Tip My Hat to Tipo 00

My friend Shauna has never introduced me to any eatery less than worth my while, and while Tipo 00 appears at first to be a simple cafe-size restaurant, it certainly did not disappoint!

Renown for their past and risotto, Tipo 00 is a modern Italian-style restaurant by Melbourne’s GPO, with uncomplicated food and delectable desserts. Tipo 00 had an easy menu without more than a page of dishes, which helped us avoid too much um-ing and ahh-ing. I ordered the Tortelli with pumpkin, bergamot and bufalotto, while Shauna had the Tagliolini al nero with squid ink tagliolini, squid and bottarga. My dish was the favourite of the two, and I was delightfully satisfied with the balance of savoury flavours with the sweetness of the pumpkin, and some added texture with crunchy nuts sprinkled over top. While it didn’t appear to be a large portion on my plate with only 6 parcels, I can say that it was the perfect amount of food for lunch together with a dessert, and I left extremely satiated without feeling overly heavy after lunch on a summer day.

The highlight of everything we ate was definitely the dessert! We both shared two desserts – Tipomisu with chocolate, coffee and marscapone (Tipo’s take on the Tiramisu), and the Pannacotta with hibiscus, berries and vermouth. I can say that the ‘Tipomisu’ wasn’t so much like a tiramisu dessert, and although some of the familiar flavours were there, it was a completely different texture. There was this thin layer of chocolate that added a great crunch to eat bite. It was also a bit of a show, as the server had to pour this hot coffee mix over the top to make the plate this delicious mess of chocolate and caffeine without being either too sweet nor bitter. Somehow it was just perfect! I also really loved the pannacotta as it was light, refreshing, easy to eat without being too rich, and nothing short of pretty to look at.

On top of all that, the service was on point, and the staff were not only friendly and polite, but super attentive. Shauna, in all her excitement, knocked over her glass of water. Before we even raised a hand to get some help, a server had already made her way over with a handful of napkins, wiped it all up, poured her a full glass again, and even offered to replace the dessert immediately, even though just barely a few drops of water spilled onto the plate. Good service is as much a part of the dining experience, as is the food for me, so I would happily return and recommend Tipo 00 for at least their exceptional service.

All in all, I definitely give top praise for their food, presentation, service and even reasonable price point (for a special meal but nothing too over the top). I tip my hat to Tipo 00 as one happy customer!

PS. Special thanks to Shauna for shouting me lunch as an early birthday treat!!!

A complimentary toasted buttered bread crisps and some kind of delicious cheese.

Tortelli – pumpkin, bergamot & bufalotto

Tagliolini al nero – squid ink tagliolini, squid & bottarga

Tipomisù – chocolate, coffee & mascarpone

Pannacotta – hibiscus, berries & vermouth