Timpone’s Restaurant Review

Have you ever felt like eating and enjoying a high quality meal, but cannot find a place in your price range? Well, Timpone’s in Urbana is an Italian eatery with an elevated menu, focused on fresh, seasonal ingredients with a mix of unique ingredients flown in from all over the country, that is within budget.

Located in the heart of the University of Illinois campus, Timpone’s has been around since the university was established. Starting as a local pizza joint, they have recently expanded to create a menu focused on authentic Italian cuisine with a modern twist. The common way to attack the menu at Timpone’s is to go for a four-course meal: appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert.

For an appetizer, try the Fritto Misto, a classic Italian dish that usually consists of flash-fried vegetables accompanied with marinara sauce. Timpone’s take, however, has a little bit of a twist with fried bay scallops, shrimp, and calamari (squid), along with fried zucchini and bermuda onion, served with spicy marinara and creamy aioli. For those of you who do not like the fishy taste of seafood, the fry batter masks the fish taste and brings out the natural, sweet flavor of the seafood.

If you like salad, try the caesar. It’s a classic Italian-American dish that is mainly served with parmesan cheese, croutons, and a caesar dressing. This salad is different at Timpone’s because they make a lemon-anchovy dressing, which balances acidity and salt to create a light coating, compared to the traditional, heavy caesar dressing.

For the entree, try the Chianti-braised beef short ribs, which are served with hand-rolled gnocchi and fresh vegetables. This dish utilizes a classic Italian wine, Chianti, to break down and flavor the short ribs, to create a melt in your mouth feel with hand-made gnocchi, which are little potato dumplings of deliciousness.

Finally, cap off an amazing meal with a slice of the tropics, key lime pie, served with raspberry sauce and fresh whipped cream. The key lime pie, made fresh daily by pastry chef Ginger Timpone, pairs a buttery graham cracker crust with a smooth, tart filling and a to-die-for raspberry sauce.

So next time you’re strolling around the University of Illinois campus and looking for an Italian meal, pop in to 710 S Goodwin Avenue for a spectacular culinary adventure.