Despite the fact I live at the other end of Smith Street to Trippy Taco I hadn’t been for a really long time, but in the last few weeks I have rectified this with two delicious visits. Trippy Taco is a vegetarian institution in Collingwood, having been first on Smith Street and now around the corner on Gerturde Street for over 10 years. They serve Mexican street food that is all vegetarian, with lots of vegan and gluten free options, and it’s always doing a roaring trade of both takeaway and eat-in food. It’s also fully licensed so you can enjoy a Mexican beer with your tacos – always important!
When eating at all-vegetarian restaurants I always get slightly panicked when perusing the menu as I’m not used to having so many options, so it feels extra important to get it right when ordering. Luckily on both recent visits to Trippy Taco I’ve been with people who are more than happy to share food, so that takes some of the pressure off! I’m also yet to try anything there I haven’t liked which always helps!
So – onto the food!
First up was the Tofu Asada Burrito ($11) which was filled with chargrilled tofu, mozzarella, goats cheese, salad, avocado and salsa. I wasn’t initially sure about choosing the tofu burrito option but I was super pleasantly surprised – this was delicious. So full of ingredients and flavour that I didn’t even mind the fact I was getting the sauce all over my face while eating it! Seriously, is it possible to eat Mexican without making a mess?!
Next up are the Taquitos ($11) which was 3 crispy corn tortillas filled with black beans and topped with cheese, salsa, guacamole and served with salad. These were also really delicious, with the crispy tortillas being a nice contrast to the soft tortillas in all the other dishes I tried over the two visits. The addition of a side salad helped lighten the whole meal too!
I also tried the Tofu Asada Tacos ($12 for 2) which had a similar filling to the burrito and were equally delicious. The thick, soft tortilla help sop up some of the juices so a little less of them ended up on my face but once again I don’t think I would have minded in the slightest. We remarked at the time that it’s always the sign of a good meal when everyone stops talking so they can focus purely on eating, and that’s definitely what happened here!
Last, and definitely not least are the Trippy Fries ($6) which are thin cut chips with an amazing, almost frighteningly orange coloured seasoning. I have no idea what is in the seasoning but it’s delicious and more than a little addictive! Definitely recommended as a side dish to the rest of the food!
I think it’s safe to say it won’t be long before I’m back to sample more of the menu at Trippy Taco – there’s still nachos, quesadillas and other varieties of the burritos and tacos to try and I have no doubt they will all be as delicious as everything I have already tried!
Are you a fan of Mexican food? Have any recommendations for me?
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I Spy Plum Pie is Liz, an early 30s kiwi-born, Melbourne raised girl who is passionate about the environment and sustainability, food, exploring and learning new things. Join me on my journey to a happy, sustainable life!
Elizabeth Mars
July 17, 2013 at 7:08 pm (11 years ago)I’ll have to check this place out when I’m next in Melbourne. I always get a bit jealous reading all these reviews for these Melbourne vegetarian cafes it’s a much more vegetarian friendly city than Sydney.
I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
July 21, 2013 at 10:18 pm (11 years ago)I’m very lucky that the part of Melbourne I live in has an abundance of vegetarian friendly places – but you’re right, overall it’s still a pretty easy city for vegetarians. I did find some delicious spots in Sydney while I was there this weekend though!