The origins of penne alla vodka are unclear and lost to the annals of history, but one thing that’s crystal clear is that @iox_sg version of Penne Alla Vodka ($17+10% service charge) is smashingly sublime. While you won’t get drunk off the vodka in the sauce as it has all been cooked off, the sheer luxuriousness of the sauce is still intoxicating.⠀
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Penne alla vodka is essentially an arrabbiata pasta that has been fortified by the inclusion of heavy cream and vodka, resulting in a tangy and captivatingly creamy sauce. Penne is arguably the best choice for this sumptuous sauce, as the hollow tube structure of the penne captures a whole lot of the titillating tomato sauce. If you’re so inclined, you could even attempt to use a penne noodle as a straw to suck up the creamy sauce, but I definitely advise against that.⠀
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The creamy sauce is also strikingly savoury, with sweetness & sourness coexisting in perfect balance, while the salinity makes the tomato sauce come alive on your tastebuds. I’m running outta words to compliment this sensational sauce as it was downright divine. The amount of creaminess, saltiness, tanginess, sweetness and umami cohabiting in the dish were all positively flawless. Even the boring old chicken that was the protein for this penne got new life breathed into it by this breathtakingly delicious sauce.⠀
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You know, I love vodka, but I reckon I love Italian Osteria X’s Penne Alla Vodka a little more. I’m definitely returning to get X-rated & saucy with this delicious little thing.