Your Daily Discount (Anti) Diet

You can get all of this At Momofuku Ssam Bar for $24

In these economic times, one of the few bright spots for us ravenous raconteurs is that dining deals are amicably abundant. Of course there's the twice annual Restaurant Week when we all scurry into places like Anthos, Le Cirque, and Nobu that never have discounted menu items or value prix fixes - but post economic implosion, many restaurants have restructured menus to build in added value items or outright slashed prices. Some of these deals only exist on certain days or nights while others can be found on a regular basis in the more or less conspicuous folds of Manhattan's restaurant landscape. I worked this up for a couple living in Queens who were looking for some great dining on a budget and wanted a few suggestions. I'll admit that I found some of the days of the week deals through Tasting Table's "Gastronomic Stimulus Plan" but I don't think they'll mind if I repeat them here.

Monday:
Where: Hill Country BBQ (30 W. 26th st.)
What: 5-10pm all you can eat for $25 (certain menu items)
-Hill Country is about as good as New York City Barbecue gets. Of course this does not speak to anyone from Texas or most locales below the Mason-Dixon line. This cafeteria style eatery attracts a nice crowd (especially for all you can eat Mondays) and besides the food, they also offer $6 Margaritas, a $20 6-pack of Lonestar Beer (which is like Budweiser but slightly better), and for the frat party animal inside us all - 2 for 1 Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Where: Brother Jimmy’s (uptown locations)
What: 2 hour all you can eat (hot wings + rib tips) and drink (bud light) for $16
-I have done this several times, often with a couple from Texas. They have unfortunately moved back to Texas but I still go because this is still a fantastic deal. The wings are only average but certainly edible and the myriad barbecue sauces @ BJ's are a good complement for the rib tips. Besides, after two or three pitchers of Bud Light for the table you'll be extremely happy with your $16 purchase.

Tuesday:
Where: Matsugen (241 Church st.)
What: $35 seven course omakase
-This is farther downtown than I usually am but this is a killer deal. The chef is just going to bring you whatever is fresh with a creative twist. This may include some sushi creations that are slightly out of your comfort zone; but you can generally entrust your palate to Jean Georges.

Where: Public House (140 E. 41st st.)
What: $35 three course bottomless wine dinners
The food at Public House is surprisingly good for a place that looks and feels like a bar, and for unlimited wine & three courses... trust me it's very good deal.

Wednesday:
Where: Cabrito (50 Carmine st.)
What: Any taco & a PBR for $8
-Mexican food in New York is generally sub-standard from a California point of view, sorry. However, the inventive but simple tacos at Cabrito (a branch of the Fatty Crab family tree) are an exception especially considering I've never even seen a tongue taco on a menu before, much less eaten one garnished with avocado salsa. I have a minor aversion to tongue but it was good, especially when washed down with - you guessed it - a frosty co-ed cooler. (Aka Pabst Blue Ribbon.)

Cabrito's Goat Belly tacos which have recently been hiatused from the menu but will likely be back in the future.

Thursday:
Where: Del Posto (85 10th ave.)
What: $35 four course enoteca menu
-From the culinary giants Joe Bastianich, Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali comes a generously portioned four course dinner. This is about as cheap as it gets for food at this level but be sure to ask for the $35 menu because your server may conveniently forget about this particular special.

Friday:
Where: Craft (43 E. 19th st.)
What: Craft frugal Fridays - $10 small plates
-I've only been once and was actually skeptical that it existed. Tom Colicchio, the current host of Top Chef thought this would be a good idea - he was right but it's near pandemonium after about 6 o'clock. So fake a work headache and go at 5.

Weekends:
Where: Momofuku Ssam Bar (207 2nd ave.)
What: $24 three course prix fixe lunch
-Tons of fantastic restaurants like Jean Georges, David Burke Townhouse, and Eleven Madison Park have prix fixe lunch deals. The problem is most of them don't offer them on the weekends, and if they do they're so packed it's silly; or they serve brunch instead. I'm as big a fan of brunch as the next guy (bigger if you survey certain people, like my roommate Jim) but this is a great alternative particularly when you're hungry and waiting for a table at Prune... and waiting, and waiting, and waiting... There's almost no one at Ssam Bar during the prime afternoon brunch hours so grab a seat at the bar and get the lunch prix fixe. (With a rocks glass of bacon infused whiskey if you feel like boozing.)

Saturday:
Where: Alto (520 Madison ave.)
What: No corkage Fee.
-It’s a pricey place but they have great seafood and a surprisingly good cheese plate. This obviously saves huge $$ if you enjoy drinking. I'll be doing a blog entry on BYO places sometime soon.

Sunday:
Where: David Burke Fishtail (135 E 62nd st.)
What: $25 three course dinner
-Make reservations early they fill up fast. They just raised the price from $20.09 but it's still a fantastic deal. I've been 1/2 a dozen times or so and sent several friends. Monday-Saturday, Fishtail also has $1 oysters and $4 beers late-night 10:00pm-1:00am.

Fishtail will also offering a $5 Octoberfest menu:

October 12th-31st get a bevy of $5 specials weekdays for lunch, Sundays for brunch, and nightly after 10:00pm.

Where: The House of Brews (363 W. 46th st.)
What: 25 cent wings and $2.50 Bud Light pints (during football games)
-This has been my favorite NYC bar since I lived in the neighborhood for a year in 2008. The wings are actually one of my favorites in the whole city - meaty, spicy but not too spicy, and served with thick blue cheese dressing. Get 10 wings and 4 beers (which should last you a whole game unless you're very hungry or thirsty) for $12.50! Go in for the night game and you'll probably see a curly haired guy named Clay. If you do tell him I sent you. They've got other specials as well but this is the mother of all football deals.

Any Day and/or Night:
Artichoke Pizza: (328 E. 14th st.) There will be a line no matter when you go but it’s worth it.

Baogutte: (Pictured Above - 61 Lexington ave bet. 25th/26th Sts.) $5 and change gets you one of the best sandwiches on the planet. Next time you see a Subway commercial you'll be singing "$5 dollar, $5 dollar Bao-gutte!"

Ben Benson’s Steakhouse: (123 W. 52nd st.) If you want to splurge at a steakhouse get the steakhouse dinner for two ($90). It comes with soup, salad, chateaubriand or filet mignon w/ lobster tails, creamed spinach, and hash browns. That's a lot of food.

Blockhead’s: (All locations) $3 frozen margaritas and the $9 plate of two tacos. One of the best $12 experiences in NYC.

B. Smith Restaurant: (320 W. 46th st.) They call it a pre-theatre special, the newly instituted $29 three course prix fixe. But you don't have to be headed up Broadway to enjoy scarfing down black-eyed peas, chicken with cornbread stuffing & okra, and a bread pudding that I have yet to find a parallel to anywhere in New York.

David Burke @ Bloomingdale’s: (1000 3rd ave. @ Bloomingdale's, duh.) The $20.09 Three Course dinner is not quite as good as the Fishtail Prix Fixe but it's cheaper and still very good in a more comfort food sort of way.

Dutch Kills: (27-24 Jackson ave.) It’s in Queens but worth the trip for $8 specialty cocktails that will at least tie (if not completely annihilate) the best that you’ve ever had.

HB Burger: (127 W. 43rd st.) A fantastic tuna burger, nothing over $10, and alcoholic milkshakes. If any of this sounds bad raise your hand... no one? I didn't think so.

Ichiumi: (6 E. 32nd st.) go for LUNCH 11:45 to 2:30 Mon-Thurs for $19 sushi and Japanese food buffet. (+$3 on weekends) You will not leave hungry and the sushi is actually quite good - says the boy from California.

Kefi: (505 Columbus ave.) for the price, hands down one of the best restaurants in NYC.

Sweet Emily’s: (321 W. 51st st.) get the $10 Mexican Lasagna, the drinks are pricey but this dish is worth every penny.

Daily Food Emails:
Sign up for the daily email at www.tastingtable.com they are so much better than everyone else it's almost sad. Also sign up for the email newsletter at www.groupon.com/new-york It's kind of an odd way to get a deal but their savings on things you might not normally eat, or even think of, are significant and useful.

'Til next time friends - cheers, eat merrily, and trust to good verses.