Milky buffalo mozzarella arranged among strips of roasted pepper, white anchovies, and capers, the flavors linked by a piquant slick of extra virgin olive oil. Risotto Mantecato, a nontraditional combo of creamy, al dente rice streaked with caramelized onions, slashes of twelve-year-old balsamic vinegar, and wisps of Parmigiano-Reggiano. A haphazard "lasagnette," its sheets of pasta set willy-nilly around the plate, bound by supple béchamel and rich, meaty Bolognese. Roasted fish, perhaps a Mediterranean branzino, filleted tableside by a sure-handed server and situated beside crackly potatoes and garlicky spinach.

The delight in Sotto Sotto stems from its consistency. Trust that these dishes and many others will be cooked with the same moxie every single time you eat them. Owner Riccardo Ullio ensures his firstborn's steadfastness. That holds true for the confident service and the welcoming space: This corner of Inman Park felt sketchy when Ullio set up shop in 1999, but the buzzing room and the honeyed lighting cloaked you in coziness. They still do (and the neighborhood has morphed into one of the city's hippest hangouts).