Bargain Basement Eats

Stretching the discretionary food dollar has been a subject on many minds lately. Please share your favorite way to pinch your pennies while enjoying dining out in our local eateries. Who has the best specials? What little secret treat makes you feel like you are on top of the culinary world for so little green? While traveling back and forth to Eastern Kentucky to check on parents my wife and I love the silky soup beans and cornbread in Winchester, Ky. That and some fried green tomato slices are mighty fine.

My best tip is to use the gift certificates at http://www.restaurant.com. Lately they've been running a lot of specials, where you can get your already discounted gift certs even cheaper. It's definitely a deal. I recently purchased $25 worth of a gift cert for $4. Now you just can't beat that!

[Robin Garr]

Stretching the discretionary food dollar has been a subject on many minds lately. Please share your favorite way to pinch your pennies while enjoying dining out in our local eateries.

The rule for me is generally ethnic eats ... Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Mexican, for seriously interesting fare that doesn't usually cost much.

Japanese is a significant exception, perhaps because sushi - and to some extent Japanese dishes in genral - is labor-intensive and thus expensive.

India Palace on Shelbyville Road.....their lunch buffet is one of the best values in town. It's become my Saturday lunch spot.

I was looking around at Gordon's Food Service. You can get a GIANT can of pork and beans for like $3. It would easily be enough for a week at about 3 1 and 1/2 cup servings per day! If you wanted something green you can buy a GIANT can of green beans and have green beans and pork and beans everyday for a week and survive a week for about $6.

I think that would be kind of fun. Anyone up to see who can survive for a month on the cheapest food budget???

I was looking around at Gordon's Food Service. You can get a GIANT can of pork and beans for like $3. It would easily be enough for a week at about 3 1 and 1/2 cup servings per day! If you wanted something green you can buy a GIANT can of green beans and have green beans and pork and beans everyday for a week and survive a week for about $6.

I think that would be kind of fun. Anyone up to see who can survive for a month on the cheapest food budget???

I just wouldn't want to be downwind from them

Not sure about restaurants, but here are some ways I recall from college on how to stretch a food budget:

1. Ramen Noodles - They must smuggle drugs with these shipments because you used to be able to get 8-10 packets per $1. They also gave you extra spice packets to use on other foods.

2. Peanut Butter & Banana sandwiches

3. Generic Soup - Bean w/ Bacon was the choice of many.

4. Hot dogs w/ pork n' beans

5. White rice, butter and salt

We used to be able to live on this diet for months. Although not incredibly nutritious, it was all pretty filling and don't really remember being either hungry or miserable.

I mainly mean restaurants, Ron. Reading your menu reminded me of those college days when less money spent on food meant more on everything else.

Stretching the discretionary food dollar has been a subject on many minds lately. Please share your favorite way to pinch your pennies while enjoying dining out in our local eateries.

The rule for me is generally ethnic eats ... Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Mexican, for seriously interesting fare that doesn't usually cost much.

Japanese is a significant exception, perhaps because sushi - and to some extent Japanese dishes in genral - is labor-intensive and thus expensive.

$4.50 for chicken spring rolls at Simply Thai! Thanks for the tip on ethnic.

Also, a Triangle Philly and chips at Karem's is $5.25....yum! Warning: that place gets busy, but it is fast service.

Don't forget the $6.49 Salmon Reuben at Seafood Connection...which is probably the most expensive thing on their menu.

[Robin Garr]

Don't forget the $6.49 Salmon Reuben at Seafood Connection...which is probably the most expensive thing on their menu.

Actually, the $9.99 lobster roll is, but it is so incredibly good that I could eat six of them if my wife would let me.

You can get a good fish, shrimp or salmon taco for $3.49, I think. One would make a light lunch, but at that price you can take two and still be in budget range.

I had the Monday special at El Nopal....Chili Relliano, taco, refied beans for $3.99. That's less than Micky D's and a great deal better.

I had the Monday special at El Nopal....Chili Relliano, taco, refied beans for $3.99. That's less than Micky D's and a great deal better.

I totally agree... mexican restaurants are usually a bargain for some very satisfying grub. at lunch, i can spend anywhere in the $5-$7 region and be so stuffed that im not hungry for dinner!

Don't forget the $6.49 Salmon Reuben at Seafood Connection...which is probably the most expensive thing on their menu.

Actually, the $9.99 lobster roll is, but it is so incredibly good that I could eat six of them if my wife would let me.

You can get a good fish, shrimp or salmon taco for $3.49, I think. One would make a light lunch, but at that price you can take two and still be in budget range.

That is an incredible price. A lobster roll at Pearl Oyster Bar in NYC will set you back about $26.

[Robin Garr]

That is an incredible price. A lobster roll at Pearl Oyster Bar in NYC will set you back about $26.

Well, yeah, but you're helping pay Manhattan rents and NYC salaries there. I think you can still get a $10 lobster roll at a beachside shack in Connecticut, and in fairness, Seafood Connection's atmosphere is probably not that of Pearl Oyster Bar ...

That is an incredible price. A lobster roll at Pearl Oyster Bar in NYC will set you back about $26.

Well, yeah, but you're helping pay Manhattan rents and NYC salaries there. I think you can still get a $10 lobster roll at a beachside shack in Connecticut, and in fairness, Seafood Connection's atmosphere is probably not that of Pearl Oyster Bar ...

Actually the atmosphere isn't that much different. The Greenwich Village rents, however, are another story.