To be either was to be an enemy of our caveman forefathers, unjustly, irritatingly and untrustingly going against our ancient carnivorous right to feast on and celebrate slaughtered beasts in all their beauty.

Now it’s a movement gaining pace faster than a charging bull, with everyone from celebrities to high profile restaurateurs and chefs ditching meat from their diets and menus.

Plant-based eatery The Cardamom Pod has ridden the wave of vegetarian popularity, starting with its first cafe in Byron Bay 14 years ago, before opening at Broadbeach in 2011 and then last month at the Brickworks in Southport. The latest incarnation is a bright and airy, industrial modern space featuring a long counter with glass cabinets boasting nutrient-dense delights ranging from salads to sweets, opposite a Scandi-chic dining room divided by a sculptural plant wall.

There’s no burning incense or Woodstock soundtrack; minus the giant Krishna mural at the end of the room, it’s more hipster cool than a sleeve-tattooed, bearded barista in skinny jeans and a grandpa cap.

The breakfast menu is also bang on-trend starring everything from pumpkin protein pancakes with their healthy spin on Nutella to corn waffles with tomato chutney and avo; while lunch is a brief but tempting affair moving from the expected salads to the likes of a burger and koftas.

The cafe uses only organic grains, nuts and pulses, pure nut oils, and all dishes are dairy and animal product-free.

There for lunch, we began with the Fusion Taco ($22). Perhaps The Cardamom Pod is trying to daze carnivores into forgetting there’s no meat on the plate by serving up He-Man-worthy portions. The taco was a dinner plate-sized, charry, soft corn tortilla piled high with firm, caramelised-edged, sweet and sticky, Mongolian barbecue-style cubes of tofu and crunchy, turmeric-battered cauliflower fritters. Interwoven with citrus-fresh guacamole and lightly blackened corn and tomato salsa, it was a perfectly executed, delicious and different take on the Mexican classic.

The Mumbai chaat ($23) was another example of bold flavours masterfully amalgamated with tandoori-marinated, grilled tofu skewers slathered in a sweet mango chutney, sitting alongside an incredibly light and airy spinach and fenugreek-spiked roti topped with mustard-dressed potatoes and a pesto-like mint chutney, which brought freshness to the carb hit. While spirals of sweet potato had been clustered together and deep fried to form a pretty nest, filled with a mung bean salad, tangy coconut yoghurt and a standout tamarind chutney.

Skip the side of cassava chips ($8), however, as they’re not a patch on the traditional South American versions.

Desserts offer interesting interpretations on classics such as rice pudding, ice cream sandwiches and apple pie. They had run out of the bush tucker cheesecake with lemon myrtle, ginger and macadamia, so we went with the pumpkin cheesecake with poached pear and coconut cream ($12). Using cashew “cheese” instead of the standard dairy version, it was a tasty slice with a crumbly base of almond meal and coconut that benefited from the tart accompanying passionfruit to cut through the richness and sweetness.

The only disappointment was with the service, which, while friendly, was sloppier than a greasy diner hamburger with the works. Meals were brought out as they were cooked, not together, meaning each table around us had one person with food and another enviously waiting for their own order; while staff on several occasions delivered meals to the wrong tables, and trying to get the attention of a waitress was near impossible.

The place is still new, though, so one can only hope it was teething problems as the food alone — even for the hardcore carnivore — is well worth a visit to the Gold Coast.

Originally published on couriermail.com.au