Alan,

That was a great article in the 50th-anniversary GQ issue on the 7 temples of dining ["The Seven Temples of the Food World," October 2007, pg.406], I have dined at three of them. Being a Philly guy, I remember you from the old Bulletin, and was wondering if you could recommend a great place for risotto in New York City.

Thanks so much,
Bryan Abrams

This question comes from a Philly guy who loves Italian food and is desperate for rice dishes. (He made me recall that I’ve never seen risotto on a menu in Philadelphia, my hometown.) First of all, if you want risotto, don’t go to New York’s Little Italy. But you can go almost anywhere else. Three risotto stalwarts are Il Cantinori, Il Nido, and Felidia—that last one is the restaurant of the famous TV chef Lidia Bastianich. Here are two more tips: If your risotto hits the table in under 20 minutes, it’s not being made from scratch. And if you’re a fan of the ingredients that go into risotto rather than the rice itself, look for French restaurants that put it on the menu. It’s almost always swooningly rich.

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