Just west of the Delmar Loop, Winslow’s Home has great food, though its home-like atmosphere comes off as a bit pretentious. (Netta Sadovsky | Student Life)

A warmth entered my heart as I stepped into Winslow’s Home, a little restaurant and store located just west of the Delmar Loop. The aura of the place is a mix between home away from home and small-town convenience store.

Unfortunately, for all of its quaintness, Winslow’s Home also gives off a yuppy vibe. In fact, I would call it prototypically yuppy with its homemade, scrapped-together feel and its prices, whose magnitude suggests the contrived nature of the whole image.

The restaurant part of Winslow’s Home can be found in the back, where a colorful display shows off the pastries (both sweet and savory) of the day. Above you’ll see an endearing menu on a chalkboard with the options du jour. Apart from the restaurant, Winslow’s Home has aisles of various goods, from books to dog collars, and a little grocery area in the back.

The store owners have playfully arranged “random” objects about the store. It reminded me of a slightly more rural version of the first floor of Urban Outfitters, replacing the eclectic “how-to” books with an “index” of cooking supplies.

But I forgave the pretension of Winslow’s Home as soon as I took the first bite of a slow-roasted beef brisket with brie, which was at once melty and meaty. Toasted bread frames the painting that is the meat and cheese with just enough crunch to give the sandwich support yet still make it fluffy and fresh. Biting into this delightfully warm and juicy sandwich whisked my mind away from the tension of paying for it. The juice slid over my tongue, and I lost myself briefly in this world of succulent brisket.

Coming back down to earth, I tried the side salad, which adds $2 to some menu options. If you choose to get a side salad, you will find beneath your fork a small bed of mixed greens, which could have come straight from the South 40 House’s salad bar. It has virtually no merit beyond cleansing the palate for the next bite of your dish.

The beef brisket is not the only marvel of Winslow’s Home. In my opinion, the sandwich must bow down to the oatmeal pecan pie. Taking a gooey, chunky bite is like slowly raising your eyes to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and the buttery crunch is simply divine.

Just when you think the world can get no more stunning, all the flavors amalgamate–-the crunchy pecan, the oatmeal, the soft flaky crust–-and you gaze up to that moment between God and man, humbled before the wonders of the senses.

These two food items, along with the layer pastry in the display (the meat one, not the vegetarian one) are must-haves if you visit Winslow’s Home. This three-course meal will set you back about $20. I personally have not had much luck with other choices. The grilled cheese is good but not worth the cost, and the main salads, though a small step up from the side salad, are also insults to their price tags.