Taste Review: New dinner menu at Cardamom Pod

WHEN it comes to converting carnivores to vegetarians, it doesn’t hurt that every plate at this restaurant is drop-dead gorgeous. But it doesn’t just look good on Instagram, it tastes delicious too.

I CAN’T believe it’s not chicken.

More accurately, I can’t believe it’s soy protein.

As unsexy as that sounds, The Cardamom Pod is full of surprises, including the one waiting in soft steamed bao buns that tastes uncannily like Peking chicken.

Cardamom Pod Southport is now doing dinners. Picture Glenn Hampson

The saucy substitute is such a good mimic I had to check with our waitress that the restaurant hadn’t deviated from its purely plant philosophy to launch summer dinners.

The new a la carte menu, available on Friday and Saturday nights at the Pod’s Southport base, finds creative ways to tackle the tastiest trends.

The colourful fare. Picture Glenn Hampson

When it comes to converting carnivores, it doesn’t hurt that every plate is drop-dead gorgeous.

This place is the darling of the social-media set and there are more than a few meals going cold as diners pose with petal-strewn plates and rose-hued mocktails.

My appetiser – zucchini flowers in a golden coat of tempura accessorised with tangerine cream emulsion and orange-glazed fennel ($16) – certainly doesn’t have a bad angle.

Dinner food at Cardamom Pod. Picture Glenn Hampson

It’s beautiful inside, too, with a warm filling of almond fetta exploding at the touch of a fork.

Oversized, impossibly detailed portions characterise the main event, including the aforementioned not-chicken bao that comes with tempura vegetables and a neon pool of wasabi mayo ($23).

Umm.. YUM. Picture Glenn Hampson

An intensely flavoured cherry tomato vinaigrette lends vibrancy to comforting morsels of truffle and potato gnocchi ($26) and the classic spaghetti bolognese is recreated minus the meat ($21).

Popcorn “chicken” tacos ($22) are another highlight, the corn tortillas packed with plenty of lip-tingling texture - spiced peanuts, sriracha coleslaw and avo salsa.

At just $12, I wasn’t expecting my dessert’s dimension. The rich hunk of choc-hazelnut cake is thickly slathered with ganache and served with chocolate-coated figs, Nutella sauce, ice cream and a pop of pink fairy dust.

The fine fare at Cardamom Pod. Picture Glenn Hampson

Ask for two spoons and share – if you can resist an ice cream sandwich or Spanish doughnut affogato ($12 each).

The other big bonus is BYO. Raid your private cellar to make an already affordable spread even better value.

If you haven’t come prepared, the nourishing refreshment list has you covered with Botanic organic coffee, Krishna blue chai lattes, organic loose-leaf teas mango and turmeric lassi made on coconut yoghurt and cashew cream, and mocktails.

Staff member Debora Franco with some of the lovely food. Picture Glenn Hampson

After neatly recovering from the initial hiccup of losing the reservation I’d made earlier in the week, the service was warm and efficient.

There’s no hard sell when it comes to the vego lifestyle; the passion on every plate speaks for itself.