The Cardamom Pod @ Broadbeach

The Cardamom Pod - I’ve heard about this hip, earthy and colourful vegetarian restaurant a couple of times now but never got to try it until last night!

Each set of tables was unique with plants, bright paintings and decorations surrounding you. The vibrant atmosphere was indeed very inviting.

We ordered a couple of dishes to share:

Chewy tomato and avocado salad

Pumpkin and feta salad with pomegranate seeds and quinoa

 

Sushi rice salad

Kofta ball salad with house-made creamy beetroot sauce

 

Mousaka with lentils and eggplant

Vege Masala

 

Vegetarian Lasagne

Malaysian curry

 

Pumpkin filo

 

These were definitely my favourites: tomato and avo salad, pumpkin and feta salad, kofta balls with beetroot sauce, pumpkin filo and the mousaka.

It’s often hard to find vegetarian restaurants that make really nice food, but The Cardamom Pod happens fit that description perfectly!

For desserts, we tried:

Pumpkin Cheesecake - Smooth and creamy texture of pumpkin with a dash of ginger mascarpone

Vanilla bean cheesecake topped with berries

 

Chocolate tart with poached pears

 

In terms of desserts, they were all too rich and too sweet for me – luckily, we shared all the desserts! They also came with complementary ice cream, though! 

However, the pumpkin and vanilla cheesecakes were my favourite!

Overall, if you’re looking for a place to chill on a Friday night with comfy atmosphere and good food, this is the place for you!

Donto Sapporo @ Broadbeach

Donto Sapporo is located in Broadbeach, on the Gold Coast. From the outside it is a restaurant that can be easily missed, but once you step into the restaurant, you’ll be able to see that it is actually quite big. The interior décor is typical of a traditional Japanese restaurant, with lower-set tables, Japanese cushions for sitting (zabudon) and room dividers consisting of washi paper over a frame of wood (shouji). You are welcomed by friendly staff as soon as you enter and that, together with the atmosphere of the restaurant, teleports you to a typical restaurant in Japan.

The menu range is one of the most extensive I’ve seen at a Japanese restaurant and it took us a while to decide what to get. In the end, I opted for their Chirashi sushi and whilst my friends shared a Shabu Shabu Set.

Chirashi Sushi

The chirashi sushi was average for the price. Yes, the sashimi was fresh but I don’t think it was worth it for the portion size and price.

Shabu Shabu Set

Again, the ingredients were all fresh, but it was a pretty normal shabu shabu that other restaurants would have at a lower price range as well.

We didn’t want to give up on Donto Sapporo based on only two main dishes so we tried some of their desserts as well:

Crème Brulee with Japanese Plum Sake

The plum sake was strong but it didn’t overpower the crème brulee.

Deep-fried Mochi with Vanilla Ice Cream

Though I have never had Japanese-style deep-friend mocha before, this dessert was only average. I find normal mocha more aromatic and chewy.

Green Tea Ice Cream

Even something as simple as green tea ice cream was presented differently from other restaurants – it came with corn flakes at the bottom of the ice cream with red beans on top. I did find the green tea ice cream to be a little too sweet – it would’ve been better if there was more green tea taste to it.

Their dessert range was diverse, with monthly specials of their own creative Japanese-Western fusion-style desserts.

Overall, Donto Sapporo was pretty average and I think it is overpriced for what you get. Apparently, they do good lunch Obento specials, so wouldn’t mind giving that a try one day. 

Elk Espresso @ Broadbeach, Gold Coast

Having only opened for a year, Elk Espresso is a vibrant café located in Broadbeach and is easily accessible by public transport. The atmosphere of the café is simple, modern and pot plants on tables and their wallpaper bring in a touch of nature.

I visited Elk Espresso on my first Café Crawl on the Gold Coast with my friends. Their menu options are mainly for lunch including salads, sandwiches, burgers, chips as well as freshly baked goods from the cake cabinet.

This was the last stop of our Café Crawl that day and we were all pretty full by the time we got here. We ended up ordering:

Chicken Sandwich on cord bread with chilli jam, avocado, roasted sweet potato, feta and leaves accompanied by a side of fries.

 

Cherry and Almond Tart. The tart was very average – too sweet for my liking. More almond meal texture would’ve have made it a lot better.

 

Elk Espresso is supposed to be well known on the Gold Coast for the coffee so I ordered a latte to see for myself. The latte was quite nice – above average, but still not the best I’ve had on the Gold Coast.

The highlight of our this stop however, was the Crème Brulee Thickshake! It was absolutely amazing! It was my first time trying anything like that but wow!

 

If you’re not a thickshake lover, this can get sickening though. We struggled to finish it off because it was so thick, rich and creamy! It was at that point where our stomachs could’ve have exploded if we ate any more food.

Elk Espresso’s menu changes on a seasonal basis, so I would like to come back when they change up their menu and perhaps this time, not during one of the café crawls.