it becomes good again.

I never liked things spicy, but I soon learned to love the various flavors. I even took a six session cooking class from a devotee couple once. I now cook Indian food at home. I roll a lousy chapati though.

I looked up the other Indian places after experiencing Govinda's. My family's favorite place to eat is India Palace. Since it's convenient, I hit India's Rasoi frequently for lunch. Is it true that Indian's cook food a lot spicier than what's in restaurants for their own consumption?

Bill Warner

"The smaller the better"
wrote in message news:3ceb3aa1$ ...
> St. Louis now has a sizable list of Indian restaurants. I am an Indian,
born
> and raised there and have been in the United States long enough (6.5
years)
> to give these all a good comparison and absolute standards test.
> These opinions are based mostly on the vegetarian offerings.