The Apo is settling into a pleasant groove. This heritage-listed former apothecary is as striking as ever, ancient brick walls offset by cool cement floors, moody lighting and flashes of royal blue, but the service is now pinpoint sharp. That personable touch is needed when negotiating a share-plate menu that reads like Morse code, and later welcomed when tailoring the order of your plates to avoid a car crash of flavours at the table. A short but interesting selection of wines is evenly split between Old World and New. The Apo’s Middle-Eastern accent is clear in the tangy house-cured basturma, its lightness offset by a dollop of labne and nutty flatbread. Lamb ribs – something most chefs could knock up in their sleep – are lifted immeasurably with a perfectly calibrated coriander purée and spring onion yoghurt. Stick around for dessert: whipped cheese with watermelon is a creamy, understated riposte to over-the-top sweets.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide
Wine: ★
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
The Apo
690 Ann St Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, QLD Australia
