Gelato at OTTO

Food memories work in the most spectacular way: You bite into a familiar taste and instantly you're transported to a different place and time. At Mario Batali's new pizzeria and enoteca, one spoonful of the creamy gelato will take you back to Italy (if you've ever been), where the only stress of the day is deciding between lemon, hazelnut stracciatella or simple chocolate gelato following your afternoon siesta. Pastry chef Meredith Kurzman learned to make the dessert in Italy. She and sous chef Jacqueline Lombard first infuse warm milk with the asorted flavors, such as freshly roasted and ground hazelnuts, then add heavy cream, sugar and eggs (not the official Italian way, but eggs make the final product creamier, Kurzman says). Otto's bowls, $7, are big enough for three choices—which should hold you over until your next craving.