Big N’ Tasty Bang For Your Buck

Tip Of The Day:  I present to you the companion piece for my Fox 9 Morning Buzz segment.  If you weren’t able to watch all the fun this morning, here’s what we discussed – great lunch deals.  I’ll expound on the topic below.

Tip For Tomorrow:  As I’ve been talking endlessly (usually to myself, a sign of either genius or insanity, you be the judge) about Ren Festing, I thought I’d take the time to show you a complete line-up of my costumes.  In dress diary parlance, it’s called “costume porn.”  However, as some might object to the idea of porn, fearing it might lead to a switch in their sexual identity, I’ll simply call it “Pretty, Shiny Dresses.”

Further Elucidation Of My Cheap Deal:  This morning marked another fun time at the Fox 9 studio in Eden Prairie.  My former XP (rocking an awesome H&M sweater dress) and I had time to strategize two or three more segments.   I continued to not swear on air and I shared a few solid tips.  Plus, I got to wear the second of the two outfits I bought at Express.  All in all, a good hour and a half.

For those of you at work, asleep, out of state, or in some other way unable to watch the segment (or you just forgot, because you don’t really care, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE), here is what you missed:

Great Dining- Out Lunch Deals (Bearing In Mind, The Best Lunch Deal Is To Just Brown-Bag It):

1.  Best for trying something new.  Nala Pak lunch buffet in Columbia Heights, $8.99 per person week days.  Nala Pak serves spicy, yummy Southern Indian cuisine – and if you’re like me, you have no idea what to order there.  So don’t.  Stop in for lunch and have the buffet.  That way, you can try all sorts of goodies, without having to think about what the heck it is you’re eating.  And as it’s all vegetarian, none of it will ever be mystery meat.  But don’t take my word for it – Nala is recommended by Andrew Zimmern and Dara Moskowitz – so THERE.

2.  Best to impress your clients without going bankrupt.  Fogo De Chao in Minneapolis, $26.50 a person, $19.50 for just the salad bar.  Dining at Fogo, aka World Of Meat, can be an expensive prospect if you go there for dinner.  Save $20 a head and have lunch instead.   Same meaty goodness, less painful price.  However, you’ll be so stuffed after your meal, returning to work may be a problem.

3.  Best sandwiches EVER.  Mavericks in Roseville, $6.59 for my favorite – the Spicy Italian Beef – and $1.59 for fries.  I LOVE THIS PLACE.  Seriously?  Their food is so good, so consistent, and served to you by people who are so nice, I could eat there every day until I died.  Which would be sooner than later if you factor in all that beef.  Oh, but what a delicious way to go…  They also have pulled pork, regular roast beef, brisket, and stuff with gravy.  If you live in Saint Paul and have never eaten at Mavericks, what is your problem?

4.  Best for kids that’s not fast food.  Again.  Q Cumbers in Edina, 64 cents per year of your child’s age, $9.60 for adults.  This place has it all for kids – it’s a salad bar/hot food buffet/soup bar/dessert bar, so your impatient little ones can eat right away.  They can pick exactly what they want, but you can still cram a few veggies down their throats.  There’s even crayons.  Best of all?  They have food YOU want to eat, too, so you’re not suffering for those angels.

5.  The one that got away.  Bonus!  Here’s the restaurant we didn’t have time to discuss this morning, but should be on every event planner’s (or person in charge of ordering lunch for business meetings) short list of good food for less – Brasa Rotissere.  You can get sandwich-plus-1-side combos for just $9, or meat-plus-2-side dinners for just $12.  And the food’s so good, no one will mind working late.

Tell it to the world – what’s your favorite place for lunch?