The menu features specials like pasta Dracula: black linguine with tomato sauce, red pepper and scallops.

Spartina takes an international approach to black linguine, serving it with stewed calamari and chorizo.

But when word of its black linguine, Cajun langoustines, wild mushrooms and brandy cream sauce spread, savvy restaurantgoers found it and kept coming.

Except for a small dry lobster tail and a few sandy clams, a special of black linguine with two huge shrimp would have been praiseworthy as well.

The only letdown was gummy black linguine, made with squid's ink, in a hot pepper and tomato sauce.

Pastas include macaroni with white beans and pancetta, and black linguine tossed in a hot pepper-tomato sauce.

It is served with black linguine.

I loved a special nutty black linguine with shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce ($12.95) that packed a kick.

Another spa selection, black linguine, only won a bronze.

Of all the pastas, the black linguine with baby lobster tails won out for its deep, dark flavors.