Izakaya Midori

July 7, 2024

   

For the first time in over a decade I've had a weekend at the Gold Coast, and I made a special trip to Izakaya Midori for a meal. I'm familiar with this restaurant through Susan, who's posted at least ten reviews of it! (See collected links at the bottom of the post.) It's located in a little suburban shopping strip, yet the business has transformed their space into a small slice of Japan with nostalgic wooden surfaces, decorative knick knacks and functional accoutrements like wooden chopstick boxes and fabric-covered bag holders on the floor.

It's a rare joy to receive an entirely vegan menu of Japanese foods. Not only is Midori's standard menu extensive, but they also offer specials (including dessert!) and a kids menu. Gluten-free, pungent-free and soy-free dishes are well marked. I was ordering just for one, and wracked with all the dishes I'd be missing out on: edamame served three ways (boiled, smoked and as chips), okonomiyaki, fancy-frilled gyoza, mash-it-yourself potato salad, numerous ramen and don mains.

   

That said, I couldn't fault the dishes I did order. I started with a katsu sushi roll ($6.50, pictured top), served with pickled ginger and not wasabi on my request. I figured the wasabi tartare sauce within would supply enough heat for me. The mock-pork filling was thick and succulent, generously and crunchily crumbed. I noticed and appreciated that I was served just 1-2 teaspoons of soy sauce, precisely sufficient for my needs.

When I saw 'yuzu' on the specials list I was sold, ordering the yuzu 'kara & tofu' combo salad ($19, pictured directly above). What a spectacular rainbow of ingredients it held! Crispy-chewy mock chicken, soft battered tofu squares, unblemeshed avocado slices, refreshing cucumber and tomato, corn kernels, sprouts, pickled purple cabbage, plentiful bright salad greens, all lightly dressing with yuzu and sesame oil. I am a notoriously slow salad eater, and it was a pleasure to take my time over this one.

My lemon myrtle tea ($7.50) enabled me to linger a little longer and digest my meal - I like that they sell this local option alongside their matcha. If I had more time at the Gold Coast, I'd eagerly return many more times to order across Izakaya Midori's menu. Knowing that I didn't, I contented myself with revelling in one unrushed experience.

   

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You can read one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten posts about Susan's experiences with Izakaya Midori. It's also been covered by I Travel For Vegan Food.

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Izakaya Midori

Shop 7/50 Woodland Drive, Reedy Creek Qld

(07) 5645 6625

lunch menu, drinks, specials, dessert special, kids menu

https://izakayamidori.com.au/

Accessibility: Entry from the footpath is flat and there's a shallow ramp between levels inside. Medium-height tables and backed chairs are generously spaced. The toilets are shared with other businesses on the block; they're gendered, narrow and lacking any accessibility features.

Vintage Espresso

(Update 11/07/2022: Vintage Espresso is now closed.)

March 18, 2013

Michael made a cursory search for nearby cafes that might serve us breakfast on Monday morning and up popped Vintage Espresso at Mermaid Beach. On sight, I could barely believe it: this cafe could have been airlifted and deposited directly from Melbourne's inner north. (More likely, my sense of south-east Queensland is seven years out of date and such cafes thrive all over Oz.) The interior is vintage through and through, from the furniture and wallpaper to the crockery and copious (but not cluttered) knick knacks. This much orange and brown usually strikes me as dowdy. Maybe it was the white walls, the good condition of their wares or the Gold Coast sun streaming in, but here it was positively cheerful.

I was cheered, too, to see another cafe offering iced chai ($6.50). I am too optimistic. This one was the sweetest, least spicy version I've encountered yet. Peeps've really gotta sort out a way to inject some ginger and, I dunno, actual tea into these things. Michael's flat white offered more satisfaction.

Glutton for punishment (and sugar), I backed it up with an order of banana bread ($5.50). This, I can recommend - thick and gently sweet, with a good measure of toasty walnuts.

Michael ordered the Spring Harvest ($15), a procession of well poached eggs, roast tomato, mushrooms, polenta bake, spinach and pesto - all fresh and heartily enjoyed, including the tomato (!).

Game for more, he followed up with a kale, apple, grape and cucumber juice ($6.50).

There's plenty on offer for vegetarians at Vintage - additionally fruit, muesli, French toast, more eggs and avocado mashed with feta - but vegan options are less obvious. Gluten-free dishes aren't marked either but are relatively easy to identify. I liked that the toast menu extended beyond sourdough to fancy fruit, bagels and something pumpkin-based. The service was pleasant and the kitchen didn't leave us waiting too long. Vintage Espresso have clearly put as much care and skill into their food as their fit-out.

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There are positive blog posts about Vintage Espresso on your local markets, green been, Girl Who Does Lunch and Espresso Escapades, then a mixed one on Taking Care of Breakfast.

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Vintage Espresso
1/43 Alfred St, Mermaid Beach QLD
(07) 5527 7878
veg breakfasts $3.50-15.50
facebook page

Accessibility: The cafe is split level - tables out front, up a step and counter level and up a couple more steps to an elevated dining area. Tables are somewhat crowded inside. We ordered and paid at a medium-height counter, though food was served to our table. We didn't visit the toilets.

Easy House

March 17, 2013

A dear and distant friend's first solo art exhibition drew us from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, and we scheduled in some veg eating too. Reader Fiona first recommended Easy House to us in an email more than a year ago; Matt echoed her endorsement in a more recent message.

Our timing didn't permit us to test out Easy House's yum cha but we did stop by for dinner. The menu runs to more than 80 dishes - fried entrees, soups, tofu, vegetables, lots of mock meats, hot pots, rice and noodle dishes. Many of them were familiar from other Chinese-style vegetarian menus, but we found a couple of novel dishes to order.

The vegetarian roast goose ($14.80) was made primarily of layered bean curd skin, with a few finely chopped mushrooms and other vegetables tucked in between to boost the umami element. The curd was melt-in-the-mouth tender and perfectly contrasted with a crispy-battered shell. The accompanying sauce was more sweet than sour, but still welcome.

We doubled down on deep-fry with the salt and pepper eel fillets ($16.80). These didn't deviate from the glutenous faux-fish I've eaten elsewhere but I wasn't disappointed - there's something almost electric about the seasoning that I can't imagine replicating at home.

The Easy House atmosphere is a little stark, and more customers seemed interested in takeaway than eating in, but we received very helpful and timely service. The menu is extensive and the quality and price of the dishes we tried compares favourably with the Chinese-style mock meats we've eaten elsewhere. I hope we can cook up other reasons to visit again, ideally for yum cha next time.

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Easy House has already earned blog love on definatalie.com and Delicous Encounters.

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Easy House
8/90 Markeri St, Mermaid Waters QLD
(07) 5572 8808
veg dishes $4.80-18.80
facebook page

Accessibility: There's a small step up into the restaurant (see photo above) and tables inside are quite crowded. We ordered at the table and paid at a high counter. We didn't visit the toilets but I noticed another diner borrowing a key, presumably to access them elsewhere in the mall.