Eat. @ Vibrante

133 James St, Templestowe 3106 ph : (03) 9846 6222

Vibrante is a relative newcomer to Templestowe Village, which is a trendy little strip mall with cafes, women's clothing stores, beauty salons, organic food store and a few other little shops.  It is housed in an old body repair shop. 

There are sections for dining in small and large groups, including booths and an upstairs functions area.  We've had lunch here a few times with the kids and found the food to be of good quality and the whole experience quite pleasant and welcoming.

During the week they have an express lunch.  Hubby had a the beef burger, and could not stop singing praises for their chips.  Freshly fried, crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, I had to agree they're pretty good.  The beef pattie was also very nice, great texture and very meaty.

I had already had lunch that day so I indulged in their home-made chocolate mousse.  A lovely, chocolatey treat which is smooth and creamy. 

Great with a pot of their SereniTEA infusions.

The mocha was fairly average, less hot than how Hubby usually likes it.

On the weekend the express lunch menu is not available, but there are plenty of choices from their main menu.  We started off with some whitebait as as an entree.  Good tasty dish, I've also had their salt and pepper calamari which is similarly prepared, with a side of aioli.

The duck risotto was very tasty, and great to share with the kids.

Continuing with his love of their chips, Hubby had the fish and chips and again was impressed with its quality.

The Penne Napoli from the kids menu is a great serve.  The kids always love this dish and this was no exception.

We shared a serve of their tiramisu for dessert.  Creamy, chocolately and coffee all at once.  It was a great end to the meal with a cup of tea.

A glass cabinet full of sweets had the kids fascinated for a while.

The kids asked for one of their "drops of heaven".  Fairly average little tarts with an almondy fruit topping.  I think their enjoyed playing with them than eating them!

Eat.Play.Shop. Says : One of the better quality cafes in this area.  Vibrante caters well for families as well as other groups, with a fairly decent, good quality menu.

Toilets - Yes, spacious and has a change table
Highchairs - Yes