Alla Spina

Alla Spina
Price: $$-$$$
Forks: 8.5

1410 Mt. Vernon St.
Philadelphia, PA

HELlllloooooo PHillAY. I'm baaaack. For the next 6 weeks I'm back on campus for summer session. Now this is bittersweet. Its great because I finally have time to check out all the restaurants and markets that have been on my list, but its miserable because I'm taking classes, ew. Hopefully, the food will be able to compensate. I've also been assigned the "Head Chef" position at my house so be expecting many new recipes as well because my roommates are very hungree people. To kick off tha summer session right, I wanted to try a restaurant that has been on my list since it opened, Vetri's newest spot to join his other famed locations, Alla Spina. Serving up Italian style bar food, the restaurant has a great bar-feel atmosphere, enhanced by the spirited kitchen crew cooking up delicacies in the lovely open kitchen. I LOVE open kitchens. While we were waiting to be seated Cole and I sat at the bar of the open kitchen actually hovering over the chef's every move and asking a million questions. Ugh, heaven.

Now, I had done my research on the menu and knew I wanted to try a smattering of dishes. To start, we ordered the Soft Pretzels and Beer Cheese and the Poutine. Out came soft, doughy, and salty pretzel rounds accompanied by this creamy looking sauce. The cheese sauce. OMG. It carried the richness of the beer while still maintaining a cheesy undertone as well. It was sick.

 sultry mama

Poutine is a traditional Canadian *thank you Lulu* dish made up of french fries covered in cheese curds and a brown gravy. Vetri's take features crispy fries topped with a Guinea Hen Bolognese and creamy Mozzerella Curds. It was amazing. Super salty and luscious, all of us were happily licking our fingers as we (I mean I) licked the plate clean. The Bolognese was hearty and married perfectly with the texture of the curds, but I wish there were more of the Mozzerella, because I couldn't get enough.

For main courses, D and I split the Swordfish BLT and the Lousianna Gulf Prawns. The BLT was out of this world. The swordfish was crispy and light, and contrasted effortlessly with the smokiness the bacon had to offer. Served with a side of chips, you were given the option of BBQ and Salt and Vinegar and I wanted both so I asked for half and half. The BBQ were tangy, the Salt and Vinegar a little too subtle, but both were extremely addictive.

 The prawns were served in a citrus butter vinaigrette and were tender and delicious. The sauce was yummy and well seasoned, but was a little too heavy on the butter and could have used a hint of a lighter note.

 We also got the Cucumber with pepperonicno and mint, which was spicy and crunchy and was the perfect uplifting side, and the crispy sun chokes which were so salty and succulent I could have eaten three orders.

Kels, Cole, and Nick all got the Mortadella Hotdog with spicy pickles and cabbage relish. The pickles and cabbage seemed to lend somewhat of a Vietnamese flavor which unexpectedly totally worked with the hot dog. The classic hot dog was transformed in this dish to something light and refreshing, as it lacked the traditional grease and fatty flavor of a regular dog. They were all fans. Also, shoutout to Nick and his Hungree Girl debut. He now knows the "don't eat until I photograph" rule.

 Jill and Dev went the healthy route, hey someone's gotta do it, and got the Watercress Asparagus Salad with a pecorino vinaigrette and the Zucchini with oregano, basil, and lemon. The salad was peppery and delicate, while the zucchini was served rustic style in thick chunks, a true ode to the vegetable and its natural flavor.

 Our "For the Table" dish was the Maple Glazed Fried Chicken and fries. Like no we couldn't pass that up, and we were very pleased we didn't. The chicken was beyond crunchy crispy on the outside, yet moist and juicy on the inside. Coated in a slightly sweet and vinegary maple glaze that dripped all over the fries, the whole plate was a masterpiece of salty sticky goodness.

 AND dessert. A fiordilatte soft serve sundae filled with caramel pretzels and chocolate covered bacon. OKAY? For those of you who haven't tried the chocolate/bacon combo, don't be scared. The bacon adds a smoked saltiness to the chocolate that is completely complementary and gives your tastebuds a whole new experience. The sundae was amazing. The caramel pretzels were almost like a crunchy brittle that gave the ice cream the textured crunch it needed. Dipped with a piece of the chocolate bacon, and we were in heaven.

 Hungree People

OVERALL: I loved Alla Spina. The lively bar atmosphere made me feel cool and hip, and everything we ordered I loved. Don't come here and expect to eat light. NO, order a cold beer and everything unhealthy sounding because this is a heart stopping (literally) meal that is totally worth every bite.

Good2b back

xoxo

hungreegirl.

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Scones

After four, LONG, liquid-filled, and chewless days, my juice cleanse finally ends tomorrow. Seriously, Thank God. To celebrate, I decided that the moment I awake, I want to be greeted with fresh baked scones. So, I thought I'd make them today so I can get to the eating quicker tomorrow, ya know wha I mean? Very strategic, I know. Oh, also, this is the easiest recipe in the world and actually takes 30 minutes start to finish, baking time included. Instant gratification. I made the dough, refrained from tasting, shaped the scones, and put them in the oven. And then, disaster struck. Cinnamon Chocolate Scone perfume was swirling around my kitchen. The aroma was sweet and warm and smelled like a bakery and I couldn't bare to be in the room, except I HAD to because I didn't want them to burn. Pure, self-inflicted torture. They came out of the oven looking actually unbelievable. The sugar crystals had caramelized on top, and they were crispy, golden brown, and chocolaty in all the right places. I broke one open to check the consistency of the middle and that's when all hell broke loose and I couldn't restrain myself any longer. I tried one, and let me tell you, I would break my cleanse 100000 times over just for a bite of these scones #hungreegirlprobz. Major shootout goes to my wolf pack. Like I mentioned in a previous post, we lived off of scones for a 3 month period, so this is dedicated to them. I'm sure I will be abused into making this recipe on a daily basis for my scone loving princesses when school returns.

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Scones *inspired by a recipe by Food Librarian*

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter, cold, cut into little pieces
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbs cinnamon sugar
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 egg
2 tbs granulated sugar
2 tbs brown crystallized sugar

Recipe: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cold butter for about 2 minutes on medium speed. Turn the speed to low and add in the whipping cream and cinnamon sugar. Once the butter and cream are well combined, gradually add in the dry ingredients. After the dry ingredients have absorbed all the wet and a dough has formed, shut off the mixer and break out a spatula or your hands. Add in the chocolate chips and mix until well combined, but don't over mix!! Form your dough into a large circle, and cut triangle shapes out of it, putting these on a greased cookie sheet, spaced evenly.

Beat the egg in a bowl, then brush each individual scone with a coating, followed by a sprinkle of both sugars. (The egg acts as a wash that makes the scones shiny and golden). Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean and they look like DIS.

mmmm perfection

 Just a pile o'scones

Lettuce, spinach, celery juice or this?

 A preview of my breakfast.

 And this is where I lost it..

MMM

i'm meant to be hungree not thirstee

xoxo

hungreegirl.

An Apology: Lemon Raspberry Bars

This is my apology to those of you who aren't into the whole "cleansing" deal. Here is a recipe that is bound to make up for this because they are the exact opposite of a cleanse. But hey, they taste kind of light and have some fruit in them so not horrible. Think Key Lime Pie turned lemon raspberry. YUM. A sweet and crumbly graham cracker crust topped with a fresh raspberry and lemon custardy filling. HELLO SUMMA.

Lemon Raspberry Bars
Ingredients
18 graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 of a stick butter, melted
2 tbs lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup raspberries, mashed
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)
2 eggs

Recipe: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a bowl. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and combine until all the crumbs are moist. Butter a casserole dish and pat down the crust evenly. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, until the crust is golden and set. Meanwhile, combine the zest, lemon juice, mashed raspberries, eggs and condensed milk. Mix with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes until thick and smooth. Once the crust is done, pour this over it very evenly. Return to oven to bake for about 15 minutes until the filling is set. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The colder, the better!

love me again

xoxo

hungreegirl.

Thirstee Girl: DIY Juice Cleanse

Yes. For the next few days I will no longer be Hungree Girl, but will temporarily take on the role of Thirstee Girl. A juice cleanse is a type of detox that basically cleans out your system. I've heard about it forever but never had any desire to try it. But lez be honest, after a semester in college, we could all use some cleaning out of our systems, so I decided to give it a go. After researching almost every juice cleanse available on the planet, I decided I'd rather make my own. First step, convincing my Dad to buy a juicer. The idea of fresh squeezed orange juice every morning totally sold him. Check please. Second, creating my juices. I based the recipes off a combination of cleanses, but mainly used the foundation ingredients for the Blueprint Cleanse. Some of them are easy to drink, while others...are a little more difficult. Now, as you all now, I love food, so this is very hard for me. I have even kept up my baking and cooking for others in order to keep the blog flowing, subjecting myself to endless torture, BE GRATEFUL FOR UPCOMING POSTS. SO, support me on this challenge and maybe even try it yourself.

Juice #1: Spicy Lemonade
I start the day off with a juice recipe from the Master Cleanse. E-Z and simple, and not totally terrible.
8 oz. Water
1 tbs. pure maple syrup
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Juice #2: Beet, Carrot, Lemon, Ginger, Mint
This is my favorite one. It's REALLY not that bad. Like I enjoy it. The color is also just really pretty.
5 carrots
1/2 a beet (raw)
1/2 inch piece of raw ginger root
1/2 a lemon
1 handful fresh mint

Juice #3: Spicy Lemonade AGAIN

Juice #4: Green Monster
Okay to be honest, this one tastes like its' namesake. There's just no way it can taste delicious and you just have to suck it up. Every cleanse I looked up had it so I figured I couldn't pass.
1 green apple
2 romaine leaves
1 handful of spinach leaves
3 celery sticks
1/2 a cucumber
1 handful fresh mint
1/2 a lemon

Juice #5: Gazpacho
This one I made up myself. While my whole family is munching on tacos for dinner, I wanted something that at least resembled a meal, so I based this one off of a basic gazpacho recipe. Pretty good.
4 large tomatoes
1/2 a cucumber
1 red bell pepper
1/2 a lemon
1 clove garlic
1 handful cilantro
1 dash red wine vinegar (I cheated, sue me).

cheers to cleansing

xoxo

thirsteegirl.