One of my besties, Whitney, used to live across the street from Risotteria. Several years ago she brought their breadsticks, warm from the oven, to dinner at my apartment. I have been hooked on Risotteria's breadsticks ever since.
Risotteria's breadsticks have a crisp exterior with a slightly chewy center, like a good Italian bread. They're light and airy and the salt crystals on the outside add a slight crunch and masks any gluten-free flavor you could potentially detect. They don't have the tell-tale vapor aftertaste of a gluten-free baked good, and the delicious chewy texture is rare for something gluten-free.
A few weeks, the husband and I were meeting friends for dinner at Babbo after work. Babbo happens to be a few blocks away from Risotteria, and I had a little time to kill before our reservation, so I picked up a few breadsticks (or a dozen - I can't say), broke off big pieces and did a little shopping in the Village while snacking on the breadsticks. My husband met up with me at Murray's cheese to check out their beer selection. When he saw me eating the breadsticks he was like seriously, you're pre-gaming for dinner at Babbo? But the breadsticks were that good - I couldn't resist!
Risotteria's breadsticks travel well, especially if you re-heat and serve them warm. But they do taste best fresh from the oven at the restaurant, and are especially great with a glass of wine. The restaurant is teeny tiny (a 20 seater) and very casual, but the breadsticks alone make up for any deficiencies in the ambiance.
