From the outside, Yellow Pumpkin looks like your typical local sushi store, but upon closer inspection of the menu, this place is a mixture of eastern and western influences. The breakfast menu is very basic with 5 choices that consist of croissants, toast, rolls and your classic big breakfast. There are also 10 types of sushi to choose from as well as their Korean inspired baguette range.

The decor has a rather nice homely feel. The checkered table cloths, the pot plants, the cute little picture frames on the walls, and the relaxed music playing in the background, make you feel all nice and cosy. The cafe itself is not particularly large, however, there is still a fair amount of natural light that flows through it’s small frontage.

For lunch, I ordered the Bulgogi Baguette. The dish was ready 10 minutes after ordering and was nicely presented on a circular white plate. The baguette was 9 inches in length and contained beef bulgogi, cabbage, onion, jalapeno, Korean barbecue sauce, soy sauce and mustard.

The beef bulgogi was well marinated, lean and tender. I was expecting some sort of sweetness from the bulgogi marinade but this was masked by the Korean barbecue sauce. There were so many contrasting flavours and textures, there was more balancing than an acrobat at a circus. The cabbage provided a nice crunchy texture, the onion had a natural sweetness, the jalapeno provided the heat, the soy sauce added saltiness, and the mustard had a sweet pungent taste. I wouldn’t have imagined that all these ingredients went together but they miraculously worked.

The baguette was nice and crusty, and of an adequate thickness.

The staff were friendly and the service was good. The atmosphere was relaxed and the pricing was reasonable. The cost of the baguette was $7.50 which was well worth the experience in itself. A unique combination of ingredients that was well executed. Average cost of a menu item is around $7 with the most expensive being the big breakfast at $16.

Verdict: This place is a hidden gem in the heart of Goodwood.

WHERE: 123 Goodwood Rd, Goodwood