6 The New Trier News The 385 Friday, January 29, 2016 Put a in it!

could never go to another place and get a delicious cupcake.” Gigi’s serves up find a Pumpkin Spice Latte cupcake “We have very strict baking guide- sweet treats or at least one that is fresh and crisp.” lines. Cupcakes are baked fresh ev- However, Tayyaba Ali, also a ju- ery day as are our muffins and cook- by Hannah Young nior, had some complaints: “While ies. Our cakes and frostings are made Gigi’s Cupcakes features an array they have a lot of options, the only from scratch just like someone would of innovative baked goods, every- thing I’d say is that every cupcake make at home. That way we are able thing from candy bar crunch cup- has an overload of frosting. It’s too to provide many different varieties,” cakes to mocha cheesecakes. sweet and takes over the cake.” Brandstrader said. After raising a family, Christine Patrick Browne, a junior and an For these individual desserts, the Yaccino, the owner of the shop, employee, wanted to find a job as a prices tend to range anywhere from wanted to spread her passion for salesman when he discovered Gigi’s. $2 to $4. The Wedding Cake cup- baking and found her chance in this “Everyone who works there is so cake, the most popular item, is priced Nashville-originated business. nice and cooperative,” Browne said, at $3.50. The variety of stuffed cook- Store manager Joanne Brandstrad- “Plus, it’s a cupcake shop and who ies and cheesecakes cost $4.00. “The er said, “Christine Yaccino discov- doesn’t love to be around cupcakes?” service was excellent, and everyone ered Gigi’s Cupcakes when she lived Leah Krevitz, another employee, was so nice there. The prices are defi- in Tampa, Florida several years ago. loved the concept of the business and nitely more reasonable than some of She made it her goal to open a Gigi’s found the ambiance exciting and fes- the shops in downtown Wilmette,” here in Illinois.” tive. Joshi said. As a franchise, the store uses the “I thought it was good, well pre- Gigi’s has to provide customers recipes of Gigi Butler, the company’s sented and conveniently packaged. I with top notch service in order to founder, in order to create a custom- like Sprinkles or Molly’s better, but compete with bakeries such as Three ized menu for every day. Gigi’s is a lot closer, which is nice,” Tarts in Northfield. Gigi’s Cupcakes doesn’t do con- junior Lily Long said. Brandstrader said, “I think people ventional flavors. Instead, they focus Considering proximity, junior choose our business over others be- on creating flavors to please their Meera Joshi added, “I like that they cause we do bake fresh everyday just customers. Junior Bridget Knudson are in Edens Plaza. Whenever I am like people either wish they could or said, “They have so many unique near New Trier West or getting my had the time to bake themselves.” options that change everyday. You hair cut at Aveda, I can stop by and

Despite the difficulties, Hughbanks “I could tell they were home- was determined to open her very own made,” Amy Moser, a first time cus- restaurant. She saw the need for tomer, said. “The dumplings were so Mongolian and Russian food on the flakey, not like something made in a Mongolian cuisine North Shore. “Every time I wanted factory.” to find a place that, you know, makes While the assortment of dump- hits Evanston me feel like home, I couldn’t find lings and fillings may already seem one,” she said. overwhelming to a newcomer, Hugh- by Jessi Zook Since leaving Mongolia in 2002, banks doesn’t want to stop there. Mongolia, a country more than Hughbanks realized that she wasn’t “Right now we have beef, lamb, 6,500 miles away, is known for its the only one who was in search for a squash and potatoes but I would like rich, unique cuisine, which is some- little piece of home. “When I owned to add some more,” she said. thing that Ulzii Hughbanks is trying salons,” she said, “around lunchtime, While Hughbanks had cooked in to bring to the North Shore. most of the girls from Mongolia or the past, she’d only done so for her Hughbanks, owner of The Funky Russia were looking for somewhere family. Cooking for the public is a Monk in Evanston, had never owned to eat. That’s when I had the idea that completely different task. a restaurant before. She had busi- I should open up a Mongolian restau- “Well yes,” she said, “you really ness skills and some experience with rant.” need to know how to do it.” Now, restaurants, which she learned from The restaurant itself, having she works with a chef, who cooks all owning a few salons in the area and opened to the public in August of of the food served in the restaurant. helping out with the restaurant that 2015, is a quaint storefront on Church The menu, at first glance, may her family owned in Mongolia. “I Street. Comfy booths line the walls, make a picky eater uneasy. Most used to just manage bringing prod- and old photographs hang overhead. people in the area have never heard ucts [to the table] and the account- From the front door, you can see of belyaji, pirojki, or samsy, let alone ing,” she said, but owning a restau- back into the kitchen, where pots and tasted it. rant is completely different. pans clang and the chef is likely flit- However, it’s worthwhile for any- fried dumplings filled with tender Hughbanks was faced with plan- ting about. one to give it a try, especially because beef for people willing to spend ning a menu and other seemingly Hughbanks hopes that The Funky The Funky Monk is one of the only a few extra calories. But for those simple tasks that proved more dif- Monk will eventually be known restaurants in the area that carries the looking for a healthier option, the of those who try it. ficult. Even getting a lease was a strictly for dumplings, which are their unique cuisine. steamed dumplings are a staple. While many people may never go challenge, Hughbanks said. “They best seller. What sets them apart, she “I’ve never been there before,” Margaret Hughes, a junior at New to Mongolia, The Funky Monk has require a lot of experience in the said, is that the recipes are all hers, Emily Flynn, a junior at New Trier, Trier, tried The Funky Monk’s inter- succeeded in bringing a little bit of restaurant business and it doesn’t back from Mongolia. Everything is said, “but I definitely would consid- esting food combinations earlier in Mongolia to Evanston. “Evanston is matter what kind of business you’ve made in the store, so it tastes home- er going. I’ve never had food from the year. Originally shocked by the so unique,” Hughbanks said. “Peo- owned before.” made. Mongolia so it would be kind of cool cuisine, she said, “I didn’t even know to try it.” that type of food existed.” ple can experience different kinds of The Funky Monk offers flakey, It definitely expands the horizons food when they come to see us.”

story about the flavor. chocolate is just like a bar of Swiss Frost brings a new Passion fruit has assorted fruit chocolate. The best way to discover twist to frozen faves rinds and flowers, whereas the peanut the beauty of Frost would be to visit butter chocolate has Lindt chocolate it yourself. According to the compa- by Melanie Mandell and truffles and full peanuts in it. These ny, its most popular flavors are dark items aren’t served to eat, but they chocolate and sea salt caramel. Hannah Richard certainly add to the ambiance of this Frost boasts that their gelato is Located on a Central Street in modern eatery. not only a fun frozen treat, it’s also Highland Park is a contemporary ge- As for the actual gelato, the flavors healthier than traditional ice cream. lato shop that gives ice cream a fresh, are astounding. Each one perfectly The company says ice cream usu- new twist. matches its name. ally has around 280 calories per serv- As you walk into Frost Gelato, you ing whereas gelato has 132-180 cal- immediately feel as though you’re in ories per 3.5 ounce serving, and one a frozen oasis. If gelato isn’t your fifth the fat of ice cream. The floors and walls are a sleek style, Frost also offers If gelato isn’t your style, Frost also white with cool blue and silver ac- offers other options, including sor- cents. The restaurant has a simple other options, includ- bets, ice cream cakes, coffee, and a layout, with a few tables scattered ing sorbets, ice cream delicious, rich hot chocolate. about. The focal point of the restau- Although it may be a bit of a drive rant is the three display cases stocked cakes, coffee, and a for some, Frost Gelato is definitely with gelato. worth the trek. Instead of displaying gelato in delicious, rich hot stark steel dishes, the innovative eat- chocolate. ery adds cute accent items to their ice cream display. Each flavor has items The raspberry tastes exactly like included in the case that help tell a a fresh bowl of berries, and the dark