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LAST YEAR'S FALL DINING Guide debuted a spirited new addition to a yearly endeavor in the AJC's dining pages. In addition to the daunting task of winnowing the Atlanta area's restaurants into a list of 50 top spots, I also began a new tradition: Restaurant of the Year.

For those of you who didn't take notes (shame on you) as to how I decide on something so lofty, here's a recap.

Elissa Eubanks/Staff (ENLARGE)
Cappe sante — plump seared sea scallops with white beans and a mess of wilted arugula — is a must-have. Use a piece of bread to soak up the juicy broth.
Elissa Eubanks/Staff (ENLARGE)
Sotto Sotto has been a destination in Inman Park since its 1999 opening.
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First, the restaurant needs to be chef- or owner-driven, with a menu that's distinctly its own; maybe it even packs a few punches. The kitchen has clear vision, right down to the bread in the basket.

Over the course of its years (and it's got a few under its chef's coat), this restaurant has grown into its own — perhaps starting as a neighborhood spot but maturing into a destination. It's in, but not trendy. And you can eat here and still get in some retail therapy without breaking into the stash of cash you have hiding behind that almost-empty quart of coffee Häagen-Dazs in your freezer.

When you add up these traits, Sotto Sotto comes easily to mind. Riccardo Ullio opened this flavor haven back in 1999, and it was almost an instant success. Atlanta had never really tasted Italian like this: simple, deconstructed presentation and an absolute adherence to fresh, well-sourced ingredients. This is the kind of Italian food found in Italy, and though there's no one region really represented on the precise menu, the sense here is that Ullio, who is from Milan, did his homework. Thoroughly.

While the restaurant's reputation immediately created a "see-and-be-scene" attitude in the dining room, it's the kitchen's magical way with risotto — whether with musky mushrooms and shards of parmigiana or the restaurant's signature mantecato with its elixir-like syrup of aged balsamic vinegar and sweet, rustic caramelized onions — that has made this place a destination.

I can't eat here without ordering cappe sante made with fat pillows of seared sea scallops over white beans and usually a mess of wilted arugula. The juicy broth soaks nicely into a dab of rustic bread. The wine list is a deep beauty, and sometimes sitting at the bar and ordering a few nibbles of a half-order of pasta is the perfect way to experience Sotto Sotto. But ever since Ullio sound-proofed the ceiling a couple of years ago, most will want to get a table in the small dining room and be waited on by a member of his apt staff.

Ullio has two new venues opening early next year on Juniper Street in Midtown, neither of which are Italian. Cuerno will offer regional Spanish cuisine, including Paella and Basque-style steak; Beleza will be a raw-food and juice bar, right next door.

Ending the evening with a seasonal fruit, such as warmed figs with white ice cream, brings the evening to a lulling calm, like coming back to pianissimo after a bang of forte.

Sotto Sotto has a way of making you remember what good food is all about: innocent, unfettered flavor. Sotto Sotto, by the way, means "hush hush." Ah, la vita tranquilla.

Sotto Sotto
313 N. Highland Ave.
N.E., Atlanta. 404-523-6678. www.sottosottorestaurant.com. 5:30-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 5:30 p.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays; 5:30-10 p.m. Sundays. $$$