Spina... and Downtown Bakery

We keep a list of restaurants we hear about and want to try so that we can be sure to get to them eventually.  One place we'd been meaning to get to is Spina because we heard their pasta is amazing.  So one quiet Sunday afternoon we made it our lunch destination. 

We previewed the menu ahead of time and went in knowing exactly what we wanted.  We both started off with the Autumn Salad.  Absolutely delicious!  Not that much avocado, which was kind of a bummer, but the Brussels sprouts combined with leafy greens, pumpkin seeds and cranberries was a delightful treat.

Then Mel ordered the Egg Yolk Ravioli because she can never resist a promise of truffle oil and brown butter sage sauce.  

DJ went for the Malloreddus (gnochetti with veal and pork ragu) because he can never resist meaty red sauce.

Lo and behold, when the dishes arrived Mel discovered that Egg Yolk Ravioli did not mean that the pasta was made with egg yolk as she thought.  Rather, the ravioli was filled with runny egg yolk which she is not a fan of.  Luckily, her very chivalrous and sweet husband doesn't mind egg yolk so dishes were traded and everyone was happy.  Both dishes were extremely tasty and the pasta is clearly made fresh with love at Spina.

The one catch was that the ravioli dish consisted of just 3 small pieces.  Not quite filling.  So DJ quickly consulted our list once more, remembering that there was a Mexican spot in the neighborhood he had been meaning to try.   After a delightful chat with the Spina host about their pasta-making courses on Sunday afternoons (we might need to check that out!), we headed a few blocks away to Downtown Bakery.  The funny history: Downtown Bakery used to be an Italian place.  When it shut down, it became a Mexican hole-in-the-wall and they just didn't bother to change the name.  They simply added "Mexican" to the awning.  :)  Thankfully, word-of-mouth has maintained a solid reputation for their authentic Mexican food.  DJ went for the green chile pork enchilada, and it met his expectations for a spicy jolt of flavor.   Just what he was hoping for!

What a wonderful Sunday to check two places off our list and enjoy both thoroughly!