93210 Sun Apr 02 21:15:10 -0700 2006 17 61 Austin 0 511773 I just posted below, and had to jump up and go to Sunflower for dinner. We split: imperial rolls, spring rolls, a small hot and sour soup, and the pan fried egg noodles with tofu and vegetables. Delicious. The total price tag, including tax = $15.70 for two. Last night I had the chicken enchiladas with chipotle sauce, black beans and rice at Curra's (north) for $6.80, and it was terrific. At Suzi's Grill on Anderson Lane I get the Double Pan-fried Noodles (with shrimp) for $8.50. It comes with 16 or so very nice sized shrimp, lots of vegetables, and great tasting sauce. You can get it with shrimp, chicken and beef for the same price. Did you know that at Macaroni Grill two people may order house salads ($1.59/each) and split a pizza or Make-your-own-pasta (which is definitely large enough to split, and they split it for you in the kitchen), and get out for under $12 for two? The salads are really good and the pasta is up to you. Domestic partner and I eat every dinner out so we like to find great places that are cheap and good. Can anyone add to this list? Sun Apr 02 21:15:10 -0700 2006 0 Travis Leroy 1 511774 I'm a big fan of the Beef Chow Fun w/ satay sauce at Din Ho. Huge portion for about $6. Sun Apr 02 22:06:25 -0700 2006 511773 0 Mike B 2 511781 BBQ Pork, Chicken, Meat Ball or Combination bánh mì at Ba Le for $2 to $2.50 each. 3 will feed two people quite well. Mon Apr 03 11:39:21 -0700 2006 511774 0 Seamus Mitwurst 3 511796 Agree, but something seems a bit off with the Ba Le in Austin compared to others I've been to. Maybe I'll give it another try. Mon Apr 03 18:13:45 -0700 2006 511781 0 Mike B 1 511785 When did you go? I went Saturday and saw someone eating what you describe. We had the ginger/scallion sea bass with black bean/soy sauce and the stir fried shrimp with pepper. The last time we went was one of the best meals that we've had - the traditional pork/shrimp vietnamese salad is ethereal. Then a fish hot and sour soup with mustard, I think. Lastly, the "toasted calimari." It comes with a side of dry spice to dip it in. Mon Apr 03 14:29:42 -0700 2006 511773 0 rudeboy 2 511816 Early, like 6:30 or so. I was two guys, near the front, south side. Check out my post above. Wed Apr 05 00:16:48 -0700 2006 511785 0 Travis Leroy 1 511823 Happy hour lobster bisque/broiled oysters/split a salad/seared tuna...if you don't get drinks it's under$10. Happy hour at Manuels - love the chiviche (under $5) and chicken mole or the hongos with a side of mole sauce. Split the Guajillo fajitas at Curras! $7.50 and it easily feeds two Super cheap? Taqueria Guadalajara (Arrandas) on Burnet just north of 2222. Fajita burrito and keep the two salsas coming. Both of out of there for $8 with tip. Berryhill over on 360 has some very good, high quality nachos (and they're HUGE) on happy hour for under $5 and we can never finish them. Wed Apr 05 13:15:29 -0700 2006 511773 0 Amysuehere 2 511828 Thanks. I just got back from Manuel's happy hour this evening. Had the Campechana. Very filling and delicious for $5.50. You forgot to state where you had the lobster bisque, etc. Wed Apr 05 22:04:56 -0700 2006 511823 0 Travis Leroy 2 511848 Amysuehere, i'm sorry, but where are you talking about here "Happy hour lobster bisque/broiled oysters/split a salad/seared tuna...if you don't get drinks it's under$10." I maybe got lost in the thread, but I can't figure it out. Sounds very interesting!! thanks, chow-a-holic Fri Apr 07 11:52:36 -0700 2006 511823 0 chow-a-holic 2 511854 oops. Eddie V's. Salad split and share an entree. If you each get an entree it's closer to $15. Fri Apr 07 15:20:20 -0700 2006 511823 0 amysuehere 1 511846 Thanks for this thread!! I eat out so much I'm always on the lookout for good food at a good price. I have to 2nd Sunflower. We also went last weekend, had the vietnamese crepe and pan fried noodles. The crepe is really great - you cut off a slice of this crispy pancake filled with shrimp, mung bean sprouts, other stuff, then wrap it in a big fresh lettuce leaf, garnish with spearmint and pickled carrot and sauce, roll and eat!! So light, healthy and tasty. Great for summer. maybe $7? Might have been enough for both of us if we weren't really hungry. But we were, so we also had the pan fried noodles (maybe $6.50?) were also good, and much lighter tasting than at other places. So we left with leftovers, very happy, and only lighter by $15 + tip. Another of my budget favorites is 888 Vietnmese on E. Oltorf (say "Triple 8"). I know there's one up north too, but never been. We've been going to the Oltorf location for years. We typically order the vietnamese style wonton soup, which has a magical pork broth and lots of cilantro. The panfried egg noodles are great there too. They have hotpots, lemongrass stirfrys, as well as authentic dishes like salt & pepper shrimp and even fancy stuff like duck (never had it). The meat dishes are good from what I've had. If you're a vegetarian, the tofu mushroom is really good, as is the vegetable delight. Most dishes are in the area of $6.95. If you order a cup of wonton soup, you get a bowl, for oh, i don't know, maybe $2.50? I'm also a big fan of the Mi. Egg noodle soup, which I find much more satisfying and fun to eat than pho for some reason. Maybe it's just pho burnout, but the Mi at 888 is good stuff. And, they went more upscale about a year ago. We were scared, but it's actually only gotten even better. More items on the menu and now they have touches like bringing a scoop of sorbet after your appetizer (cleanse the palate?). The server boxed up my leftovers for me (where do they do that for a dish that costs $6.50?), and the total bill for 2 people (no alcohol) was about $18. This place rocks. But now that I've been to Sunflower, I'll probably be headed up mopac a little more! And if we're talking value, I have to bring up the amazing Sushi Niichi on 24th st. Go at lunch (last time I checked, it's available on the weekends too), and get a chicken katsu or fish katsu or unagi bento box (6.95/7.95/8.95) and you'll get as accompaniments a salad with house dressing, vegetable tempura with dipping sauce, rice, miso soup, and 4 pieces of california roll. I always leave happy and nourished and without dropping too much dough. What's more, the people are super nice and I like giving them my money. Swad on north lamar is a great value for South Indian street-style food, but it's better if you go with a group, b/c eating an entire dosa by yourself might not be a very balanced meal. I like the dahi poori (little crunchy puffed poori with yogurt, tamarind chutney, and other condiments) and the chole batura (kind of like channa masala). Fri Apr 07 11:45:09 -0700 2006 511773 0 chow-a-holic 2 511851 Great info! FYI, the 888 on Anderson Ln is now called "Rollin Sushi." Its all Japanese. The Salt and Pepper shrimp at the 888 on Oltorf is a little more "bready" than some of the others (but still good). I like them when they hav a very light coat of tapioca starch. Fri Apr 07 12:13:19 -0700 2006 511846 0 rudeboy 3 511852 i agree on the s&p shrimp. if we want those, we go to T&S seafood. But 888 holds its own on the more Vietnamese items, i'd say. Fri Apr 07 12:23:42 -0700 2006 511851 0 chow-a-holic 4 511856 You are right - actually, though, we had them at T&S on Tuesday and they were pretty bready - unlike before, but not quite as much as that time at 888. I had them at the Tea House, twice, and they were perfect. I reved about them, and when I finally brought my girl down to have them at night, they were waaay bready. I was told that it was a different cook. There's probably just some natural variability. We are now going to only order them with shells on to see if that helps. Fri Apr 07 16:48:22 -0700 2006 511852 0 rudeboy 5 511864 rudeboy, I had the salt and pepper shrimp--with the shells on--at T&S on Thursday night. This was my first visit, so I can't compare them to earlier versions of same. For what it's worth, the shrimp seemed a little bready to me, too. The sautéed baby bok choy and the sizzling oysters (flavored with ginger and scallions) were awfully good, though. Who in town currently has the lightest touch with the breading for S&P shrimp? Sat Apr 08 13:15:27 -0700 2006 511856 0 MPH 6 511865 Thanks for the info. I'll try Marco Polo again and report what I find. Sat Apr 08 13:25:50 -0700 2006 511864 0 rudeboy 1 511847 just thought of another . . . At la Reyna on S. 1st, they have daily specials that are 4.99. These are ALL day!!! One example: Enchiladas Rancheras plate. Maybe on thursdays? Can't recall. But those are different from anything I've had anywhere else. They're very simple - corn tortilla's with a little white cheese and topped with potatoes and carrots. Their rice and beans are some of the best. How can you screw up rice and beans you ask? Well, many places they're totally uninteresting and people leave 'em on the plate. La Reyna puts some effort into them. Anyway, the daily special is a heck of a deal. And sometimes, the salsa there burns my tongue! Fri Apr 07 11:50:07 -0700 2006 511773 0 chow-a-holic 1 511900 EZ's at 35th and Lamar - esp. if you happen to have a school ID and get an extra $2 off? already cheap prices. I like their chipolte chicken sandwich and their pesto pizza. Its been a while since i lived in Austin, so i may have the menu names wrong - but i always went there for cheap eats while i was a student. Tue Apr 11 13:52:56 -0700 2006 511773 0 JWDC