The sister café to Hawthorn's Liar Liar, APTE is a slightlyless edgy, more family-oriented venue set on Heidelberg Road, smack in themidst of a mainly residential section of Alphington. On the day I went, theclientele included young mums with babies, ladies who lunch (or breakfast, asthe 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 I'd ordered that the meal I'd chosen ­(toasted banana breadwith honey labneh, pistachios and seasonal fruit) was extremely similar to thebreakfast I'd ordered when I went to Liar Liar. Silly me. Anyway, our waitertold me that they'd taken the banana bread off the menu at one point, only tohave customers demand its return, and I can see why – it is truly divine. Mymum chose the vegie breakfast, which included two perfectly poached eggs, awhole half avocado, oven-roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach and APTE's housemade relish.

Other standout dishes from the menu are the APTE BigBreakfast (two free range eggs, bacon, slow roasted tomatoes, spinach,mushrooms, sausages, APTE house made relish on organic toast), the Tasmaniansalmon breakfast (smoked salmon, a pea, fetta and corn fritter, avocado, rocketand dill sour cream) and ricotta hot cakes with poached seasonal fruit andhoney and orange-infused ricotta.

The décor is contemporary and calming, with polished concrete floors, beautiful wooden tables and designer light fittings. Hugefront windows allow the sunlight to stream in. The walls are adorned with works by local artists, which 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.