Casanova's Risotto

Is it my imagination or did risotto go out of style and then recently return? It seems that not too long ago risotto was the equivalent of today's tuna poke or seared fois gras, but it's showing up again, often accompanied by a fashionable crowd of lobster, saffron, and pumpkin. In recent years I've stayed clear of this usually overcooked mushy catch-all of flavors, but on a recent trip to Carmel my husband I were tempted to give this comeback another shot.

We splurged out of our student budget on a dinner at Casanova, a quaint European-style chateau with a charming twinkly-lit outdoor patio, and a place aptly referred to as "Carmel's most romantic restaurant." Designations like this imply that a place is touristy and formulaic, but it was much less Thomas Kinkaid than I expected and really was such a damned cute place that we got sucked in. No complaints, because dinner, a three course prix fix affair, was delicious. And I went for the--gasp--risotto. Filled with crisp peas and crunchy asparagus, it was wonderfully creamy and just the right texture. Risotto, so glad you're back!