Chowhound Board Challenge! Fantastic meals under $8!

[yycfeedme]

Include Pho only if it is the most AMAZING pho ever. Where are your favorite cheap eats?

On my list:

- $7.50 delicious Pastor tacos @ Los Compadres food truck
- Soup, sandwich & muffins @ Bell's Bookstore -- Close 3pm :(
- $7.95 Mushroom, Potato & Onion pancake @ Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus
- $9.00 Sandwich w/ soup or salde @ Rustic Sourdough Bakery

To try:
- $4.00/empanada @ Empanada Queen
- $8.00 Bubba Louie's Combo @ Bubba Louie's Burgers (Burger, fries, drink) -- Close at 2:30pm :(
- $1 ribs, $5.50 brisket/pulled pork sandwich @ Holy Smoke BBQ
- $5.75 Bacon Cheeseburger @ Rocky's Burgers (M - F 10am - 3pm)
- $7.99 ham, cheese & egg crepe @ Crepe Avenue
- $7.00 falafel sandwich @ Chick Pea
- $7.50 two-patty bugers @ Holy Grill -- close 4pm

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Chick Pea Mediterranean Cuisine
732 8 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P, CA

Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus
2439 54 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T3E 1M4, CA

Rustic Sourdough Bakery & Deli
1305 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2T 0C4, CA

Rocky's Burgers
1120 46 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G2A6, CA

duplicate
1515 34th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126

Empanada Queen
4100 Marlborough Dr NE, Calgary, AB T2A 2Z5, CA

Bubba Louie's Burgers
400 51 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2H 2X6, CA

Holy Smoke BBQ
4640 Manhattan Rd SE, Calgary, AB T2G 4B5, CA

Crepe Avenue
330 10 St NW #103, Calgary, AB , CA

Holy Grill
827 10th Ave SW, Benson, MN 56215

[uncultured]

You can still get a sate viet sub (beef, chicken or McRib) for under $7 at the Thi Thi across from Harry Hay's - they seem to be a bit lighter on the meat these days I find (at least the beef) but it's still tops in my book. I probably eat there once a week during summer :)

[nonlinear]

do they seriously offer a McRib meat at Thi Thi?

[uncultured]

Haha it isn't actually called McRib (I think it's just Sate Rib) but it is a ground pork patty, covered with sate sauce - I haven't had an actual McRib in so long I don't remember what those are actually like.

[rosetown]

T & T Supermarket - Pacific Place - in their prepared food stalls - soup - 2 specials a day at 3.99 - last one I had was bbq pork with noodles.

Edit: the noodles were soft and overcooked - all the additive choices to the soup were good.

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T & T Supermarket
999 36 St NE, Calgary, AB T2A 6K5, CA

[pasaker]

I'd like to add T&T now has a awesome Pork Belly Sandwich for $3.50 (Pork Belly with stewed veggies, crushed peanuts, cilantro, and pickled mustard leaf...all in a mantou bun!) Awesomely delicious!

[rosetown]

Looks terrific - will definitely try it on my next visit.

[KcM]

terrific x2...That looks lovely!

[rosetown]

I went there today and purchased a similar product, identical, except it was Taiwanese pork instead of pork belly. It was good - but I was so looking forward to pork belly. So it appears, that their specials rotate. The service was really superb - not being able to read Chinese script and appearing to be hapless, the other customers and staff helped me and watched out after me as I went through whole rigmarole of paying in another line. BTW, the items available were listed in English as well - my haplessness was a consequence of searching for the not available pork belly.

[pasaker]

Awww.... I'm pretty sure I had was pork belly because I remember a lot of the fat dripping out. Maybe they gave you a leaner piece of meat? I know I went back two days ago to get it again but they didn't have it so I'm sure they do rotate like you said. I know in Chinese (with my wonderful husband being able to translate) said the Chinese name for this particular bun is "The Tiger Bites the Pig" cute huh? That and I'm starting to think that the English translation didn't mention the "belly" part. But it's that cut of meat though...... I'll double check it again when I go back ;)

[rosetown]

Now you've got me thinking - I've only had pork belly in soups and since the pork was cooked differently for this bun, and because I was expecting a much softer texture, that I was mistaken, and that it was, indeed, pork belly.

One gentleman was trying to explain, in his very broken English, some of the Chinese characters to me. The only word I understood was 'tiger', which just left me bewildered. Now I get it - thanks for that. I found it odd that I was handed chopsticks to go with the bun, but they turned out to be handy for re-inserting the pig pieces that had fallen out of the tigers mouth. :)

[rosetown]

Welcome to chowhound - I didn't realize this was your 1st post until I checked today - it seemed like it was from a veteran. Anyhow, it's a good topic, especially of benefit to those with a limited eating out budget.

[katidyd]

Was just going to suggest Olive Chicken - and I see you beat me to it. I'm heading there after work to pick up supper tonight...can't wait!

[clouie]

Olive Chicken - 3 piece chicken and fries and a pop. For only $6.99! My new favourite spot.

[23skidoo]

Adding link

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Olive Chicken
1324 10 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T3C 0J2, CA

[clouie]

My favourite is Fat Kee for wonton and white flat noodles. I believe it's $6.00.

[Shazam]

The many places that serve Shawarmas, Shish Tawouk and Falafel sandwiches.

Calgary is blessed that we have so many, and the majority of them are very good to excellent.

[johnjohnson78]

I'm fairly sure the Manwich from Holy Smoke is under 8 bucks.

Pulled pork and brisket piled on a bun with pickles, slaw, and a sauce of your choosing

EDIT: my apologies......just read it was already mentioned

[prasantrin]

Bahn Mi from Asia City--$3.25 for the BBQ pork (my favourite), but also the regular one with extra mean! For that price, you can even add real fruit bubble tea (though not my favourite one, the young coconut) and still be under $8

[rosetown]

;) Winnipeg is so lucky !

[prasantrin]

You caught me! :-D

(AFAIC, if there's no location mentioned, it's a free for all!)

[rosetown]

@yycfeedme
adding the correct Holy Grill in Calgary - You should be able to remove the one in Benson MN from your post - there should be a 'remove' beside the name.

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Holy Grill
827 10 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R, CA

[rosetown]

The Chowhound team have removed the one in Benson MN - all is well.

[pasaker]

Banzai's Donburi Rice Bowls $6.50 - $7.95

[miss.foodie]

Sandwiches @ Cowtown Beef Shack - $8.00

[maplesugar]

I've had Empanada Queen empanadas -- They're fantastic but I think you'd need two or a side to qualify it as a meal. Been awhile since I had one though so maybe they were empanaditas?

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Empanada Queen
4100 Marlborough Dr NE, Calgary, AB T2A 2Z5, CA

[shopwinedinefine]

A sandwich from Janice Beaton. $7.50?