Tommy Gallo is the kind of uncompromising chef who has made Gallo’s Kitchen a household name in Upper Arlington. Having just celebrated its 11th anniversary, the restaurant combines the “heart of Italy and the soul of New Orleans,” a reflection of Gallo’s time spent training under Akron restaurateur David Russo, once a protege of Emeril Lagasse.

“I got lucky,” Gallo said. “I got to sponge off a genius.” The pasta Russo ($14 for a small, $17 for a large), the signature dish named after his former boss, is one way Gallo gets to show off his technique. Using equal parts beef, pork and veal, the Bolognese sauce is ultra-slow-cooked with copious amounts of red wine and light on the tomatoes.