The Swaminarayan Hindu temple at Neasden is something that every Londoner should visit, a shimmer of Italian marble and Bulgarian limestone within earshot of the North Circular. There’s physical as well as spiritual nourishment onsite in the shape of Shayona, which if not quite living up to the extravagant grandeur of the temple opposite does possess an interior that is smarter than most of London’s Gujarati cafes and offers a sattvic vegetarian menu which promises to foster inner purity, vitality and a finer mind. The cooking is prepared according to Ayurvedic teachings without onions and garlic, though there is so much precise spicing and vibrant presentation, no one could claim to feel neglected by the lengthy menu of veggie kebabs, curries prepared with okra and tofu, seitan and soy mince, plus dosas, idli and uttapam to order on the side. To drink, there are lassis and Limca lemonade from India, and absolutely no alcohol: no one got a finer mind on a hangover, after all.
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