My Cheap Eats In the City

Living in the city can get really expensive especially coming from Manila. You'll definitely lose your mind if you start computing and converting how much the cost of food here is compared to how much it is back home. Thus I wanted to start my NY food chapter by featuring some of my favorite places I'd like to call "Cheap Eats" (though their technically not that cheap but I guess reasonably-priced). These are mostly fast food places which you can check out.

1. Five Guys - Want a juicy no non-sense burger? This is the way to go! This place has been voted as Washington Magazine's Reader's Choice # 1 Burger since 1999. In a Tv special featuring a "Day In the Life of the US President", Obama even took time out to drive by this joint to take out burgers for lunch. Their menu is very straight-forward...

296 Bleecker St, New York - (212) 367-9200 and a

round the city

2. Shake Shack - Another modern-day roadside burger place which I go to whenever I feel like eating a "heavy" burger meal. Their shack stack burger is a real winner... cheese burger with breaded deep fried portobello mushroom with melted cheddar and muenster cheese... every bite oozes with goodness (and calories~

eek!). Need I say more?

Madison Ave and East 23rd St. Southeast Corner of Madison

Square Park New York, NY 10010
(212) 889-6600

3. Crif Dogs-

Deep fried wiener wrapped in

bacon. I know it sounds like a heart attack calling but its comfort food once in a while. You are free to choose from a myriad toppings and combinations but I like mine plain and simple.

4. Halal at 53rd and 6th - I'm not exactly a food card person anymore especially after watching so many documentaries in culinary school about how they operate and handle food (I don't even want to go there but I guess you get what I'm saying!) . Thanks to my husband who introduced me to this place. This halal/gyro place is located at the southwest corner of 53rd and 6th. Their are known

for their "chicken/lamb rice" which is basically a platter of chicken/lamb with yellow rice, iceberg lettuce, slices of pita and served with this white sauce and hot sauce. One order cost about $6. What keeps it apart from the many other halal places is I believe the WHITE SAUCE (yup, i think it's all about this secret sauce). It's not ranch, not blue cheese, not mayo (my guess is that it's some sort of yogurt mixture with some spices) but it sure complements the rice platter very well....so damn well that people wait for hours even during the wee hours (because their open til 4 am) just to have a platter!

5. Bonchon - This is my husband's favorite fried chicken which he craves at least once a week. It's a korean style fried chicken which is fried twice (I believe that's the secret to its crispiness!). It comes in soy flavor and hot ( and I mean hot!)!

6. Naruto Ramen - A friend of ours recommended that we try

this place if we are fond of ramen and gyoza. So one rainy night, we walked over to sample this nicely situated ramen joint. The place is small and cramped and more often than not there is a wait since it only fits I'd say about 12-15 people. Their naruto ramen is perfect for a rainy day and their gyoza is tasty and pretty authentic.

1596 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10128-3417 (212) 289-780