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Great risotto

By Elaine Paoloni | epaoloni@am-ny.com

5:21 PM EDT, September 26, 2007

Dinner at Risotteria, in the Village, on Bleecker Street. (Michelle Repiso)

While risotto can include anything from spring vegetables to summer berries, fall is an especially appealing time to dig in, thanks to the bounties of the autumn harvest. The creamy concoction serves as a base for bigger things when ingredients such as squash, corn and mushrooms are added. Here are some of our favorite risotto combinations around town this season:

Risotteria It's all about choice here. Dishes are grouped into three categories, depending on the type of rice used: Choose from arborio, vialone nano or carnaroli. Then there are about 35 flavor combinations to consider. Need more options? Don't miss the standard daily specials, including four cheese (Mondays); chicken, fontina, zucchini and olives (Thursdays); and cotto ham, gruyere and red onion (Sundays). (270 Bleecker St.; 212-924-6664; www.risotteria.com $10-$18)

Rialto You may not want to rush the arrival of winter, but you may want to rush to Rialto to try the winter risotto. It's packed with asparagus, grilled chicken and smoked mozzarella, giving it an earthy, fresh flavor. To really get your mind off the "winter" in the dish¹s title, take a seat in the enclosed back garden. (265 Elizabeth St.; 212-334-7900; www.rialtonyc.com; $14.95 appetizer, $17.95 entree)

Picholine Terrance Brennan's risotto selection changes with the seasons. Currently on offer is a morel and rabbit risotto made with farmer's market corn and rabbit confit prepared using rabbit legs from a co-op of farms in Tennessee. Because it is made to order, the dish takes about 25 minutes to prepare -- but it's well worth the wait. Watch out for a pumpkin-inspired risotto in the near future. (35 W. 64th St.; 212-724-8585; www.picholinenyc.com two-course minimum, $65)

Cafe Gray For risotto with a French twist, try Gray Kunz's risotto mushroom fricassee as a first course at Café Gray. A bowl of creamy risotto is presented by the waiter, who then mixes in a small serving of seasonal wild mushrooms sautéed in shallots, chicken stock and white port wine. The mushroom-filled silver serving dish is then left with the diner, leaving him or her in charge of striking their own perfect balance. (Time Warner Center; 10 Columbus Circle, 3rd Fl.; www.cafegray.com; 212-823-6338; $26)

Gramercy Tavern You can¹t order it off the a la carte dinner menu, but Gramercy Tavern¹s heirloom tomato risotto with tomato jam is featured as one of six items on the veggie tasting menu; it¹s also on the lunch menu. The rich, creamy dish is balanced by the fresh flavor of ripe tomatoes and melts in your mouth. (42 E. 20th St.; 212-477-0777; www.gramercytavern.com; $12 small portion (lunch); $22 large portion (lunch); $88 veggie tasting menu (dinner)

Sette Enoteca e Cucina With its roots as a peasant dish, risotto seems right at home amid the rustic environment at Sette. Out of the exposed kitchen comes a lemon risotto with shrimp and mussels; the delicate flavors lighten the traditionally heavy dish. You can have it as a dinner entree, or during lunch as an appetizer or as part of the prix-fixe lunch, served beneath lemon and white-wine chicken. If the dining room is too cozy for you, enjoy your meal out on the year-round patio. (207 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn; 718-499-7767; www.setteparkslope.com; $5 appetizer (lunch); $10 prix fixe (lunch); $18 entrée (dinner) )

Rose Water The risotto at Rose Water is made with delicata squash, oyster mushrooms, robiola cheese and fried sage. The mix of flavors sinks into the thick rice, rendering a smooth, even taste. The dish is offered as an entrée and as part of the early autumn market menu. (787 Union St., Brooklyn; 718-783-3800; www.rosewaterrestaurant.com $19 entrée; $27 early autumn market menu)