Just a few hours before heading off to spring break, myself and two friends stopped by Odette to try their lunch menu for the first time.

“Odette is a neighborhood eatery and shop in historic Downtown Florence, Ala., serving elevated American fare with Southern and international influences,” according to Odette’s home page. “Our menu features locally and sustainably‑sourced ingredients in a contemporary, inviting and comfortable atmosphere.”

We arrived toward the end of lunch and were greeted very nicely by a hostess and seated as soon as we walked in. I can say as a first-time visitor I was surprised by Odette’s décor. It is home to one of the most modern interior designs in Downtown Florence. The restaurant felt exceptionally homey, while still being the epitome of a modern eatery (by Florence standards).

As my friends and I looked down at our menus, none of us realized what we had gotten ourselves into. Quinoa and white bean salad? Veggie tartine? The list of foods we could not pronounce seemed never-ending. I felt poor just reading those big swanky names.

I finally settled on what sounded most familiar, a house ground local beef cheeseburger. One of my friends ordered chili cheese fries, baked beans and macaroni and cheese. If you are from the Northeast you might enjoy her order most. She blathered (this is normal for her) on about how the meal was similar to a “garbage plate,” a New York specialty.

Once we had put in our orders, all that was left to do was wait and wait and wait some more. I cannot tell you how many times we caught ourselves twirling the miniature wooden spoon around in the sea salt bowl. Mind you there were no more than three parties there at the time, including us. I am not one to complain about slow service but when there are only eight customers and a plethora of servers just hanging out at the bar, I start to question what (if any) work is getting done.

When our food arrived, we were more than ready to scarf down some fancy Southern food. My cheeseburger was very well done (as I ordered), and there was not a spot of pink in sight. My ‘garbage plate’ friend raved about how delicious her food was and demanded we come back. So I would say even with the unnecessarily long wait, the food was still well worth the wait.

It is important to me that I receive quality food and that I do not leave a restaurant hungry, but what matters most is that I can easily achieve all of this on a broke college student budget. So despite the wait, I was able to complete all of my goals. The servers were friendly and the restaurant was comfortably modern. I would definitely recommend Odette’s lunch menu to anyone who is looking to eat gourmet food on a budget. I would also encourage you to try a meal you cannot pronounce.