Netta Sadovsky | Student Life

Eleven Eleven Mississippi offers a pecorino flan with honey-dressed beet and pear salad. The restaurant has entrées at around $20.

I ordered the stuffed artichoke with sausage, spinach and Parmesan, which sounded promising. Unfortunately, the sensitive flavor of artichoke was pushed aside in favor of heavy-handed sundried tomato and Parmesan. The sausage seemed unnecessary, adding even more flavoring on top of an already overwrought dish.

I then tried the honey-dressed beet and pear salad that came with a pecorino flan. A light and fluffy substance usually found on the dessert menu, the flan managed to caress and confuse my taste buds. Pecorino, a cheese seen often in Italy but rarely here, has a slight bite to it, and was skillfully employed to offset the sweetness of the orangey honey dressing.

Another interesting combination: wild mushroom with artichoke, polenta, arugula and Parmigiano-Reggiano. These items were all piled into a mound for my entrée, making for an objectionable-looking pile of food. Oil both glistened on the top of this mess and pooled at the bottom of it. Though the taste of the wild mushroom and polenta did not disappoint, there was just too much grease. However, the dish’s flavor was on point: The fancy Parmesan (that is Parmigiano-Reggiano) melted pleasingly over sautéed mushroom, and though the artichoke again fell by the wayside, the polenta was soft and welcoming beneath it all.

Don’t let the oil-happy nature of some of Eleven Eleven Mississippi’s dishes dissuade you from trying the restaurant’s dessert—like the cream-cheesey chocolate cake served inside an almond lace basket, decked with fresh berries and ice cream. The cream cheese was an inspired choice, and the entire dish was focused on the delicious chocolate and the berries, which weren’t lost among the other flavors.

I should note that the restaurant’s liquors and wines seem extensive and carefully chosen. There is a “liquid dessert” menu with choices like hot cocoa and butterscotch Schnapps, which sounded delicious.

Eleven Eleven Mississippi makes up in good cheer and rich, cheesy goodness what it lacks in subtlety, though at around $20 an entrée you may consider waiting for Parents Weekend to check it out.

On the Loop:

Craft Alliance
Located next to Coldstone Creamery, the Craft Alliance has a small gallery currently showing “Contemporary Embroidery,” a show of six contemporary artists who use embroidery in unconventional ways. In a show that just closed at Craft Alliance, called “Lets Talk About Love Baby,” Wash. U. professor Jana Harper solicited artists around the country to send in a series of handmade books inspired by romance novels from the ’60s. Starting on April 29, there will be a show titled “Crafting a Future,” which is composed entirely of high school students’ work. The Craft Alliance tends to show artwork with a strong foundation in craft, with a commitment to creative and contemporary uses of craft.

St. Louis Regional Arts Commission
On the other end of the Loop, across from The Pageant, is a small gallery with big open windows called the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission. The gallery hosts a variety of contemporary work made by local artists or chosen by local curators. The type of artwork shown at the Regional Arts Commission ranges widely—one show last summer featured street artists who collaborated to cover the space in graffiti. The Regional Arts Commission is currently setting up for an opening on April 29, which will show work by four individuals who work primarily in nature photography.

Across the Park:

White Flag Projects
Located near the Central West End, this small nonprofit gallery prides itself on showing highly experimental work that is often more provocative or challenging for the viewer than would be shown at other galleries. Opening on May 7 is a group show titled “Impossible Vacation,” which calls into question the role of the curator in between the artist and viewer. White Flag Projects opens a new show every two to three months, and the work varies drastically from show to show.

Downtown on Washington:

The Contemporary Art Museum and The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts
These two museums are just around the corner from the Fox Theatre and operate on a larger scale than some of the other galleries on this list. As such, they are able to put on breathtaking productions by world-renowned contemporary artists. Currently Richard Aldridge’s experimental works on canvas are at the Contemporary Art Museum and they blur the line between painting and sculpture. The Pulitzer is currently showing “Dreamscapes,” a series of works that have to do with dreaming. Artists in the show include René Magritte, Max Ernst and Albrecht Dürer.

Bruno David Gallery
A smaller gallery across the street from the Contemporary and The Pulitzer, Bruno David showcases a variety of artists, many of whom are local. Currently on show are works by Carmon Colangelo, dean of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. The show, called “Eyedeas,” highlights a series of Colangelo’s works on paper and canvas. Bruno David is a cozier environment than the larger museums across the street, and owner Bruno David is usually around and willing to converse about the art being shown.

Cherokee Street:

Pigslop
You may have heard of Cherokee Street for its killer Mexican food or vintage stores. It also houses a unique selection of gallery spaces that break the “white box” mold. One of the spaces, called Pigslop, is actually run by two 2010 Wash. U. alumni: Zak Marmalefsky and Emmie Thelander. They recently showed a series of works by Wash. U. students in a course on the philosophy of art called Critical Frameworks. Other galleries on Cherokee include Art Dimensions and Fort Gondo, which both primarily show contemporary local work.

Lane S. Goodman | Student Life

Gokul, a vegetarian and kosher Indian restaurant that opened a new location on the Loop, offers a buffet for lunch and dinner. Diners can also order á la carte in the restaurant or for take-out.

Hungry vegetable lovers will find sanctuary in Gokul’s all-you-can-eat buffet, which is available for lunch and dinner. The buffet is a rainbow of green, yellow and orange curries, with warm naan, white rice and even fire-engine-red sweet rice.

The one-room restaurant has pale yellow walls and white tablecloths that are made all the brighter by light provided by long windows.

With its welcoming aromas and relaxed feel, this restaurant would be a nice study-spot. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Jim Sandhe, who has been in the restaurant business for almost 30 years. He hopes that Washington University students will use Gokul as their hangout place, but hastened to explain that by “hang out,” he means study (like the good students we all are). In fact, Sandhe is working toward his goal by taking steap to enable students to use meal points at his restaurant.

As for the food, it’s excellent. Meat eaters may worry about a vegetarian restaurant’s ability to satiate their appetites. But Gokul pulls through in this way, partially due to a generous helping of heavy cream, which bolstered my two favorite dishes. These were the palak paneer and the vegetable korma. The rich green palak paneer, a spinach-based dish with the consistency of a creamy yogurt, reveals itself step by step. The cream is the first taste to hit the palette, followed by a leafy, earthy spinach flavor. Just as you swallow, the dish delivers a swift kick to finish, a spiciness that lingers and begs for a bite of the sweeter vegetable korma.

The korma sits in a mild coconut sauce, which contains various sweet vegetables including carrots, potatoes, green peas and lima beans. It seemed like the korma had been left to simmer awhile—all the vegetables were very soft. Though the softness was comforting, I would have liked for some of the vegetables to be crispier or firmer for a little variety.

In spite of the textural monotony, the korma pulled through in flavor. It was richer than what I am used to, and had a little kick and a slight sweetness

Those who enjoy heat will like the restaurant’s spicy dishes. The spicy chickpea dish warranted immediate tongue-basting in kheer, aka rice pudding with cardamom. Less heat-oriented myself, I was still able to enjoy a variety of dishes that were mildly spicy, though those who cannot handle any heat whatsoever may find the brunch somewhat exclusory.

Overall the dishes at Gokul’s brunch were sensitively spiced and pleasantly varied. Though I opted for the creamy ones, healthier options are present among the various lentil- and chickpea-based dishes. But who goes to an all-you-can-eat brunch to exercise self-control? I say pile on the saag paneer until you burst into a giant green puddle of cream.

Netta Sadovsky | Student Life

A Klemm sandwich of mushroom, avacado, havarti cheese and sun-dried tomato alongside a half salad compose one of the many options for a “pick two” at SweetArt. Although the bakery offers many lunch choices, its specialty is desserts.

Located 15 minutes away from Washington University by car, SweetArt is a bakery and cafe, which doubles as an art studio, with many vegetarian options. The restaurant has a “pick two” deal much like Panera, which includes an assortment of half-salads, half-sandwiches and soups for $7.25.

I tried the salad of the day – mixed greens topped with curried chickpeas and a zesty dressing. It tasted strongly of cumin and ginger. For the other half of my pick two, I ordered the Klemm, a grilled mushroom sandwich with avocado spread on thin, crispy bread that had nutty undertones (toasted pine nuts, perhaps). The sandwich and salad complimented each other well; the sharp flavors of the salad are tangy, and then mellowed by the sandwich, which features flavorful cremini mushroom, along with melted havarti cheese under a soft layer of sun-dried tomato.

SweetArt actually specializes in desserts and boasts a wide variety of cupcakes, cookies and scones (the “sweet” half of the bakery’s name). I tried a pecan cookie. It was soft, very sweet, nutty and full of that wonderful homemade flavor. The pecan taste complemented a cup of loose-leaf jasmine tea, served in a cute teakettle that comes with free refills.

I bought four chocolate chip cookies to share with my roommates. After some waiting, I surrendered to temptation and sampled one of the chocolate chip cookies (sorry roommate No. 4). Be warned: At SweetArt, “chocolate chip” is a misnomer. The chocolate comes in chunks, not chips. Some bites were almost entirely chocolate, a pleasant sensation that’s almost addictive. Before long, I discovered that I had eaten the rest of my roommates’ hypothetical gift-cookies.

SweetArt’s atmosphere alone would make it a popular spot for any student at Wash. U. Inside, the light green walls are lined with bright paintings by the owner’s husband, Cbabi. All the paintings are for sale—you can buy either the original or a print (the “art” half). The quiet music and background conversation made the bake shop a perfect study zone, comparable to Whispers.

What could be better than an amazing lunch joint with fancy cupcakes on the side? Now we just have to convince them to open a branch in the B-stacks.

Walk into Gioia’s, a little deli on the Hill, and you’ll find a place that is indisputably Italian. Just look around to see not one, not two, but upwards of three full-sized Italian flags posted inside and outside the one-room restaurant. The place is quaint but not trite, with wooden floors, a fancy chalkboard menu and a company consisting of many regulars.

Their specialty is hot salami. I have actually been a vegetarian for almost five days now, so I was looking forward to showing some willpower in the face of strong temptation. When one of the sandwich artists handed me a sample-sized hot salami sandwich, afforded to every first-timer, I started to consider the unnaturally black-and-white nature of the view of morality implied by vegetarianism. In one swift protein-deficient spasm, I devoured the sample. I do not regret that choice: The salami was tender and moist, a nearly quarter-inch thick slice of meat bitten through as easily as cake.

The sandwiches come in regular (9 inch) and medium (6 inch) sizes, though the medium was a rather generous six inches, leaving me stuffed and in a dazed meditative state.

The method at Gioia’s is simple: Select the base sandwich from about a dozen options, pick white or wheat bread, and add your choice of cheese, pickles, onions, tomatoes, mayonnaise and mustard. Final step: enjoy!

Netta Sadovsky | Student Life

Gioia’s Deli, located in the Hill, is known for its hot salami sandwich.

I also had the pleasure of trying the New York Philly Beef sandwich. Though the blend of cream cheese and ground meat was intriguing and satiating, the texture of the meat was somewhat coarse, and I think I would stick to hot salami on future visits.

The deli focuses on its sandwiches, but salad, soup, lasagna and desserts, like brownies and Italian ices, are also offered. Had I regained some semblance of my previous vegetarian resolution, I would also not have had to struggle to find vegetarian options in the veggie sandwich, salads and a “build your own” sandwich option.

Located a mere 10-minute drive from Washington University, Gioia’s deli is worth stepping out of your routine to visit, and perhaps even worth temporarily dropping your vegetarianism. The multitude of sandwiches is excellent; the atmosphere is picturesque, and the place has a certain informal ambiance. It is certainly worth your time—and money.

Pho Long, a little Vietnamese restaurant on Olive Boulevard near I-170, boasts a 60-year-old recipe for pho—pronounced “fuh”—that originated in Vietnam at a restaurant still owned by the same family.

If you are familiar with Vietnamese food, you’ve probably heard of pho, a flavorful soup with meat or tofu, clear noodles and various vegetables with herbs and spices. The pho at Pho Long is heavenly, as one might expect.

Pho Long itself is a modest-looking place. You walk right into the one-room restaurant, which has green and orange walls and about nine tables. Regulars come from all around the Olivette area. The service is perfect, and the food is brought out rather quickly.

A warning, however: Don’t come to Pho Long if you’re not in the mood for soup and noodles. The menu offers various appetizers like egg rolls, spring rolls and fried tofu with veggies, but the entrees are generally of the pho variety or the very similar “noodle bowls.”

The spring rolls at Pho Long are encased in the familiar papery rice-flour wrap, which is springy and stretchy. Inside of the casing is a very thin strip of chewy pork. The accompanying hoisin sauce adds a pleasant tanginess.

The entree itself was a steaming bowl of pho, cloudy with juices of meat and vegetables that had been slowly simmered overnight. I tried the beef noodle soup with oxtail—“Pho Duoi Bo.” The soup is full of beef strips, and the oxtail in the dish is, quite literally, a cut of the tail of a male ox.

Oxtail is often used in soups because it requires a long slow braising, which helps the meat become very tender. By the time it reaches the table, the meat is practically falling off the bone. It slips right off and melts in your mouth. Besides the meat, the dish is also full of glassy noodles and green onions. You also get a bowl of extras to add to the entrée: Basil, cilantro and parsley bring a light herby flavor to the soup, and bean sprouts add textural variety with their resilient crunchiness.

The soup, full of noodles, meat and a dense, flavored broth, would actually be more than enough to satisfy a hungry diner for only $8.

I made the (happy) mistake of ordering too much with an avocado shake. When a restaurant offers durian, jackfruit and avocado shakes—along with the more-accessible mango and strawberry—it seems a bit foolish to pass up the experience. The avocado shake was excellent—sweet, creamy and rich all at once.

I recommend that Pho Long not remain just an idea pho too long in your minds. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy a quality Vietnamese dish with 60-years of experience in pleasing customers worldwide.

Matt Mitgang | Student Life

India’s Rasoi
25 N. Euclid Ave.—$$

Pros: Thoughtful decor, rich and creamy food, amazing lamb shank korma.
Cons: Service can come off as indifferent, slightly higher prices.
Of the four restaurants, Rasoi sets itself apart with the startlingly chic décor expected of an establishment in the Central West End. The restaurant looks sophisticated and cozy, with the lunch buffet discreetly tucked away during dinner hours. A small flat-screen TV quietly plays Indian music videos for your entertainment during lame dates or breaks in conversation.
Rasoi is slightly more expensive to match its fancier appearance and its gourmet and fusion-inspired entrees: main courses average $15-20. The restaurant boasts an extensive menu, and certain specialties are not available elsewhere. The lamb shank korma comes to mind. The big, steamy hunk of succulent lamb prepared in a creamy korma sauce (a mild curry often prepared with coconut milk and various spices, especially coriander) sets the dish apart from the traditional lamb korma that features small chunks of lamb. The dish is served with saffron rice and grilled vegetables.
Avoid asking for dishes to be sent back or corrections to be made to your order, as the staff can be easily irked and often inattentive.
As with all of the other restaurants, Rasoi offers a lunch buffet that provides an excellent value and a good variety of food at lower prices than its dinner offerings.

Everest Cafe
4145 Manchester Ave.—$$

Pros: Healthy and fresh food, passionate and kind ownership.
Cons: Sometimes the food can be dry or overcooked (sometimes not!). The dinner menu is not the best value.
Everest Cafe is a quaint little restaurant that actually boasts Nepalese, Indian, Tibetan and Korean food. I hesitate to criticize Everest Cafe. The chef, Dr. Devi States, holds to a very respectable constitution: serve healthy food of high quality to help prevent diseases that present themselves later in life, like heart disease, stroke and diabetes. States started a health care project in Nepal to help women and children in rural areas, a project helped by the success of Everest.
The menu at Everest Cafe consists mostly of Nepalese and Indian options but also includes Tibetan dumplings and Korean kimchi dishes. The use of cream and butter is extremely limited, and instead, States uses a base sauce made of 80 percent fresh tomato and 20 percent fresh yellow onion.
Though the food is somewhat more expensive than I would have expected based on the quality of the dishes, this can easily be remedied by visiting Everest during lunch instead of dinner. The all-you-can-eat buffet at Everest is a great deal for under $10.

House of India
8501 Delmar Blvd.—$

Pros: Authentic Indian food, great value (especially for the lunch buffet), good variety.
Cons: Somewhat inconsistent from visit to visit.
House of India was my childhood. More weekends than not were spent competing with my brother to determine who could scarf down more chicken tikka masala; fresh, fluffy naan; dark red tandoori chicken and sweet rice pudding.
If it were not for the inconsistency of the quality at House of India, I would give it the highest recommendation. Recently, House of India has been on an upswing with fresh food and great variety. The chicken tikka masala cannot be beat. With entrees at $10-15, the quality-to-price ratio is matched only by Indian Food on Olive Blvd.

Indian Food
8629 Olive Blvd.—$

Pros: Healthy food, great service, good prices.
Cons: Cheap interior.
A small, family-owned restaurant just south of 170 on Olive, Indian Food’s decor matches the distinctiveness of its name—in that it is minimal. The place is only bare essentials, to the point of looking a bit cheap.
In return for tolerating the visual deficits, you get food that is really cheap but still authentic and delicious. Additionally, Indian Food has Pakistani influences and serves halal meat, which is meat that is permissible to eat according to Islamic law.
Like Everest, Indian Food avoids high cream content and instead veers toward heavily flavored foods with the help of a variety of Indian spices. The meat is tender and juicy, and I especially recommend any of the lamb dishes.
The service is very friendly, and though the place looks modest, it has a loyal fan base among locals.

Netta Sadovsky | Student Life

Tres leches cake with cream, milk, icing, and sprinkles.

Imagine biting into a lightly fried enchilada with layers of golden brown dough and a juicy pulled-chicken filling. If you’re already hungry, head over to Fritanga, a cozy, one-room restaurant that provides authentic Nicaraguan food at decent prices. The word “fritanga” actually designates restaurants that make authentic, homemade Nicaraguan food.

For those of you not familiar with Nicaraguan food, it revolves around staples such as fried plantains, rice and beans and cabbage salad. The food is comparable to Mexican and other Central American varieties but has its own distinct flavor. If you’re on a diet though, beware: Many Nicaraguan dishes are fried.

Fritanga is one of the few restaurants in St. Louis that serves up authentic Nicaraguan food. With a bright outer décor and colorful paintings on the walls, Fritanga offers a lively and unique atmosphere. It is uncompromisingly authentic and refreshingly unaffected by American cuisine—there is no bread and butter served or optional mac-and-cheese sides for kids.

It is hard to find a dish without plantains at Fritanga. Entrees come with a choice of them, sweet or savory, as well as gallo pinto, a typical Nicaraguan dish with rice and red beans, or white rice and Cuban black beans. Main courses also come with repollo salad, a coleslaw-like side dish. The rice and beans are hearty but not overpowering and provide a nice, palette-cleansing break from the main course. The repollo salad is light with no mayo and just a bit of vinegar over chopped cabbage and carrots. The salad adds a tanginess that complements the fried dishes. I had the savory fried plantains, which reminded me of potato latkes with a dash of banana.

For my main dish, I tried the “canoa de maduro,” a whole ripe sweet plantain with shredded beef and a generous portion of melted mozzarella cheese on top. The different consistencies of the firm plantain, fibrous beef and fleshy cheese truly made for a unique eating experience.

I also tried the “pollo al achiote,” a charbroiled chicken breast in “achiote base sauce,” a sauce made of several spices including cumin, oregano and cinnamon. The spices lend a curry-like undertone to the chicken breast, which was cooked only until tender.

For dessert, I had the classic tres leches, a cake which literally means “three milks” and is made with cream, condensed milk and regular milk. The moist, rich tres leches cake was topped with icing and sprinkles, which added a little reminder of childhood. I also tried the banana flan, which sat in a very sweet caramel liquid. The gelatin-like substance itself had a bitter aftertaste, which was mitigated by generously dipping it into the caramel. While the banana flan was good, I would probably opt for the tres leches next time.

With entrees for less than $10, Fritanga is definitely an affordable, cultural escape for Wash. U. students. Once you visit, you’ll be wondering how you ever survived without plantains.

2208 S Jefferson Ave
St, Louis MO, 63118
http://www.fritangastl.net

Netta Sadovsky | Student Life

Kraft: The Cheesiest

Pros:
Satisfies the mac n’ cheese craving most precisely.
Very cheesy.
Nice yellow color.
Cheap—second only to Schnucks brand in low price.

Cons:
The box does not mention adding salt, but the dish definitely needs some.
The taste turns from delicious to heavy and overwhelming fairly quickly. I needed milk after a few bites.
The aftertaste is somewhat sour and weird.
Not the best pasta shape for trapping cheese (see shells).
The noodles, prepared as suggested, are a little too soft.

Back to Nature Harvest Wheat Macaroni & Cheese

Pros:
Less butter required, and 60 fewer calories per serving than Kraft.
The cheese tastes more natural than Kraft, with comparable intensity.

Cons:
Again, the instructions include no mention of much-needed salt.
Nasty aftertaste.
Grainy texture.
Too thick—had to add more milk than suggested.
Comparable to Kraft but about three times the price.

Back to Nature Organic Shells & Cheddar

Pros:
Noodles have some bite to them, in a good al-dente way.
Cons:
Oddly sweet like instant mac n’ cheese; I added salt immediately.
Tastes like watered down Kraft.
Noodles are too tiny.
Cheese tastes weird and Velveeta-like.

Schnucks Macaroni & Cheese: White Cheddar

Pros:
Surprisingly delicious!
Still tastes good when cold.
Nice mid-range spot on the spectrum from cheesy to mild.
Natural-tasting cheese.
Box mentions adding salt!
Has a microwave option.
Cheapest—though only 10 cents less than Kraft.
Cons:
The noodles were done after 5 minutes, but the box says to leave them for 7-10.

Full Circle Organic Macaroni & Cheese: Wisconsin Cheddar

Pros:
Can be made in the microwave.
Cheese smells good and has a nice mild orange color.
Looks like Kraft (satisfies a visual craving, perhaps).
Cons:
Again, no mention of much-needed salt.
Cheese tastes distinctly artificial, much like the Organic Shells & Cheddar.
Tastes somewhat like buttered noodles, but with a bad aftertaste.

As someone who generally prefers organic and natural foods, I was surprised to find that “organic” and boxed mac ’n’ cheese do not mix well. I would recommend steering clear of the certified organic next time you crave those yellow, cheesy noodles.

This experiment turned out to be an exercise in humility. In addition to watching Schnucks’ white cheddar mac ’n’ cheese triumph over its brand name competitors, I also learned a valuable lesson: Perhaps we judge things too quickly based on indirect indicators of quality, like attractiveness, price or familiarity. In any case, Schnucks’ generics are worth a shot.

Netta Sadovsky | Student Life

Whole Foods Market offers several dining options, including fresh sushi, for those who don’t want to make their own dishes but also do not want to go to a restaurant.

If you, like me, are appalled by how much money you spent during textbook-buying season, you might think about making a trip to Whole Foods Market next time you feel like going out to eat. Actually, you might consider Whole Foods, whether or not you’re broke, for a post-grocery-shopping fresh deli sandwich and creamy gelato.

When I visited, I was expecting something akin to a Schnucks salad bar. I repent! Whole Foods Market throws the old grocery store vision of dining to the wind and offers a legitimate quasi-restaurant in its place. Turn a corner to the left side of the store and you find an array of multicultural selections of impressive variety, everything from gelato to sushi to spanakopita. There are plenty of American classics too, like grilled chicken, pizza and macaroni and cheese (classy twist—the mac and cheese is fried into breadcrumb-covered balls). 

The Whole Foods Market Eatery is not quite like a restaurant for a few reasons. There is no wait staff; you order, pay and take a seat. Many of the food items that are meant to be eaten warm are sold cold and can be reheated in a communal microwave in the dining area. This dining area is equipped with large open windows, ideal for people watching.

The dishes are most often presented in unattractive plastic containers, though the food itself often has an aesthetic flair.

So, on to the food! I enjoyed a lovely quinoa dish with a tang of lemon, which contained slices of mango, snow peas and red cabbage. It was a beautiful, colorful dish, though slightly dry. I would call it “healthy-tasting;” the kind of dish that leaves me proud of myself but a bit unsatisfied. 

The macaroni and cheese balls, which quickly relieved me of my healthy dissatisfaction, would appease any child—or adult. The breaded coating of the cheesy balls remains crisp, even once reheated, and breaks apart into a soft ball of cheese and noodle.

The sesame chicken tenders with mango and orange sauce were a step in the wrong direction for me (I guess I was expecting something slightly more sophisticated), but chicken tender lovers will adore this comfort food with a citrusy twist.

Overall, the Whole Foods market restaurant was tasty and convenient. My meal cost less than nine dollars and left me happy and full—until I splurged and ordered the salted caramel gelato, leaving me even happier and even more stuffed, while still keeping my spending under $12.