Govinda's

Govinda's

Govinda’s Lunch Wagon
The incremental increase of tuition over the past few years on top of the already high cost of living in Hawaii and the monopoly of campus food distributor conglomerate Sodexho have made the students of the University of Hawaii at Manoa feel more of pinch in what small pockets they have.   The usual selections around campus are mediocre at best and overpriced - Bale, which I personally liked until it started to hold back on the sandwich fillings while still charging $4 for a croissant tuna sandwich, Yummy’s Korean bbq charging $8 for quantity not quite quality, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Subway, and Paradise Palms Café, only slightly better than the cafeteria at the Navy base – and many Manoans were dissatisfied by the lack thereof until there was Govinda’s.   The newest member of the campus food carts as of Fall of 2005 is a vegetarian lunch truck, located in Kuykendall’s Sustainability Courtyard, that opens from 10am to 2pm on Mondays thru Fridays and serves primarily Indian foods that are popular in Nepal, Pakistan as well as in Bangladesh and freshly made.  

I admit I love fresh fruits and vegetables and am not the biggest fan of meat but haven’t been able to go cold turkey on meats and wouldn’t have given a second thought to Govinda’s at the sight of the sign “Vegetarian Cuisine.”   But I loved it!   When asked if I wanted to take out or eat there, I chose take out just in case I couldn’t finish.   The cashier then asked if I wanted a biodegradable container.   I agreed to one and was charged $.10.   They’re even environmentally friendly!   It took less than a minute for my loaded order of Thai yellow curry plate that included well-seasoned brown rice, fresh salad, and two delicious dessert squares for only $4.50 (mini).   But if you dare to go the distance with two entrees, brown rice, fresh salad, soup du jour and dessert, full plates are available for $7.15.
Once I picked up my order, I wet my salad lightly with one of the three dressings on...