MELBOURNE | Tino is a Latin American restaurant by Argentinean head chef and co-owner Sergio Tourn. It takes over the Sydney Road space formerly home to bar and bottle shop, Rascal. The character of the space has been retained, with exposed brick walls, tall arches, and polished wooden floors. The bar now extends to the front of the venue, and there’s a good mix of stools, booths, and tables.
Tourn’s cooking draws not just on his Argentinian heritage, but the wider cuisine of Latin America. Classic dishes with a twist, informed by Melbourne’s dining scene, local ingredients, and native produce. It’s food that works well to share with friends as a main meal, or to enjoy as a bar snack.
Rotating ceviche and empanadas are a highlight, as is the house-made chorizo served with marinated peppers, and guindillas. The diversity of Latin American chillies is explored throughout the menu, with many varieties that you don’t often see in Melbourne.
Experimental dishes on the rotating menu include things like beef tartare with avocado crema, morita (lightly smoked, ripe red jalapeno), and saltbush; kangaroo antichuchos (grilled skewers) with panca chillies and sweet potato; and tapioca croquettes with smoked mozzarella, and feijoa.
The wine list skews Latin American, featuring plenty of interesting drops from Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. The cocktail list is also interesting, with the assorted pisco sours a particular highlight.
Keep an eye out for the special dinners that Sergio puts on each month. They focus on particular traditions, events, and regions, allowing diners to experience something more honed that the wider net cast by the regular menu.
Tino
341 Sydney Road
Brunswick
Victoria 3056
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9114 2817
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Tue – Thu: 4:00pm to 11:00pm
Fri: 4:00pm to 1:00am
Sat: 12:00pm to 11:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm to 11:00pm