In retrospect

Today we went to Pasta "Resturant" for lunch. Last time I went to this place (here), the mushroom tagliatelle tasted like rotten yogurt and I thought I had sworn the place off forever, but another colleague talked me into giving it a second chance. This time, we arrived just after 12 noon and there were only 2 other customers seated. We grabbed a table and ordered a few pasta dishes to share: penne quatro formage, ravioli & tortellini combo platter, and spaghetti meat sauce. This time the dishes were fresh and, although not gourmet, rather palatable. I would hazard a guess that getting there early raises the odds that you will get something freshly cooked. If there are already a number of people there when you arrive, a strategy might be to scan the tables and order something that no one else has in front of them since--if I may hazard another guess--getting there anytime after, say, 12:45, you might be getting someone's leftovers.
Now, if I haven't grossed anyone out yet, let me share another revelation I had today. At first I thought that Italian presence here in the 1940s left a lingering influence in Ethiopia and that's why there are so many places that serve pasta here. However, the reason that pasta is so prominent here is probably that it's so low-cost to make. I'm sure there is an appreciation for Italian culture as well, given the popularity of Italian pastries, gelato and espresso makers, but the commonplace appearance of penne and spaghetti on the menu in Ethiopia now seems less like a cultural import as it is consideration for more practical matters. Of course, in retrospect, this seems obvious; after all, any college kid knows that it doesn't take a degree in aesthetics to craft an appreciation for the beauty of pasta and cheese.