We’re all for new and exciting things when it comes to eating experiences. Novel dishes which excite with never-experienced flavours and presentation keep us diners on the edge of our seats. And we will happily stay there if it means we get to experience more new concepts. Cafes in particular love to shake up the status quo at times with eats that just scream innovation and often a lot of painstaking work behind the scenes. The newly-opened Raijin — a modern Japanese café — in Palm Beach is the sort of place where an inventive twist on breakfast and lunch awaits.
The space is found with ease just off the Gold Coast Highway, on tree-lined Fifth Avenue in Palm Beach. Upon approach, you’ll see the venue has a low-lit escape-from-the-world vibe inside, or if you prefer, a scattering of tables street side will keep the sun on your skin as you watch bustling Palm Beach go about its day.
Owner Fuji and his team have put together a striking menu that showcases a cult dish that was stumbled across during a visit to Japan a few years back. The Soufflé Pancake is a piece of culinary wizardry as two entirely separate dishes — pancakes and soufflé — are combined. The result is the softest pillows of wobbling deliciousness which beg you to eat with care: utterly fluffy and light, these must be tried to be believed. An added bonus? Being made with mochi rice flour and brown rice powder, all four available dishes featuring these souffle pancakes are entirely gluten-free.
For those who favour something sweet, the Original Soufflé Pancakes come with lashings of whipped cream, real Canadian maple syrup, strawberries and blueberries. A Tiramisu version is much the same but with hearty additions of mascarpone cheese and a good dosing of fresh espresso.
The other two savoury styles are the Super Feed coming with smashed avocado, beetroot paste, buckwheat (optional smoked salmon and/or bacon to amp things up) or our personal favourite, the steamy Carbonara Soufflé Pancakes with bacon, mushrooms, parmesan! — Dreamy!
The menu also features a showcasing of Mochi Crepes, again completely gluten-free and equally as delicious with an array of toppings for you to choose from like Bacon-Egg-Spinach or the elite Smoked Salmon Sour Cream.
All these tantalising dishes will no doubt require adequate beverages to wash them down with, and Raijin doesn’t miss a beat in the drinks department. Speciality coffee is brought to you from Melbourne Roasters Proud Mary and Seven Miles from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with the latter’s Wilde Blend, often used as their Single Origin for black coffees.
For tea aficionados out there, rejoice: the selection of premium organic teas is nothing short of worldly. And if caffeinated drinks aren’t what the heart desires, fresh-squeezed juices and a selection of house-made milkshakes should fit the bill.
With plans on the horizon to serve alcohol and open in the evening, Raijin is looking to slot into the Palm Beach dining scene with a casual Australian-friendly take on classic Japanese-style share dishes. Watch this space, my friends!
Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday-Sunday 8am-4pm
Where: 2 Fifth Avenue, Palm Beach
Words by Alex Mitcheson.
