Cacao Green (Bourke Street)

235 Bourke St
Melbourne, VIC 3000 

cacaogreen.com.au

I’d catch a pomegranate for ya! After a greasy meal at Huxtaburger, Chris and I are at Cacao Green to try out their new frozen yoghurt flavour. Three guesses what it is.

We caught the new Bourke Street Cacao Green on its opening day, but unfortunately we missed the actual opening, so no free yoghurt for us. Boo.

There was however an abundance of balloons. And people.

The interior feels sort of like a love-child of a chain-cafe, and the tree-house I’ve always wanted as a kid, but never had. And also kind of like the library I want in the future, minus the squishy chairs and millions of books.

Junior Pomengranate Frozen Yoghurt ($4.7) with Mochi ($1)

The Junior Pomegranate Frozen Yoghurt ($4.7) with Mochi ($1) tasted kind of like strawberry, but tarter, and more berry-like, if that makes sense. The mochi is unfortunately not as plump or chewy as I’ve had in the past, but hey, all mochi is good mochi!

They also serve St Ali Coffee. Now if that’s not a reason to pick Cacao Green over the Starbucks situated across from it, I don’t know what is. 

Rating: 13/20 – eat more yoghurt. drink better coffee.

 

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EVERYONE!! Note the switch to my SEXY NEW CAMERA! Anyway.

A few weeks after the grand opening, I was fortunate enough to find myself at Cacao Green along with three other bloggers. Organised by the lovely Ashley at FoodPampering, we were treated to a delicious array of their new products, and we got to speak to some of the owners about what goes on behind the scenes.

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Cacao Green is a place to slow down and relax, aided by a delicious treat or two. We were greeted by Josh and later on, Jesse, two passionate young men with a shared vision of healthy, sustainable deliciousness.

Tropical Parfait ($6.9)

Mixed Berry Parfait ($6.9)

 

Our sweet afternoon began with two of their Parfaits ($6.9), one Tropical, and one Mixed Berry. House-made compote and juicy pieces of fruit were layered with lashings of their famous frozen yoghurt, topped with a moreish crumble of almond and granola. This was a delicious and healthy alternative to a fatty, sugary ice cream sundae. 

And from here on, the food just kept on coming. By the time we put away our cameras, our parfaits have all but melted.

Fruit'n Crunch Organic Yoghurt ($6)

Fruit'n Crunch Organic Yoghurt ($6)

Apple'n Passion Organic Yoghurt ($6)

Orange'n Honey Organic Yoghurt ($6)

Orange'n Honey Organic Yoghurt ($6)

 

Served in beautiful glass bowls, the Organic Yoghurt ($6) came in three different flavours – Apple ‘n Passionfruit, Orange’n Honey, and Fruit’n Crunch. And whilst they all tasted different, with the apple and passionfruit being the tartest of them all, the orange and honey sweet and refreshing, and the fruit and crunch full of syrupy berries, they have a few things in common – Thick yoghurt (not frozen this time), crunchy granola, and a whole lot of awesomeness. This is a dessert that you wouldn’t feel guilty having for breakfast, no joke.

Mixed Berry Bircher Muesli ($8)

Mixed Berry Bircher Muesli ($8)

Tropical Bircher Muesli ($8)

 

Steering the boat into breakfast territory, the Tropical and Mixed Berry Bircher Muesli ($8) were pure rib-sticking goodness served in custom made, hand-crafted bowls. An absolute powerhouse, the organic bircher soaked in orange (and a hint of lemon) juice was topped with chia seeds, dried fruit and nuts, and some of the most nutritious fruits available. It’s creamy, delicious, and oh-so-good for you.

Blueberry Honey Bread ($8)

Blueberry Honey Bread ($8)

 

The healthiness was given a break for a moment with the Blueberry Honey Bread ($8). A thick slab of buttery, crispy toast topped with blueberries, almond slivers, and a healthy dollop of cream cheese is decadent but not over the top. This disappeared in record time; everyone went back for seconds.

Grapefruit Fruit-Aide ($4.8)

 

The Grapefruit and LimeFruit Aides ($4.8) were tart and refreshing with freshly squeezed juice, ice shards and sparkling water. But what we found most interesting was the use of Agave Syrup, a low-GI, diabetic-friendly substitute to sugar. Respect.

Gourmet Blueberry Almond Waffle ($9)

Gourmet Blueberry Almond Waffle ($9)

 

The Gourmet Blueberry Almond Waffle ($9) was my favourite for the day. Yes the outside could’ve been a bit crispier, but I’m pretty sure it started off crispy (I could heard the crunch of it being cut into), and I just spent too long taking photos. The texture of it was light and eggy, and just that little bit chewy. Drizzled with crispy nuts and juicy blueberries, it was everything a gourmet waffle should be.

Quinoa Pudding ($7.5)

Quinoa Pudding ($7.5)

Quinoa Pudding ($7.5)

 

The last thing we were served was a hearty and warm Quinoa Pudding ($7.5). This dessert had a much wilder taste to it, thanks to the generous usage of palm sugar and coconut milk. The fragrant oriental flavours were, unsurprisingly, a hit with the Asian palates around the table. It might be a bit confronting for the uninitiated, but it’s an absolute dream for those familiar and in love with the flavour combination.

Organic Berry Banana Yoghurt Smoothie ($5.8)

 

We were so stuffed by this point and we hadn’t even finished half the food, but upon much insisting, we relented and tried a half-serve of the Organic Berry Banana Yoghurt Smoothie ($5.8). A thick and luscious drink; only the best and most seasonal fruits are used, ensuring that the flavours are as fresh and true as possible.

The carnage.

Josh

 

Josh and Jesse were fantastic hosts, answering all our questions about the food and telling us their story. Some of it was educational, some was funny, some was thought-provoking, but all of it was passionate and inspiring. We were all very impressed by the effort they went to, to ensure that all their products were healthy, high quality, and delicious. Cacao Green may be a chain, but behind the clever advertising and slick interiors, there is a whole lot of heart.