It's the rare chocolate treat that tempts me: Instead, I'll take a creme brulee or a scoop of vanilla ice cream when I succumb to dessert. But the brownie at Fino's is going on my crave list.

Jennifer Biggs/The Commercial Appeal

The brownie with whipped cream and chocolate sauce at Fino's is a worthwhile indulgence.

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My daughter and I ducked in for a quick lunch of sandwiches and those great pepper shooters (big cherry peppers stuffed with prosciutto and cheese), but we were victimized by a stroke of effective marketing when we glanced the brownie in the pastry case -- right next to the order station.

Did we need it? You're thinking of course not, but you're wrong. Everyone needs something like this now and again.

The brownie is without doubt the richest, most dense and moist version I've tasted, save for my daughter's homemade brownies based on Ina Garten's recipe. This chocolate bomb would satisfy anyone on its own (it's even iced), but a dollop of whipped cream and -- really, this is just too much -- a hard chocolate sauce on top of that make this a real swooner.

We split the brownie, pushing it back and forth with protestations of "oh, it's too much," "you finish it, I can't," and so on. Silly us. We weren't fooling anyone.

-- Jennifer Biggs: 529-5223

Fino's from the Hill, 1853 Madison, is open 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The brownie, which is $2.95, isn't available every day (we had it on a Wednesday, but it varies). Call 272-3466 for more information.