budget lunch: Shalimar, Red Pepper, Uptown...what else?

Even though it's a recession, we've probably been going out even more than usual the last few months. Things are busy at work, and yes I'm very grateful to have a job...

Anyway, still need to think about the budget, but there are some restaurants that I love for the great lunches you can have for not much money. Some of our top picks, as you can see from the topic are:

Shalimar on Hurtbourne has a great lunch buffet for just $8. This is really tasty, high quality Indian food, nicely presented, wonderfully spiced, and all you can eat (although for me one plate usually does it). I esp. enjoy dishes like aloo gobi with spiced cauliflower and potatoes, tandoori chicken with lemon, and even goat curry. Yum. And they even have a frequent dining card to get a free lunch if you come there often. And the service there, imho, is wonderful. I drink a lot of water when eating some of the spicy dishes, and they always make sure you're filled up. They are so gracious and polite there. It's just a great place to grab lunch with a friend before going to a movie.

Red Pepper is a newer Chinese place at 2901 Brownsboro. This is a great seemingly family-run restaurant a bit off the beaten path. Like Shalimar the service is great and the value is amazing. Today I had a lunch special of kung pao chicken. It was a generous serving, nicely flavored with slices of fresh ginger (sometimes I ask for extra ginger, which they seem happy to do), crunchy veggies, peanuts, and lots of peppers and a real pow. Plus you get your choice of egg drop or hot and sour soup, spring roll, and white or fried rice. Price: $6. Hard to beat. Top it off with a freshly brewed pot of Oolong tea in a beautiful tea pot with lovely cups. Oooh, that tea is wonderfully calming and subtle.

Uptown is a restaurant that is just so solid. You can see why they do such great business. With their new recession specials you can eat a very nice lunch there at a low price. Their soups are quite nice. I think you can get a soup and salad combo for about $6. But their specials are also wonderful, and service is top notch.

Finally, although it's not on the topic list, Jack Fry's, believe it or not, can be a good place to eat lunch--even on a budget, although it is a bit more than the others on this list. Their creamy artichoke and tomato soup is so rich, creamy, and delicious, that a cup of it goes a long way. And their bread is great. When I'm there, however, I often splurge and order the fish special, which is half the price of dinner and usually just divine. Service is always excellent.

Esp. since we're usually careful with what we order (though not always--try the chocotini at JF's--my wife says it's the best in town) , we try to always tip above 20%, sometimes 25%.We normally tip about 20% anyway...

OK. I'm sure I'm forgetting some other favorites, but those the ones I came up with off the top of my head.

But what are yours? What are the other great restaurants in town where you can really eat well, and get nice service, without breaking the bank. If it's easy to find, please give addresses so that they are easier to find. Many thanks!

Ben

Let me the first to welcome you to the forum.

I completely concur with your take on Shalimar. We ate lunch there Friday. Now I have a free dinner or lunch coming on the rewards card. The place ended up packed before we left and had a long line to the buffet. The service has always been impeccable even when crowded. They have no buffet at dinner, but it is inexpensive and the quality food and service are excellent

The Red Pepper is great. Being new, you don't know about the offline we had at Red Pepper. The menu was turned over to the chef and was spectacular. Not cheap but that is not what we looking for. I have paid a lot more for dinners that were not near as good as that one. Certainly not an expensive place.

I have been going to the Uptown since they opened. Very nice.

I might question Jack Frys as a budget place, but it is a great restaurant.

Welcome, Benjamin. If you're interested, here is the thread from when the forum organized the dinner at Red Pepper: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4429&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=red+pepper+offline

And here is Robin's review and the post-feast thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4685&p=45009&hilit=red+pepper+hotbytes#p45009

I didn't get to go to that one, but we recently had a good time at a Seviche offline event. Hopefully we'll see you at one of them!

Basa has a delicious lunch, and is rather affordable!

The DakShin lunch buffet - Best. Indian. Food. Ever.

I am one to always recommend the Bosna-Mak. Its a little grocery/restaurant located right around the corner from the Derby City antique mall. They feature Bosnian/Croat/Serb fair and, in my opinion pull off one of the city best gyros for only five bucks. They have a nice grilled meat plate as well as some good goulash. Just walk to the back of the grocery and you will find some tables set up. As a bonus you can watch Mexican soap operas that have been over dubbed with an Eastern European dialect.



http://bosnamak.com/

Jasmin's Bosnian bakery, which is next door to Bosna-Mak , also makes a wonderful gyro. The large is about $5.00 and can feed two adults by itself. I haven't tried the gyro from Bosna-Mak yet but Jasmin uses some of the best fresh made french bread instead of a pita. I like pitas but to me the french bread makes Jasmin's gyro more of a complete meal.

For easy access from home in Old Louisville, I do very much like Sitar on Bardstown Rd for their Indian lunch buffet. It's a good value and I have found myself stopping there several times for lunch while out on errands. I do admit that I am a big fan of Shalimar but since moving away from the East End, Sitar has managed to settle my Indian cravings without going out of the way to do so.

Jasmin's Bosnian bakery, which is next door to Bosna-Mak , also makes a wonderful gyro. The large is about $5.00 and can feed two adults by itself. I haven't tried the gyro from Bosna-Mak yet but Jasmin uses some of the best fresh made french bread instead of a pita. I like pitas but to me the french bread makes Jasmin's gyro more of a complete meal.

Steve,not trying to dis you in any way,just clearing up some info.
Its the same gyros (yes, its spelled with the S at the end). From what I understand its the same family sharing the kitchen. Bosna-Mak just has other items on the menu as well as the dinning area in the back of the grocery. I agree, the bread is what makes the difference. Im not sure I would call it "french" bread though. I have seen that type of bread in many eastern European places. It might not be like most pitas,but its not at all like a loaf of "french" bread. Its a very light almost fluffy type of bread.
I plan on going this Wednesday or Thursday if anyone wants to join Anne and I for lunch there.

[Robin Garr]

Welcome to the forum, Benjamin. Great launch!

As others have said, Red Pepper is a forum favorite, and if you're even a little adventurous (I'll bet you are), ask them for the "authentic Chinese" menu next time. You don't have to go straight to the pig intestine and similar dishes, there's plenty there that's both offbeat and accessible. The pan-fried tofu is one of my favorites, and so is the amusingly named appetizer, "Unique chicken smell."

Other cheap lunches to consider: Shiraz (I think Holiday Manor is more reliable than Clifton lately) and J. Gumbo's (I'm still most partial to the original on Frankfort in Clifton). The recently revieweed Omar Fast Food at Shelby and Ormsby is also worth a look, Louisville's only Pakistani restaurant and very affordably priced.

Thanks very much, everyone, for the recommends and the warm welcome. I actually did post a bit under a similar name (I think) a while a go, but I couldn't remember the exact name and password, and so created a new one....

The feasts at Red Pepper and Seviche sound great.

So: Dakshin, Bosna-Mak, Omar, Shiraz, etc. all sound great. Are there others? Is Havana Rumba a lunch place too? Never been there, but it sounds interesting....

Steve is right that Jack Fry's is not really a budget place, but check this out: you can get a cup of their wonderful tomato-artichoke soup for 2.50 and a small warm brie salad for 3.50. If you have water and their wonderful bread, even with tax and a nice tip (percentage wise, anyway) that's $10. Not bad.