We went down to the East Village on our last night as NYC residents for dinner at our favorite restaurant. It was such a wonderful evening and the weather was perfect.

Risotteria Melloti is our favorite restaurant in New York! I’ve mentioned this to quaint eatery multiple times on the blog as our introduction to risotto. We first visited while in New York for New Years Eve in late 2018/ the beginning of 2019. We had a candlelit table in a corner in the back. It was charming and romantic. And it was love at first bite when we tried risotto for the first time! After that trip, we decided we wanted to try cooking it ourselves! Now we eat it all the time!

We were able to enjoy outdoor dining under pop-up tents in front of the restaurant. There were just a couple other patrons, everyone respectively spread out.

Darrell ordered the All Isolana in Pentolino, which (according to their menu) is a risotto with pork loin, pancetta, grana padano, rosemary and a hint of cinnamon. “The typical risotto from Verona served in a small pot.”

I ordered my favorite item on their menu, the Radicchio Gorgonzola and Noci, which is risotto with red chicory, walnuts, Gorgonzola and grana padano. Not only is it delicious, it is also beautiful, with its lovely purple hue!

Since the restaurant was started by a rice-farming family in Italy (I believe they have two restaurant locations in Italy), they also sell their rice in the restaurant. We hadn’t purchased any when previously visiting and Darrell remembered as we were finishing up. We were amazed at the price for the quantity and said “we’ll take a bag!”

I’m very excited to try this rice when we get settled in Rock Hill. We also picked up some of the carnaroli rice from a grocery near our apartment before leaving. I’m interested to find out how they compare!

What a crazy week it has been. Today feels like it was a full week in itself. This blog post is actually going up as we make our way down the highway!

This New York food series is a fun way to capture a little bit of the city’s food scene as we depart. I have one or two more potential posts to finish out this series!

Disclaimer: I am not a dietitian or medical professional and while I share what ingredients work for me or what I choose to eat (at my own risk) while dining out, I advise you do your homework when choosing ingredients and places to eat. I highly encourage everyone to do their own research when it comes to the products they cook with or restaurant’s procedures. I do not have celiac disease but rather a gluten-intolerance and I’m not an expert on gluten or other food intolerances, autoimmune diseases, or food allergies. I simply share the ingredients I have found work for me, the places where I’ve dined and my personal experiences.