APTE (A Place to Eat)
| Where | 538 Heidelberg Rd, Alphington, 3078—View map |
Contact | 03 9482 2991 |
Website | — |
Open | Monday to Saturday 08.00am to 05.00pm |
Payment | EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard, Cash |
Diet | Check with venue |
Seating | Inside and outside |
Kids | Welcome |
Pets | Unwelcome |
Simple name, simply great food
Rowena Robertson
The sister café to Hawthorn's Liar Liar, APTE is a slightly less edgy, more family-oriented venue set on Heidelberg Road, smack in the midst of a mainly residential section of Alphington. On the day I went, the clientele included young mums with babies, ladies who lunch (or breakfast, as the case may be), and a few mum-and-daughter couplings, of which I was one.
I always seem to be attracted to the same types of dishes. I realised, after placing my order, that the meal I'd chosen (toasted banana bread with honey labneh, pistachios and seasonal fruit) was extremely similar to the breakfast I'd ordered when I went to Liar Liar. Silly me. Anyway, our waiter told me that they'd taken the banana bread off the menu at one point, only to have customers demand its return. I can see why-it is truly divine. My mum chose the veggie breakfast, which included two perfectly poached eggs, a whole half avocado, oven-roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach and APTE's house-made relish.
Other standout dishes from the menu are the APTE Big Breakfast (two free-range eggs, bacon, slow-roasted tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, sausages, APTE house-made relish on organic toast); the Tasmanian salmon breakfast (smoked salmon, a pea, fetta and corn fritter, avocado, rocket, dill and sour cream); and ricotta hot cakes with poached seasonal fruit, and honey and orange-infused ricotta.
The décor is contemporary and calming, with polished concrete floors, beautiful wooden tables and designer light fittings. Huge front windows allow the sunlight to stream in. Works by local artists adorn the walls. These works are for sale.
APTE is a little bit pricey (the APTE Big Breakfast is the most expensive item on the menu, at $16), but you certainly get what you pay for; that is, extremely high quality cooking and excellent service.