Risotto San Francisco That Isn’t Just Mushy Rice With Stuff In It

My friend Rachel ordered risotto at this place in North Beach last month and got a bowl of what looked like rice porridge. Watery. Gummy. No texture. “This is risotto?” she asked, confused. The waiter insisted that’s how it’s supposed to be. No. Absolutely not. Real risotto has texture – each grain of rice is separate but held together by creamy starch. Not soup. Not paste. Something in between.

Most risotto San Francisco restaurants serve is overcooked mush or undercooked hard rice swimming in liquid. Neither is right. Then I took Rachel to Soma Restaurant & Bar and she finally understood what creamy Italian rice dishes are supposed to be. “This is completely different,” she said after her first bite. “I can feel the rice grains but it’s still creamy. How is that possible?”

That’s proper risotto technique. Constant stirring. Adding liquid gradually. Cooking to the exact right point where rice is al dente but the dish is creamy. Most restaurants don’t have the patience or skill to do it right. Soma does it every single time.

Why Most Risotto in San Francisco Is Wrong

Here’s the problem with risotto at most Italian restaurants. It takes 20-25 minutes of constant attention to make properly. That’s time most restaurants can’t afford. So they take shortcuts. They partially cook rice in advance and finish it to order. Or they cook it too fast with too much liquid. Or they add cream to fake creaminess. Every shortcut ruins the dish.

My coworker Dave worked at an Italian restaurant in the Marina. He said they’d make big batches of risotto in the morning, spread it on sheet pans to cool, then reheat portions to order. “It was never creamy,” he told me. “Always gummy and separated. But most customers didn’t know the difference.” That’s depressing but probably true. People think mushy rice with cheese is what risotto is supposed to be.

Real creamy Italian rice dishes require specific rice. Arborio, carnaroli, or vialone nano – short grain Italian rice varieties with high starch content. That starch is what creates creaminess when released through stirring. Regular rice doesn’t work. You can stir it all day and it won’t get creamy, just mushy.

Soma Restaurant & Bar uses carnaroli rice which is considered the best for risotto. Higher starch content than arborio. More forgiving – stays al dente longer. I asked the chef why carnaroli over arborio. “Arborio gets mushy if you overcook it even slightly,” he explained. “Carnaroli gives us more control. We can hit that perfect texture consistently.”

That attention to rice variety is step one most restaurants skip. They use whatever’s cheapest. Usually arborio because it’s widely available. Sometimes not even Italian rice. Just regular short grain rice. The result is risotto that can never achieve proper texture no matter how well you cook it.

Finding Creamy Italian Rice Dishes Done Right

Last year my girlfriend and I tried risotto at eight different Italian restaurants. We wanted to find one place that understood risotto. Most failed. One place served us soup with rice floating in it. Another served us rice so dry it was like eating plain cooked rice with cheese sprinkled on top. Neither understood the balance.

The worst was a place in Fisherman’s Wharf that clearly microwaved pre-made risotto. You could tell because it had hot spots and cold spots. The texture was rubbery. The “creaminess” was from added cream, not from rice starch. It tasted nothing like actual risotto. We left most of it and never went back.

Then we went to Soma and ordered mushroom risotto. The difference was immediate. The rice had bite to it – al dente, not mushy. But it was held together by this creamy sauce that wasn’t separate liquid. The sauce coated each grain of rice. The mushrooms were mixed throughout, not just dumped on top. “This is what we’ve been looking for,” my girlfriend said.

Real risotto San Francisco should have texture. When you put a spoonful on a plate, it should spread slowly and hold its shape somewhat. Not runny like soup. Not stiff like rice pilaf. Somewhere in between – what Italians call “all’onda,” which means wavy. Soma’s risotto has that exact consistency. You can tell they understand the technique.

What Makes Soma’s Risotto Different

The cooking method is everything with risotto. You start by toasting rice in fat – butter or oil. That coats each grain and prevents it from getting mushy. Then you add wine which gets absorbed. Then you add hot stock little by little, stirring constantly. Each addition of stock gets absorbed before you add more. This gradual process releases starch slowly, creating creaminess.

Most risotto San Francisco restaurants skip steps. They add too much liquid at once. They don’t stir enough. They cook at the wrong temperature. Each mistake affects the final texture. Soma follows proper technique. I’ve watched them make risotto from the bar. The cook is stirring constantly, adding stock from a ladle, tasting to check doneness. It’s active cooking, not passive.

My friend Marcus is a chef who’s obsessed with risotto. “The stirring is crucial,” he explained. “It agitates the rice and releases starch. That starch plus the liquid creates the creamy texture. If you don’t stir enough, the starch doesn’t release and you just have rice in broth.” That’s why most restaurant risotto fails – they’re not stirring constantly for 20 minutes.

The final step is called “mantecatura” – finishing the risotto with butter and cheese off the heat. This creates final creaminess and richness. You stir vigorously to emulsify butter and cheese into the starchy liquid. Soma does this step properly. Their risotto comes out glossy and rich, not separated or greasy.

The timing matters too. Risotto is done when rice is al dente – cooked through but with slight resistance when you bite. Most places overcook it until rice is soft all the way through. That’s mushy baby food, not risotto. Soma cooks their rice to proper al dente every time. You can feel the texture when you eat it.

The Stock Quality Nobody Talks About

Risotto absorbs a lot of liquid – usually 3-4 cups of stock per cup of rice. If your stock is bad, your risotto is bad. No amount of technique can fix garbage stock. Most restaurants use stock from concentrate or bouillon cubes. It’s cheap and convenient but tastes artificial.

Soma makes their own stock from scratch. I asked about it once and the chef explained they make chicken stock, vegetable stock, and seafood stock depending on what risotto they’re making. “Stock is the foundation,” he said. “We’re basically making rice-flavored stock. If the stock doesn’t taste good, nothing else matters.”

My uncle is picky about restaurant food. He can taste when stock is from concentrate. He tried Soma’s risotto and immediately noticed the stock quality. “This tastes like actual vegetables and chicken,” he said. “Not like bouillon cubes.” That difference elevates everything. Each grain of rice tastes good because it absorbed good stock.

The stock has to be hot too. Adding cold stock to cooking risotto drops the temperature and affects texture. Soma keeps stock simmering on the stove next to the risotto pan. They ladle hot stock directly into the rice. This maintains constant cooking temperature. Another detail most restaurants ignore.

Different Styles of Risotto Worth Trying

Risotto isn’t just one dish. Different regions of Italy make it differently. Milan is famous for risotto alla milanese with saffron. Venice does risotto al nero di seppia with squid ink. The Veneto region does risotto with seafood. Each style requires slight technique adjustments.

Soma’s menu changes but they usually have 2-3 risotto options. Sometimes mushroom risotto with porcini and parsley. Sometimes seafood risotto with shrimp, scallops, and clams. Sometimes seasonal vegetable risotto. Each one is made properly with appropriate stock and technique.

My girlfriend tried the seafood risotto and was impressed by how clean it tasted. “I can taste each component,” she said. “The shrimp. The scallops. The fish stock. Everything is distinct but works together.” That clarity comes from good technique. Bad risotto tastes muddy – all the flavors blur together into one generic taste.

The mushroom risotto is my favorite. They use dried porcini mushrooms which have intense flavor. The porcini get rehydrated in stock so nothing is wasted. The mushroom-infused stock cooks the rice. Fresh mushrooms get added near the end. The result is deep mushroom flavor throughout with textural contrast from fresh mushrooms.

My friend tried the asparagus risotto in spring. The asparagus was cooked just right – tender but not mushy. The rice was creamy. The whole dish tasted fresh and green. “This tastes like spring,” she said. That seasonal thinking is classic Italian cooking. Make risotto with what’s good right now, not with frozen vegetables year-round.

The Common Mistakes Home Cooks Make

My roommate tried making risotto at home after eating at Soma. He thought it would be easy – just rice and stock. His first attempt was a disaster. The rice was crunchy in the middle but mushy on the outside. The liquid was separated from the rice. “I don’t understand what I did wrong,” he said.

I explained the mistakes. He added too much liquid at once instead of gradually. He wasn’t stirring constantly. His stock was cold. His rice wasn’t toasted properly first. Each mistake individually seems small but together they ruin risotto. That’s why restaurant risotto is so often bad – multiple small mistakes add up.

Even good home cooks struggle with risotto. My girlfriend’s mom is an excellent cook. She makes Italian food regularly. But her risotto is always slightly off. Sometimes too soupy. Sometimes too dry. Sometimes the rice texture is wrong. “I can’t figure out the timing,” she admits. “It’s done differently every time.”

That’s why Soma’s consistency is impressive. Their risotto is the same quality whether you order on Tuesday or Saturday, whether they’re busy or slow. That consistency comes from skilled cooks who’ve made risotto hundreds of times. They know by feel when to add more stock. They know by looking when rice is done. That intuitive knowledge only comes from repetition.

Why Restaurants Take Shortcuts With Risotto

Making risotto to order is hard during busy service. One cook is stuck at the stove for 20 minutes stirring constantly. That cook can’t do anything else. Most restaurants can’t afford to tie up labor like that. So they cheat. Partially cook rice, finish to order. Add cream for fake creaminess. Batch it and reheat portions. All these shortcuts are faster but produce inferior risotto.

My friend owns a restaurant and I asked why he doesn’t serve risotto. “I can’t dedicate someone to stand there stirring for 20 minutes per order,” he explained. “During busy service I need every cook working on multiple things. Risotto requires single-task focus.” I understood but it means risotto stays off his menu.

Soma’s willing to make that investment. They have cooks skilled enough to make risotto properly during service. They build the timing into their kitchen flow. They charge appropriately for the labor involved. Their risotto dishes are $26-$32 which reflects the work required.

Some customers complain about the price or the wait time. Risotto takes 20-25 minutes from order to table. But that’s how long proper risotto takes. Soma doesn’t apologize for it. They explain that risotto is made to order and requires time. Most customers appreciate the honesty and quality.

What Regulars Know About Ordering Risotto

There’s a couple who comes to Soma every other week. They always order risotto. Different variations but always risotto. I asked them why they’re so consistent. “Because this is the only place that makes risotto right,” the husband said. “We’ve tried everywhere else. This is the only one worth eating.”

That loyalty is earned through consistency. Making perfect risotto once is luck. Making it perfect every time is skill. Soma’s risotto is reliably excellent. That reliability keeps people coming back. My coworker orders risotto at Soma at least once a month. “It’s my comfort food,” she said. “I know it’s going to be good.”

The staff knows regular risotto customers too. They know my friend Rachel always orders mushroom risotto. They know my uncle likes his risotto slightly looser than standard. These small accommodations build relationships. People return when they feel recognized and valued.

The Wine Pairing Most People Miss

Risotto pairs beautifully with wine. The creaminess and richness work well with both white and red depending on the risotto flavor. Seafood risotto pairs with crisp white wine. Mushroom risotto pairs with light red. Most people don’t think about wine pairing with risotto but it matters.

Soma’s sommelier understands risotto pairings. My girlfriend ordered mushroom risotto and asked for wine recommendation. He suggested a Barbera from Piedmont. The wine had enough acidity to cut through the richness but complemented the earthy mushroom flavors. Together they were better than separately.

My friend is into wine and he always orders wine with risotto at Soma. “The pairing elevates both,” he explained. “The wine makes the risotto taste better. The risotto makes the wine taste better. It’s synergy.” That sophisticated approach to dining is what makes Soma special. They think about the whole experience, not just individual dishes.

The Reality of Risotto in San Francisco

Most risotto San Francisco restaurants serve is mediocre. Mushy rice. Watery texture. Added cream for fake creaminess. Shortcuts everywhere. Finding proper creamy Italian rice dishes is hard because most restaurants don’t invest in doing it right. The technique requires time, skill, and patience. Most restaurants have none of those.

Soma Restaurant & Bar is one of maybe five places in San Francisco making risotto properly. They use good rice. They make stock from scratch. They cook to order with proper technique. They finish with butter and cheese. They serve it at the right consistency. Every step is done correctly which is why their risotto stands out.

My nephew moved to San Francisco for college. He’s eating mostly cheap food. I took him to Soma for his birthday and ordered mushroom risotto. He’d never had real risotto before. “I thought risotto was supposed to be like rice pudding,” he said. “This is way better.” Yeah it is. That’s what happens when restaurants do things right.

If you want risotto San Francisco that’s actually creamy Italian rice dishes done properly, go to Soma. Order any risotto on the menu. Understand it takes 20-25 minutes because that’s how long proper risotto takes. Trust it’ll be worth the wait. And prepare to be disappointed by every other risotto place after. Because once you’ve had risotto made right with proper technique and quality ingredients, everything else tastes like mushy rice with stuff in it. Life’s too short to eat bad risotto.