Is it boring to love penne alla arrabiata?

I suppose it is, but I really really do. I use it as litmus to test how good an Italian restaurant is, the same way I used to use grilled cheese sandwiches as an indicator of how good a diner was when I still lived in New York. Arrabiata sauces can range in quality so dramatically, and you can get those thin, watery, not very spicy versions even in restaurants that are pretty good in other respects.

I love the Penne alla arrabiata at Fazzi on Cambridge Street. I don’t know if it’s my favourite, but it’s on my mind because I just had it last night for dinner. The sauce is a bit sparse but nice and rich and full of chilli and garlic. And the best part is, they add black olives! I know olives are one of those things that tend to polarise people, so if you’re looking for a good Penne alla arrabiata and the idea of black olives gives you wiggins, go to Dino’s on Sauchiehall Street.