Saturday, February 28, 2009

Cheap 'n Good Vs. Cheap 'n Shitty

Cheap food doesn't have to be all quantity, no quality. Here is a list of restaurants that are cheap, filling, and even (gasp!) tasty.

Falafel Queen, at Queen and Bathurst
Late night falafel sandwiches (for two at less than $10.00) made fast and ready to go while waiting for the 24-hour Queen car really hit the spot at 2 a.m. Make sure to get 'em with spicy sauce. And napkins.

Green Fusion, 403 Yonge Street, near Ryerson University
Get a bowl of vegetarian soup (a.k.a. "pho"). It's large, it's cheap ($5.25 for a small), it's spicy, it's filling, and it's amazing. I love this place.

Coconut Grove Roti Shop, 183 Dundas St. West, near OCAD
Before heading to the free admissions night at the Art Gallery of Ontario on a Wednesday, some friends and I hit this spot to avoid overpriced slices of old and crusty "gourmet" pizza at Pizzaiolio. Rotis at Coconut Grove start at $2.99, and they also have special plate dinners advertised for less than $5.00 if you're looking for a more complete meal with rice and salad. The vegetarian options for roti include eggplant, squash, and spinach, which are all very good. Again, spice it up! Go for the hot sauce!

Chinese Food Cart on St. George Street, in front of the Robarts Library at U of T
For less than $10.00 you can get about fifty different chinese dishes. I once had the pad thai, and was amazed at its generous weight and size. It included various types of seafood (unusual, but excitingly filling). This is the place to go if you're looking for what I like to call "lupper" -- a combination of lunch and supper.

Rasoee, 140 Spadina Ave.
Vegetarian lunch specials start at $6.99 (which include naan or basmati rice) while chicken, beef, or lamb lunch specials start at $7.49. Rasoee lunches are not exactly extra-large man-sized servings (only 8 oz.) so if you're really hungry or expect a late supper, then you may want to go for the 12 oz. meal option, which is an extra $2.00 (still bringing your order under $10.00 before taxes).

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