We’re not all that religious, but there is probably no church to which we have tithed more money to over the years than Kalachandji’s, the restaurant inside the Hare Krishna temple in East Dallas. And at the prices they charge, that’s saying a lot. The food is vegetarian (not vegan, though), so Kalachandji’s offers puddings, cheeses, and the like on the daily buffet. There’s no menu per se, just a continually rotating selection of chafing dishes that serve up exquisitely wrought home cookin’—if your home happens to be in Agra.

The dal soup, pulao (rice), and salad bar are all constants (the greens, all chosen with care from the farmer’s market, are as fresh as a sailor on leave). But you can cycle through multiple casseroles at one sitting: al dente pasta, sabji (vegetable curry), paneer with potatoes, etc. Frankly, it’s a crapshoot. Some dishes outshine others. But we’ve never walked away displeased—or hungry.

The staff is as gentle and calming as the garden setting. And a dessert of vanilla rice with a glass of tamarind “tea” soothes better than a foot massage and meditation. It’s enough to make believers out of skeptics—and vegetarians out of carnivores in this steakhouse land.