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And could eat ANYWHERE in town, what would you choose, and why? The 10 bucks would obviously be your spending limit.

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Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live. --Mark Twain

Steak sandwich at Boobies in Niles.

well if I didn't have to tip $10 would buy me a pot of heaven at Hopleaf - Mussels in Ale w/ Frites from heaven.

If I did - well it would have to be a Hot and Juicy Combo from Johnnie's w/ fries and a large Lemonade.

My picks:

1.) Half a chicken with maduros ($6) and a Cola Champagne (sp?) from Papa Cache Sabroso on Division and Western

2.) Chicken Katsu ($5.95) and Spam musubi ($2.95) from Aloha Grill on Clark

3.) Roast duck and char siu over rice from Sun Wah (approx $5) on Argyle

4.) Banh Mi from Ba Le on Broadway or Vinh Phat on Sheridan (at Argyle)

5.) Proscuitto and Mozzarella sandwich from Bari Foods on Grand

6.) Cheeseburger at Paradise Pup in Des Plaines (River Road)

Now I'm getting hungry and it's only 10... =(

1. Italian sub w/hot giardinaria from Bari, go next door to D'Amatos for two slices of sausage pizza, and have enough left over to buy two newspapers to peruse while I eat myself into a coma.

2. Double char cheddar burger and cheddar fries from Weiner's Circle on Clark.

For a long time, I had a post percolating about how my $4.50 combo at Sun Wah ended up costing over $10--by the time you add some gribenese, you add some "cole slaw"...Still, given that the a normal person might be happy with just the meats, the rice, the soup and the small helping of Chinese greens, it IS one of the best deals around.

Some other ways to easily spend less than $10:

$10 will get you about 6 hot dogs and french fries at Gene and Judes.

I took the chowhounditas for a good sleazy-cheap lunch the other day at River Forest Grill. One kid had a blt, I had a double cheeseburger and the other kid got two eggs scrambled with cheese + hashbrowns and toast. I got fries. Their fries order is big enough I was more than happy to share. One cup of coffee for me and water for the kidz and it came out to a bit over $8.

Two tacos de cecina, which include beans and pico de gallo (and home-made tortillas) cost $3.50 at La Quebrada. Throw in an orchata and you barely crack a sawbuck.

Something robust, oily, a bit spicy and loaded with flavor, plus rice or bread will set you back $6 at Kabbabish.

A delicious bowl of kreplach soup and a perfumy pastrami sammy can be had at the Onion Roll for around $6, but it is not nearly as good a deal as their lox platter, which gives you enough hand sliced lox (actual, real, salty belly lox) for several people at $7.

Smith and Wollensky's burger + fries clocks in at less than $10.

I mean there are a LOT of ways to eat well at under $10.

You know, many of my absolute favorite things in Chicago fall under $10...

A bowl of Pho with tendon from Tank

A full meal of Kharai Ghost, Seehk Kabob and Nan at Khan BBQ or Gareeb Nawaz (et al...)

Hot/Wet Beef from Al's w/ Fries

1/2 chicken meal from Harolds...

if we're talkin gun to the head, one choice, I gotta go with a sausage and a dog from Hot Doug's. As of today. Might be a Jibarito tomorrow.

ab

You could go to Taqueria Puebla and get both a cemita and a taco arabe (both pictured here, scroll down to the bottom of the post).

Braised Noodles with Wonton and Barbecue Pork from Seven Treasures. I think I could even squeeze in an order of Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce and still come in under the $10 limit.

That's my ideal meal all the time, though.

Good lord, I'm ravenous!

Well, to share what I'd do with a tenner, I'd make it to Pho Tau Bay (Vietnamese) have some Bun and Spring Rolls, or hit the Byblos Deli for a combo plate of shwarma, gyros, hummus with pita and salad ($7.95). Working in the hell of Suburbia makes going to these places rather prohibitive, however.

Of course all these joints are in New Orleans, but I just figured I'd lay it on y'all.

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Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live. --Mark Twain

A Will special from the Riviera Grocery on Harlem and one roast pork and one meatball banh mi from Ba Le Bakery

Will special = Hot Sopressata, hot cappicola, salami de prosciutto, prosciutto ham, fresh mozzarella, hot giardinera on an italian hoagie roll.

Ed's Potsticker House: an order of the house potstickers and a big steaming bowl of beef stew with noodle. Great lunch on a cold day.

Antonius

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Alle Nerven exzitiert von dem gewürzten Wein -- Anwandlung von Todesahndungen -- Doppeltgänger --
- aus dem Tagebuch E.T.A. Hoffmanns, 6. Januar 1804.
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Na sir is na seachain an cath.

I'd recommend either the goulash with spaetle or the veal paprikash at the Riverside Restaurant on 35th and Harlem in Riverside. For under $10, you'll get a bowl of soup, a basket of hearty rye bread, the aforementioned entrees, and a small dessert. Nothing fancy, but great comfort food in the old world style.

can't wait until I'm a fat cat and not debtor/student, but until then:

-large tips at lems: $9.90
-combo w/ hot n' sweet, fries: @$5 at johnnies (+ $3 gas for the drive) or @$10 at Al's
-"Guido" sang-witch at ___ Cafe (huron & orleans): $8
-asado de puerco at nuevo leon: $7
-polish and pork chop and RC at jim's: $5
-Hunters Stew (+borscht and salad and jello) at Mabenka: $6 (plus waitress talent - yes, priceless)

and I second many of the earlier suggestions. great list!

afo

What, no mention of Burger Delights?


Harold's 1/4 dark and a 40 of Old English (no that's NOT offensive)

Large beef shawerma from the Shawerma King (we'll miss you)

Pho with all the guts from Pho 777

Combo juicy from Bobbo's (sp?) on the nort' west side.

Two slices with sausage and green olive from Gigio's on Broadway

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Aaron

1. Potato pancakes and a Konigs brau at Resi's Bierstube.

2. Three ceviche tostadas at La Cazuela

3. Chicken wings at Great Seas or Hourglass

4. Carne asada Tampaquena at El Palmar (on Irving)

5. The "double sammy whammy" an Italian sub from Bari and a cemita de carne asada from Taqueria Puebla.

That sounds darn good. I'd go for that. But if I were down in Pilsen...

Half pound of Don Pedro's carnitas with a stack a tortillas and lots of pickled jalapenos.

A

_________________
Alle Nerven exzitiert von dem gewürzten Wein -- Anwandlung von Todesahndungen -- Doppeltgänger --
- aus dem Tagebuch E.T.A. Hoffmanns, 6. Januar 1804.
________
Na sir is na seachain an cath.

A large steak burrito and a soda at Jaimito's Burritos. And I'd have about $3 left over (could stop for an Italian ice to refresh the palate).

mortadella and improved provolone on fresh baked ciabatta from Freddy's in Cicero followed by a small pistachio gelato. With the remaining .30, I'd leave a crappy tip like Rachel Ray.

I think $10 is too easy? and perhaps too lenient. $6 is more like it....

for < $6, i'd do
2 Banh Mi + cafe sua da on either of the stores.
a bowl of pho from tank/pho 777
3 item bbq combo over rice from the place next to ken kee's in Chinatown.

This is no longer a place for reliable Pho. They changed ownership a year ago and its been downhill ever since.

Tank at Argyle and Broadway is great ... no reservations there.

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

So I _didn't_ have a bowl of wonderful soup there a month ago? Must have dreamed it.

BTW isn't $10 supposed to include tax and tip? Seems to me some folks are cutting it kind of close--I'd rather eat at Burger Delights than feel the shame of the cheapskate...

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Aaron

Hi,

You may have had a bit of luck or something ... Erik M. tried it about a month ago and was disappointed yet again, which is sad because he loved the place.

I refer you to this thread, which not only has my commentary of Pho 777's apparent death wish. There is lots of interesting stuff in that thread if you are interested in exploring it.

We're all entitled to our opinion, for some of us Pho 777 has dropped from Pho goodness to a shadow of itself.

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Cathy2

"You'll be remembered long after you're dead if you make good gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits." -- Nathalie Dupree
Facebook, Twitter, Greater Midwest Foodways, Road Food 2012: Podcast

altho prices were recently raised, i can still get Pilsner Beef Goulash
Beef simmered with Pilsner Beer until tender, served in a Dark Rich Paprika Gravy for 9.95! at klas at 5734 w. cermack

The price of all Bohemian and Broiler entrees includes a choice of soup with salad bar and two Bohemian Sides.
Choose between Bread or Potato Dumplings, Boiled or Mashed Potatoes, Sauerkraut, Sweet-Sour Cabbage, or Vegetable du Jour.
They bake their own wonderful bohemian bread!
Dessert: Choice of Homemade Kolacky, Rice Pudding or Chocolate Pudding, or Fruit Jello. Hot Columbian Coffee.

actually, i might just get the fantastic salad bar for 5.95 and then i could get a redegast beer too!! droool.......

I went to wine tasting over at Sam's this evening. I knew I'd be pressed to squeeze in dinner on my way from work. This suggestion was quite timely. I do wish, however, that I enjoyed my meal as much as the suggestion.

It was fine, but not up to the big burrito standards of, say, the Burrito House, in my opinion, or even Taco Burrito King. The meat was too gristly and the steak neither grilled to order nor reheated on the griddle. Despite this inauspicious beginning to the meal, the burrito nevertheless managed to be more than the sum of its parts--hot beans, mediocre steak, cool fresh sour cream, flavorless but texturally contrasting tomatoes, shreded cheese, and less-than-tepid hot sauce combined for a passable meal. And I really don't mean that compliment to be as backhanded as it sounds. Of course, I was pretty hungry at the time.

I was pretty excited to have a recommendation so close to my destination, and regret the meal none whatsoever. Among the under $10 deals I've had in this thread, however, I would rank this near the bottom.

Cheers,

Aaron

A pound of shrimp at Goose Island Shrimp House ($9.95)...for carryout.

Goose Island Shrimp House
1011 W. Division St.
312-642-3640

Jacki

Which is the buritto place on Fullerton just before Ashland? Near where Oberweis used to be? I liked that one a lot. What made it good was the way they over grilled the burrito, making the torilla crisp and flaky.

Rob

Aargh...this is going to kill me when I move up there. The Big Fisherman seafood outlet a block and a half from my house has STUNNING boiled shrimp for about six bucks a pound. And crawfish for $1.99/lb.....

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Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live. --Mark Twain

What will REALLY kill you is the difference in quality between the fresh from the bayou shrimp you are used to and the ones you get up here. Even the freshest you can find won't come close.

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Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

Way to keep hope alive there Stevez!

But seriously, my grandfather was a trawler, and consequently, shrimp was really abundant around our place. Over the years, I've actually grown rather bored with it!

In all honesty, I believe Chicago will have more than enough culinary offerings to make up for its lack o' fresh shwimpz. I managed to make in in Austin for two years, and its chief (if not sole) comestibles were not much more than Mexican and BBQ!! No wonder I found myself driving that 8 hours back home every couple of months...

_________________
Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live. --Mark Twain