Kuranda, the rainforest village is one of the places I wanted to visit in Cairns, to walk in the rain forest and visit the Barron Falls. Then I found out that Kuranda is a mecca for plant-based food cafes! How fabulous! There were plenty of options for me to enjoy vegan meal but I had to choose Japanese food at Hayabusa of Kuranda .
Very cute and super tiny shop front
Hayabusa of kuranda is not vegan restaurant but offers Japanese vegan lunch and Wagashi, the Japanese traditional sweets.
You can spot vegan menu and gluten free menu easily
I knew this place is run by Japanese when I saw “ sekihan “ which is sticky rice with red beans which is very rare to find in Australia! When I saw it I could tell they cook azuki, the read bean and sticky rice which are often main ingredients for Japanese traditional sweets – meaning making homemade Japanese sweets.
Sekihan – the Japanse sticky rice with azuki
I ordered cha soba (green tea soba) with sesame miso soup and added extra tofu.
You can choose either hot or cold soup. It was hot day, so I choose cold soup.
Cold Green Tea Soba with miso and sesame broth
Lots of nori, the seaweeds which is my favourite.
Nori and pickled ginger gave a lovely kick to the mild miso based soup! It was perfect for sticky cairns weather!
All noodles served here is cha soba – green tea soba
My hubby ordered vegan curry.
I was so happy to hear that the curry was vegan. My hubby added chicken drumstick but I removed for my photo shooting !
Vegan curry
When you order curry at a resort or most Japanese restaurant, there is no twist – just add Japanese curry roux ..but this curry, I am sure using curry roux but also adding good amount finely chopped veggies and an added depth to the flavour. Very nice!
My only regret is I forget to order a vegan homemade vegetable bun…! No fake meat – just full of good ingredients! I only just realised now looking back at the photo of menu.
Now time for dessert!
There are quite a few wagashi available. Firstly I had to convince my hubby to choose vegan sweets. He wanted to order dorayaki which is a Japanese style pancake with filling but it contains egg so I had to suggest something else (vegan!), which I was succeeded to do.
My hubby ordered eucalyptus dango! I found it very interesting because we normally don’t add eucalyptus. Eucalyptus is Australian native plant so it was an Australian Japanese fusion!
Eucalyptus dango $6
The dango was mochi rice cake balls mixed with Eucalyptus leaves and served with sweet red beans.
Red beans were not too sweet – perfect sweetness. Very Japanese style!
I ordered Mizu manjyu because I have never had mizu manjyu in Australia.
Mizu Manju with half and half syrup $6
Mizu manju is a vegetable jelly filled with sweet red beans and topped with kink, the roasted soybean flour.
You can choose matcha syrup or brown sugar syrup – or you can do half and half which I chose to do.
Even though I love matcha, brown sugar syrup is the traditional way to enjoy mizu manjyu and is better.
Amazing jelly like Mizu manjyu
I was sooo exited to find such a place in this village and enjoyed the meal and sweets very much. Especially the wagashi, since that is very hard to find in Australia.
This place is open only from Thursday to Sunday so make sure to go there during that time
They also do rental kimono so you can wear kimono and eat Japanese to feel Japan without going Japan!
I highly recommend to visit this place when you go to cairns!
Hayabusa of Kuranda
Address: 1-3 Therwine St, Kuranda QLD 4881
https://www.facebook.com/hayabusaofkuranda/
Open Thursday to Sunday 10am-3pm
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