Tutto Bene

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Tutto Bene has a few things going for it. Firstly, it occupies a great location at Southgate, with an area overlooking the Yarra River that’s just two minutes from the Arts Centre. Secondly, the setting is simple (but not scruffy) because the attraction is the view, the food and the wine. The place is rather deliciously dark and cosy, and on busy nights it can get quite loud and bustling as well. Thirdly, chef Simon Humble has a thing about risotto. He has won a number of Italian awards for his risotto, the most prized of which has to be the President’s, with old parmesan and even older balsamic.

There are about fifteen different kinds of risotto on the menu, but if you’re having a non-rice day, there are plenty of other things to nibble. You could start with a wedge of parmesan with grissini and a balsamic reduction, or stuffed fried olives with slivered carpaccio. Main courses include braised lamb shanks with lentils, or slow cooked rabbit in balsamic vinegar (yes, it crops up a lot). For dessert you’d be well advised to check out the Tutto Bene gelataria. The wine list is extensive with quite a few options by the glass, and if you liked the olive oil, you can take home a few bottles of the Tutto Bene blend made from Victorian pressings.

Rita Erlich