Q: What are the top three pasta dishes in Charlotte?
Kristen: Tom and I have very different lists on this one! His list is this: Volo’s nero (squid ink pasta with grilled shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce), Forchetta’s fagottini (crepe dumplings filled with Maine lobster and mascarpone in a vodka sauce) and a tie between the linguine with clams at Portofinio’s and Sal’s Pizza Factory on Monroe Road. My top three are Kindred’s squid ink conchiglie (a black pasta with sea urchin butter and red shrimp), pappardelle at Aqua e Vino (with rabbit when they have it, but any preparation is fantastic), and the penne a la vodka at Little Mama’s (classic, but a little extra heat), which I like to enjoy with radiatore instead to better catch the sauce.

Little Mama’s vodka sauce takes the classic and adds a little extra heat to your choice of noodle. Kristen Wile/UP

Q: Who will be replacing chef Alex Verica at PARA? 
Kristen: Chef Myles Scaglione, who was on the opening team at PARA, has returned to take over the kitchen at South End restaurant PARA. Scaglione is a talented chef who has previously worked as executive chef at Heirloom Restaurant.

Have a question for us? Email us at editor@unpretentiouspalate.com and we’ll answer it on our next Concierge Thursday!