Mooloolaba Part 1

A couple of months ago, I did something I hadn't done in several years. I went away for the night. Two nights, even. I hadn't been away from home overnight for a long time, because I didn't want to leave Dim Sim. Sadly, things change. I had the opportunity to go up to stay at Mooloolaba at the Sunshine Coast for two nights, one with my parents and one night alone. I haven't been to the Sunshine Coast even for a day trip for longer than I could remember. It is further away from me than the Gold Coast and all it's amazing vegan options. The Sunshine Coast is not without its fair share of great vegan food though.

I got started on my food adventures before I even got to the hotel, stopping in at Cafe Vie in Buderim for some brunch. I had been wanting to go here for a very long time, and it didn't disappoint!



I tried a Char Char Latte, because of course I did. It had activated charcoal, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and coconut blossom. To be honest, it tasted mostly just like slightly sweet soy milk, but it had to be done.



For food, I had the Vrioche. Which was a brioche bun with tofu scramble, house sausage patty, facon, onion, tomato relish, aioli, and baby spinach. I forgot to ask them to leave off the raw onion, so I did have to pick that out. It was also impossible to eat in one piece, everything slid out of that bun. But it tasted great! The only thing is that the tofu scramble is not so much cheesy as it is more like slighty curried. I also got a rosti side, because you should always potato.

Cafe Vie also has a bakery case and a small collection of vegan groceries. Plus the people who run it also run the Mini Tails Sanctuary, which I hope to visit some day. But back to that bakery case. They have some pies and sausage rolls, as well as a selection of sweet things. They stock Black Lemonade cookies! I got a lemon sandwich cookies, which was lovely. So tangy and light! As well as a Lamington cookie, which was amazing. It had chocolate chips, peanut, coconut, and cherries in it.



Then I headed in to meet my parents at the unit. This was the view. Very pretty, but very sunny!



After a lazy afternoon of reading and looking at the sea from the sun-safety of the unit, we decided to order dinner. I had just done a big drive, so didn't really feel like driving out to get food again. Though there were a number of vegan options around, so I ordered some delivery from Bella Venezia, an Italian restaurant. They have a vegan menu, though unfortunately not everything on it was available for delivery. I really wanted to try their roasted dutch carrots with pumpkin and macadamia puree. But I wanted to not go out even more. I opted for their Pumpkin, Spinach, Mushroom, and Avocado Pizza (hold the capsicum). It was a really nice little pizza, good flavours. I also was craving some veggies, so I ordered some seasonal vegtables. These ended up being broccolini, though they came absolutely drenched in oil!



After dinner, Dad and I went for a walk to get some night ice cream. There was a place just up from the hotel that had some vegan sorbets. But when I got there, turns out they also have vegan frozen yoghurt! Frozen yoghurt is of course pay by weight, but I had to try a bit of all the vegan flavours, minus the coconut one. I got American Cream (like a creamy vanilla and maple), green apple, strawerry, and Black Hawaii (charcoal... again). Topped with some granola and strawberries. All the flavours were really nice! Just a note about charcoal. It is fun, but if you eat or drink it make sure it is at least two hours either side of any medications you take, because it does decrease absorption.



There are several smoothie and juice type places pretty much right outside the place we were staying, so the next morning I popped out and picked up a Siren Smoothie from The Nectar Bar. This place has juices, smoothies, acai bowls, and also some wraps and slices (only some of those are vegan). I got the Siren Smoothie, which was an apple pie smoothie. It had apple, spinach, oats, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, banana, lucuma, and almond milk. It was really lovely.



I took my parents back to Cafe Vie for brunch. We all got a hot chocolate to drink, and it came on a beautiful tray! They serve their hot chocolates in little heated pots and you pour it over the marshmallow in your glass. There is more than one glass worth of hot chocolate in the pot as well. With three arranged in a tray, it was a very pretty hot chocolate party!



My mum ordered the Benedict, which was cheesy tofu scramble (though again, more curry than cheesy), facon, hollandaise, and baby spinach on a croissant. With a side of rosti, because of course!



Dad got the Yiros Welcome, a wrap with braised mushroom meat, tabouli, hummus, and herb aioli.



And I got the... Avocado Toast. Yes, I am that vegan. But the 'Avo You Seen This' is not just any avocado toast. It was organic sourdough, with black tahini, smashed avocado, greens, pickled daikon, and mustard cream. It was a tower! A delicious tower. And I also got a rosti on the side. Duh.



On our way there, we drove past a park that Mum mentioned they had visited before, as it was very beautiful with a cathedral of trees. So we stopped there on the way back. It is called Wirreanda Park, and it has a beautiful area flanked and canopied by giant trees. It was a cool and peaceful place.



We also saw some bird friends! This kookaburra was giving me some cheeky looks, and there was a family of bush turkeys. I got a photo of one enjoying a little dust hole.





That's all for this post, but I will have a second part coming up some time soon!