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I'm starting to write short items on food or drink for Wednesday's LA.com section. My debut item today is about Web sites that help you save on your grocery tab so check it out! (You may recognize it from a blog post last week.)
If you are pregnant Baskin Robbins will give you a free three-ounce soft serve ice cream May 21 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. If you wondering how big three ounces is, it is small. About the size of a large swallow of water. Print the coupon here.
Caveats: gotta be preggers! Limit one per person. Find a participating BR near you. Thanks, Rachel!
Thought I would re-post this popular coupon for a 2-for-1 at Yozen Frogurt because it is supposed to be a scorcher today. Plus I've got yogurt on the brain after writing about two freebies in Valencia this weekend. If you don't make it up that far north you can still save a buck at Yozen Frogurt's stores in West Hills or Westlake Village.
Here are two coupons for the store. It is a pdf so give it a minute or three to load. The first coupon is for a buy one get one free for 4, 6, or 8 oz portions. The second is for 50% off a quart of frozen yogurt when you buy a second quart. Both expire May 31, 2008.
I like their fruity flavors the best. If I get more than one dairy flavor it always seems too sweet and heavy. I recommend strawberry, tart peach, white cloud (the Pinkberry flavor) and peanut butter gold. If you ask nicely they will let you combine up to three flavors in a cup.
Caveats: cannot be combined with other coupons. Visit them at 6450 Platt Ave in the Platt Village strip mall in West Hills. (818) 887-8511. They also have a store at 2416 East Thousand Oaks Blvd in Thousand Oaks.
Red Mango in Valencia is celebrating its grand opening by giving away frozen yogurt Saturday, May 17, from 12 to 6. The store is part of a popular chain that originated in South Korea in 2002. They specialize in tart, nonfat frozen yogurt flavors.
If you also hit the Robeks Juice opening on Saturday you'll be set for freebies! Visit Red Mango at 23885 Newhall Ranch Road at the Bridgeport Marketplace. (661) 253-4492.
A new Robeks Juice in Valencia is celebrating their grand opening by giving away free 12 ounce smoothies Saturday from 1 to 4. There will be samples of pretzels and soft serve yogurt, a live DJ, and prizes while supplies last. Even the Mayor of Santa Clarita may be there!
For details turn to page A8 of Thursday's Daily News. Visit them at 27730 McBean Parkway in Valencia. (661) 297-4915.
Get a free Southern Style Chicken Biscuit between 7 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. or get a free Southern Style Chicken Sandwich from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at McDonald's today only. You need to purchase a medium or large drink to get the freebie so alas, it is not entirely free.
No coupon needed, according to Fast Food News. The deal is also posted on this McD's site. Find a McDonald's near you. Thanks, Coralee!
UPDATE: Problem solved. I uploaded a new coupon that everyone *should* be able to access. If not, leave me a comment to let me know!
UPDATE: You may need a Gmail account to get this coupon. I'm looking for one that is easier to download.
PREVIOUSLY: Get a bag of Popchips free when you buy one bag now until May 31, 2008. The ad says "never baked never fried." So how do they cook these things - microwave oven? The Popchips site says they are popped "using heat, pressure, and a little snack magic." They are not fried in oil but are seasoned with oil so I'm guessing they are healthier than say, my beloved Fritos. They come in nine different flavors and are sold at Ralphs, Vons, Whole Foods and Albertsons.
Bring this printable coupon into the store. Find a store near you that sells them.
Caveats: one per customer, you pay sales tax, max value $3.29. Thanks, Natalie!
We've all seen online reviews that just seem too glossy or pessimistic to be true, whether it is for a restaurant or a new gadget. Reading these fake reviews makes me doubt other write ups and leaves me constantly looking over my cyber shoulder.
Now OpenTable, the free online restaurant reservation service, claims "that every review (on their site) came from someone who actually dined at the restaurant," according to TechCrunch. They do this by sending emails to folks who were actually seated after making a reservation on their site. The down side to this is that OpenTable does not share the actual review, instead providing a ranking from confirmed diners. The system also seems to be new enough that very few restaurants have reviews. Boo!
I may stick to Yelp for now. Check out the reservations process for San Fernando Valley area restaurants.
Get a free scoop of Vanilla Honey Bee ice cream at Haagen-Dazs today, May 13, from 4 to 8 p.m. only. Short lived, but the best deals usually are. I love their super creamy, dense ice cream!
Find a participating store near you. No idea if the scoop is itty bitty or regular size.
Get $5 off a food, beverage or merchandise purchase of $20 or more at Planet Hollywood now until December 31, 2008. Print the coupon here. Use it on your trip to Vegas or find one in one of these far flung destinations.
Caveats: excludes tax and gratuity, one per table, at participating Planet Hollywood restaurant's only.
Hi folks, If you have not noticed, there have been very few posts about Lincoln Lunches of late! I have pretty much exhausted all the places I know about so I am asking you to submit ideas for where I might find a tasty $5 lunch (called a Lincoln Lunch because it's a $5 meal and Lincoln is on the fiver). I'm hungry so help me out!
Here are my guidelines: No fast food chains like McDonald's because everybody already knows about them and no repeats of places I have already been to. (You can check by typing the restaurant name into the search box on the left.) I stick to the San Fernando Valley, which I roughly define as Thousand Oaks to Burbank and Glendale.
Please share your suggestions by leaving a comment on the blog (click on the tiny "comments" link underneath this post.) Your fellow Bargain Hunter readers will thank you! And I will too!!
Get a free Streamliner veggie burger at Johnny Rockets with an order of a Streamliner® or any sandwich, starter, and drink. Good through the end of May. Print the coupon here. Find a Johnny Rockets near you.
Get a free steak two weeks before or after your birthday at Black Angus Steakhouse when you join their free membership club. You also get a free dessert for joining.
Caveats: must order one entree to get the free steak, must be 16 years or older, must confirm dob before ordering the free meat, one per table, can only be used once. Dine in only, must show photo ID. Read all the rules here.
Find a Black Angus near you. Thanks, Richard!
UPDATE: This offer has expired ahead of time, probably because so many people printed it out.
PREVIOUSLY: Get a dozen Krispy Kreme original glazed donuts when you buy any dozen donuts at regular price. Use this printable coupon. Expires May 13, 2008. Nearby locations include Burbank, Santa Monica, LA and Gardena.
Caveats: valid only at Krispy Kreme stores, not at grocery or convenience stores. Thanks, Kay!
Get five free toppings on a large cheese pizza at Papa Johns when you order online. Use code PIZZA3. Unclear when it expires. Where you enter the promo code is not immediately evident when ordering. Look at the top of your screen and click on a link that says "Enter Promotion Code." It is easy to order and pay without adding the code. Other than that, ordering online is easy and once you share your email address they send a coupon or two a week.
Tomorrow is taco truck night! A new county law that fines trucks for idling more than an hour may do away with taco trucks. Some of us, especially those who appreciate the trucks for their cheap, tasty meals, are ticked off. District 1 County Supervisor Gloria Molina and the L.A. Board of Supervisors are to blame.
"Citations will be punishable by fines starting at $100 for the first offense," according to a story in the Daily Breeze. "If the District Attorney's Office chooses instead to treat the offense as a misdemeanor, it will be punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or six months in jail or both, he said."
Join this petition to save taco trucks and show your support by eating at a taco truck tomorrow, May 1. Before they are gone add your favorite taco truck to a site that lists dozens, mostly in NoCal.
Wednesday, April 30 is 31-cent scoop night at Baskin Robbins. It's a stunt to gain publicity for their $100,000 donation to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, which, together with the ice creamery, is honoring 31 firefighters from across the nation who have shown an "exemplary commitment to community service."
The cheapo scoop is only from 5 to 10 pm on April 30 and it is for a 2.5 ounce scoop, which is about four gulps of water. But each person can buy 10 mini-scoops. The press release rightly points out that this is a great opportunity to try more than a tiny pink spoonful of wacky flavors. Find a Baskin Robbins near you. Thanks, Judi!
Free cone day is tomorrow, Tuesday, April 29, at Ben & Jerry's in celebration of the chain's 30th anniversary. I went last year and there was no line and the server was very pleasant. If I recall correctly, you could get any flavor in a regular cone or cup and the scoop was a normal size. Find a B&J near you.
If you miss this freebie or crave more ice cream (who doesn't?), check out 31-cent night at Baskin Robbins on Wednesday, April 30. More details tomorrow!
Get 70% off restaurant gift certificates at Restaurant.com for a limited time. Enter code GOURMET after you have added the certificate to your basket. The certificates are for specific restaurants and often come with a detailed set of rules you have to follow to redeem the certificate. At Il Paradiso Ristorante in Encino, a $25 certificate goes for $3 with the code, but to use it you must order a minimum food purchase of $35, excluding alcohol/beverages. Dine in only. They automatically add 18% gratuity. I've seen other certificates that limit days and times you can use them. The certificates are a good deal, but run the numbers to see how much you are actually saving before buying.
Take the deal above. Say you order $35 worth of food, no drinks. You pay $13 for the grub ($3 certificate plus $10), plus a $6.30 tip (that's 18% on the original bill of $35) plus $3 in tax. The total comes to $22.30 for the $35 meal. You save 36%, not bad, but nowhere near the 70% discount that you started with.
The northern Italian restaurant Cafe Carolina in Encino is offering a special five-course meal and lecture for $36 this Monday at 6:30 p.m. RSVP required. The meal includes antipasti, salad, fish, ravioli, chicken, and dessert. Portions are two to three ounces because there are so many courses. BYOB with no corkage fee. The $36 does not include tax or tip. Read the menu here.
The dinner is part of the restaurant's food appreciation series. UCLA emeritus professor Henry Ansgar Kelly will talk about why Valentine's Day should be celebrated in May, not February, during the meal. The restaurant seats 29 and there are only a few spots left. RSVP at (818) 881-8600.
Visit them at 17934 Ventura Blvd. between White Oak and LIndley in Encino. They are usually only open Tuesday thru Sunday, 5:30 to 10 p.m. Thanks, Alyse!
Back by popular demand...At first blush this does not sound like a bargain: dinner for two for $99? But my well heeled colleague tells me at a "prime steakhouse, this is a good deal." Each person gets a single cut steak filet, a choice of jumbo shrimp, crab cakes or broiled scallops, a Cesar or Morton's salad, hot chocolate cake or key lime pie, and to share a potato and vegetable.
It is available through June 30, 2008 when you share your name, address and email here. They e-mail you a certificate, which you need to get the special meal. It is not on the menu. Participating locations include restaurants in Woodland Hills, Burbank, and downtown LA. Scroll down on the above link to check other regions and states.
Caveats: does not include tax or tip. Thanks, Greg!
Hubby had the crazy idea to go to the Grilled Cheese Invitational Saturday in Griffith Park. I am often slow to appreciate his vision, but this one hit me pretty quick. All you can eat grilled cheese? Free? Yessssssss.
More than 100 grillers came to compete in four categories. Missionary (white bread, yellow cheese, butter), Spoons (any bread, any cheese, butter), Kama Sutra (anything goes), and Honey Pot (dessert). Each treat came with a ballot and voting was mandatory. The criteria were taste, presentation, wessonality (was it special? not cheesy enough? inspirational?) and weirdness factor. Hundreds of hungry tasters, including me and Hubby, lined a curve of tables four deep, hoping to get a sandwich to taste.
Everybody quickly realized that tasters far outnumbered sandwiches, which made the grillers picky about who they handed their carefully made treats to. The crowd hollered for the greasy bites, chanted "we want cheese," and pounded the tables. I was good at pushing to the front and making noise so I got to taste six different sandwiches, plus I had a freebie from a Kraft booth that was not part of the competition but was giving out free sandwiches all night. That's a lot of cheese.
My favorite was a marble cheese sandwich served on marble rye bread. It was hot, crispy, cheesy and so flavorful. A second close was Hubby's smores dessert sandwich made with chocolate cheese and marzipan. The worst was a sandwich with ricotta cheese and pumpkin filling that was trying to impersonate pumpkin cheesecake. Blech! The strangest was a huge sammy with a thick layer of blue cheese and peanut brittle, topped with a dollop of honey comb. At every bite I asked myself "Whaaa?" and then had a little bit more. Read who won here.
The owner of Yozen Frogurt, a newish seller of tasty treats in West Hills and Thousand Oaks, got such a good response from my post about the store last week that she decided to offer two coupons to Bargain Hunter readers. Yea! You might have seen similar deals in Clipper Magazine, which can be difficult to get a hold of.
The first coupon is for a buy one get one free for 4, 6, or 8 oz portions. The second is for 50% off a quart of frozen yogurt when you buy a second quart. Both expire May 31, 2008.
Caveats: cannot be combined with other coupons. Visit them at 6450 Platt Ave in the Platt Village strip mall in West Hills. (818) 887-8511. They also have a store at 2416 East Thousand Oaks Blvd in Thousand Oaks. Thanks, Karin!
Today, April 17, 2008, participating Southern California Carl's Jr. restaurants will give you a free western bacon cheeseburger when you buy a western bacon cheeseburger. It's part of a stunt to promote Carl's claim that Jack in the Box is trying to duplicate the western bacon cheeseburger. Right, because the concept of a western bacon cheeseburger is soooo original that nobody else can have one. But hey, food that is so heavily discounted it feels free is cheaper than full price. You can redeem the coupon today or save it for another day.
Caveats: One per customer. Find a Carl's Jr. near you by entering your zip code into the box at the upper left corner of this link.
The nickel wine sale is on at Bev Mo! The deal is you buy one bottle of wine and you get a second bottle of that same wine for a nickel. Browse their selection online. Not sure if the sale also includes beer and hard alcohol. I'm told it ends April 20, 2008. Find a store near you.
Kids under 12 eat free at Zanos Pizza Kitchen in Woodland Hills Monday and Tuesday nights between 5 and 9 p.m. No more than two kids per adult. Meal choices include a slice of pepperoni, cheese or veggie pizza OR spaghetti with marinara sauce or butter, and a fountain drink. Dine in only. Caveats: the adult must order $8.50 of food or more.
Sadly, their lunch special rose from $5 to $6. It was the first Lincoln Lunch I ever blogged about and I still return even though it is $1 more. It includes a slice of pizza, side salad, fountain drink with refills and garlic knots.
Visit them at 21604 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills. (818) 719-0003.
Hubby loves Yozen Frogurt and he doesn't even like frozen yogurt! He swears it's a great spot for a healthy snack so I told him I would check it out. On my first visit I found the employees very friendly. The girl who was helping me offered extra samples (I had three total) but forgot to tell me about the club card. (Buy eight treats at their shop and get the ninth free.) The pomegranate flavor was perky and tart. I did not like cookies 'n cream but white cloud was even better than its counterpart at Pinkberry.
I settled on tried and true favorites - chocolate mint and vanilla with toffee bits - but later wished I had experimented with the kiwi strawberry, espresso rush, or caramel pecan. It tasted good, but it wasn't overly special and the small serving (8 oz) was too much to finish. I think funkier flavors would have made the difference.
Stopped in one more time because Hubby really couldn't believe I wasn't head over heels about Yozen Frogurt. This time I got three flavors in a smaller cup (junior size, 6 oz). The peanut butter gold was top notch, espresso rush was tasty and kiwi strawberry packed just the right punch. Opted for no toppings because they did not have fresh raspberries. The line was packed with kids and families, but it moved along okay. With my two for one coupon from the Clipper Magazine my friend and I had two treats (hers with two toppings) for $5.15. Not too shabby.
Yelpers give YF the thumbs up. Visit them at 6450 Platt Ave in the Platt Village strip mall in West Hills (818) 887-8511. Their new store is at 2416 East Thousand Oaks Blvd in Thousand Oaks. (805) 230-2401. Note, it can get busy.
Get a free order of Carmen's Nachos when you sit at the "Nacho Table" at El Cholo Mexican restaurant. The eatery has at least one designated "Nacho Table" at each of its four locations. It's the worst table in the house, but it comes with free nachos that would otherwise cost $7.25. To get the deal just ask to be seated at the nacho table.
Caveats: no Valley locations, sadly. But they are in LA, Santa Monica, La Habra, and Irvine. Find an El Cholo near you.
Get a dozen free original glazed Krispy Kreme donuts when you buy one dozen of their sweet treats at the regular price (I think about $5). Bring in this coupon to get the deal, which expires May 13, 2008. Find a KK near you. Stores in Burbank, LA, Santa Monica, Gardena and Long Beach, among others.
Get a large original or thin crust pizza from Papa John's for $3 when you order two large pizzas online at the regular price (about $12 each). Offer expires April 21, 2008. Use code 40708. Ordering online is easy, I've done it.
Caveats: Pan pizza may be extra. Offer good at participating Papa John's restaurants. Additional toppings extra. Not valid with any other coupons or discounts. Limited delivery area, charges may apply. Find a Papa John's near you.
Register a Starbucks gift card and get these coffee perks at the caffeinated green giant: free syrup and milk options, free refills on brewed drinks, and a free tall drink with a whole bean purchase. Unclear how long these bonus' last. Registering requires you to set up a username, password, share an email address, street address and phone number (I use my work info). It also asks you the city of your birth in case your card is ever stolen.
Offering perks in exchange for personal information is a tactic many big companies use these days. They gather marketing information and build your loyalty by e-mailing you news and deals. It usually seems like a good idea to sign up at the time, but I wonder about the long term costs of getting spam and junk mail.
Another way to save money at Starbucks is to order a ghetto latte. Don't use those words, but ask for a shot of espresso in a tall cup (or supply your own) then fill with free milk from the fixings counter. Thanks, Steve!
Get a free 12 oz breakfast product at Jamba Juice up until 10 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday April 8, 2008 only. Deal starts whenever the store opens that day. Sounds like the stores are trying to draw a bigger morning crowd. They are usually busy afternoon on. No coupon needed.
Caveats: valid only at participating Jamba Juice locations (not including Jamba Juice stores operating in airports, universities, Safeway, VONS, Pavilion, Target or on the islands of Hawaii). Breakfast products are limited to Juice, Juicies™, Chunky Strawberry, Granola Toppers™ and Yogurt Blends. Limit one product per customer. Find a Jamba Juice near you.
Note, their site is really slow. Probably because so many people are checking out the freebie.
For the thrifty diner who wants to save a buck at restaurants but not fiddle with coupons comes Rewards Network. You sign up on their Web site, register a credit card, then eat at one of the hundreds of restaurants that are part of the program. Each one has different perks but you can get up to 20% back on your entire meal, including alcohol and tax. The discount shows up a few days later on your credit card so you never have to show a membership card, mention a discount to the server, or say a word to your dining companions. Just pay with the card you registered.
Caveats: Rewards Network "retains" the first $49 in rebates each year but never charges you an outright fee. You don't get to see the specific benefits at each eatery until you join, which is kind of lame. Because you are giving them your credit card information, which is how they track your rebates, they can see where you are spending your moolah. If you are worried about privacy (read their privacy policy here) consider registering a credit card that you will only use for eating out.
Valley restaurants include The Rack at the Promenade mall in Canoga Park, Spazio in Sherman Oaks, many Baja Fresh locations and dozens of other restaurants. Browse the list of participating restaurants by zip code, cuisine, or state. Thanks, Stephanie!
Buy one lunch at TGI Friday's and get the second one half off when you order from their Right Portion Right Price menu. Good now until April 18, 2008, Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Go here to print the coupon.
Caveats: dine in only, not valid on alcohol, tax or tip. One coupon per party. Find a TGI Friday's near you.
To celebrate their 60th anniversary, Marie Callender's is selling three types of pie for $7 plus the tin when you buy an entree at their restaurant. Choose from chocolate cream, apple, or lemon meringue. A close call, but I would go for apple if there were ice cream. Otherwise, chocolate. Here are other pie options not included in the anniversary special.
Find a Marie Callender's near you.
Subway totally ripped off my Lincoln Lunch concept - a $5 meal named after the president who graces the five dollar bill - but in a good way. They are selling foot long subs for $5 and even have a pic of Abe himself on their Web site. Not sure what to do with so much sandwich? Share with a friend, save it for later, or offer the other half to a homeless person.
The deal lasts until mid-April and includes all but their "premium" and "double stacked" sandwiches, an employee told me. Find a Subway near you.
Get 20% off your lunch bill at Charlie G's Prime Steak House in Tarzana for the rest of the month. The restaurant has not served lunch for many years and is offering the promotion to attract a lunchtime crowd. The dinner menu online is outdated, unfortunately, and "totally different" than their lunch offerings, an employee said. But think traditional steak house. Lunch entrees range from $8 to 24 before the discount.
Visit them at 18663 Ventura Blvd. #200 in Tarzana. (818) 344-1191.
Get $20 off a dinner entree at McCormick & Schmick's when you make a reservation online and dine in before April 30, 2008. To get the deal make a reservation here, print the confirmation page or write the confirmation number on a coupon you can print on this page.
Locations in Burbank, Pasadena, LA, El Segundo, Beverly Hills and Irvine. Find a M&S's near you.
Caveats: alcohol and gratuity not included. Limited one per table.
UPDATE: As many of you have commented, this was a bogus deal. I received bad info but was too rushed to double check it. Normally I do check every coupon I post so I apologize, especially to those who ventured out on Saturday morning to get a free cup of coffee. If it makes you feel any better, I'm going to drink the terrible coffee from the lunchroom machine this week as penance.
PREVIOUSLY: Starbucks is pouring free 12-ounce cups of coffee tomorrow, Saturday March 15 from 10 am to 12 noon. Find a Starbucks near you. Thanks, Kmh!
In honor of free caffeine I wrote this alternative song lyric for the chorus of Madonna's "Lucky Star."
Starbucks...coffee
First thing I drink each day
Starbucks...coffee
It's free and that's all right!
The Original Hard Times Pizza Company has a special $5 Lincoln Lunch Monday through Friday from 11 to 2. For $5 you get all the pizza by the slice and pasta you can eat. All kinds of slices are included, an employee said. Pasta dishes include linguine, fettuccine, penne and spaghetti. A sign on the corner said the special is also available for dinner from 4 to 7 but the employee said they were ending that. Schmooze 'em and who knows what you will get.
Visit them at 17271 Ventura Blvd. at Louise Ave. on the NE corner (same strip mall as 60 Day Shoe Sale). (818) 995-4546. I only see reviews online for a Hard Times in Silver Lake.
Every Friday until November, Mrs. Beasley's in Encino has a buy one get one free offer for Bundt cakes, which they sell for $30. It's an 8-inch cake that serves 10 to 12. Flavors include lemon, chocolate chip, banana, orange marble, lemon blueberry, lemon chocolate chip, and mocha marble.
Visit them at 16571 Ventura Blvd in Encino. (818) 995-1987. Find out if a store near you has the deal.
(not my actual lunch) I've never eaten Persian food before but felt adventurous today, almost as if it were a Friday. Perhaps seeing a chiropractor for the first time this morning did it (visit was not as scary as I expected, but it was awfully strange having a man I'm not intimate with undo my bra strap). Come noontime it was off to Shamshiri Restaurant (no Web site, unfortunately) in Northridge.
Daily Specials are $8.95 and up so I turned to the lunch specials, which range from $5.95 to $8.95. A reader recommended the Ghormeh Sabzi beef stew, but warned "it is UGLY but very good. Every person I have had try it loves it." The $6.45 stew had two big chunks of meat, lots of kidney beans, spinach, and a lot of lemon. The tangy flavor might actually have been fenugreek. Stew came with a heaping of white and yellow rice and crusted rice. I liked it but think next time I will try a fish dish or a kabob.
Shamshiri got an average of four stars from reviewers on Yelp. Visit them at 19249 Roscoe Blvd on the NE corner of Tampa and Roscoe. (818) 885-7846. Thanks, Rein!
What the heck is a Lincoln Lunch?
(not my actual lunch) How convenient is this? A taco restaurant adjacent to a car wash. It is especially brilliant if you are hungry, which I usually am. To satisfy my hunger I ordered the three taco combo plate at Tacos y Cemitas Puebla while next door my friend had Canoga Park Car Wash spiff up her Prius. The open air eatery was enclosed in clear plastic so we could see the cars roll off the washer.
The tacos - one pollo, one pastor, one asada - were delicious after I dressed them up with chopped onions and cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and green salsa. The rice was fine but the refried beans were very bland. A few chips were a tasty addition to the plate. The menu in the window priced the meal at $5.99 but they charged me $4.99 so it ended up being a Lincoln Lunch.
Other $5 Lincoln Lunches (so-named because that's Lincoln on the fiver) on the menu included three taquitos for $4.95, enchiladas for $4.95, two hard shell tacos for $4.99 and two fish tacos for $4.99. Tostadas were $3.50 and $3.25 and super nachos were $4. All the breakfast items were under $5.
Visit them at 21008 Sherman Way in Canoga Park. (818) 704-4773. Open 9 to 11 everyday.
The pizzeria Papa John's will give you a free large pizza with one topping pizza if you were born on Leap Day and can prove it with ID. Deal is for carry out orders. Good on leap day only - that's tomorrow!
To get the freebie follow these directions. login or register if you are a first time user, select carry out for order type. Find a Papa John's near you.
The words vegetarian and Mexican don't often go together. But at Leonor's in Studio City the duo is quite tasty. All the meat on the menu is make of soy and the food is healthy. Hubby the Carnivore would grumble, but most meat eaters will be pleasantly surprised.
The texture of the soy cheese and soy chicken in my massive chicken tostada, for $4.90, was right on. The cheese was good enough that I considered adding it to my grocery list. I sought out the chicken on my plate. The tostada needed salsa or pico de gallo, which I would have asked for had the waitress returned. That my food was slightly bland was not enough to deter me from stuffing my face. Service was quick and friendly. The restaurant is clean and small with a few booths and counter seating.
The menu had many other Lincoln Lunch options, for when all you have in your wallet is a five dollar bill with ol' prez Lincoln on it. $5 will get you a small chili burrito, chili tostada, chicken tostada, chicken taco, veggi tago, chicken enchilada, B.L.T., soy hamburger, beet salad, green salad, house salad, plus sides like chicken nuggets, broccoli, and various empanadas.
Note, Leonor's has received very mixed reviews online. Visit them at 12445 Moorpark St in Studio City. (818) 762-0660. They also have a location in Valley Village at 5217 Laurel Canyon Blvd. (818) 769-6315.
McDonald's is celebrating leap year with a free McSkillet burrito Thursday Feb 28 and Friday Feb 29 when you buy a medium or large beverage. Hmmmm, wonder if coffee counts. It's probably cheaper than soda.
The McSkillet has scrambled eggs, potatoes, sausage, salsa, onions, peppers and cheese and comes in a flour tortilla. It sells for about $2.49. It's a new menu item and they want folks to try it. Find a McDonald's near you. Thanks, Carole!
UPDATE: Duh, there are no Dunkin Donuts in So Cal. My apologies for this oversight, sometimes I think I'm still in NY. Sorry if I got your hopes up.
PREVIOUSLY: Get a small latte or cappuccino for $.99 at Dunkin Donuts until 10pm today only. The stunt is well timed. Competitor Starbucks is closing down all its stores for three hours today to "retrain" its employees to make drinks. Surely a lot of customers will stop in just to check out the change, if any.
But the best part of this coffee quarrel is a video on the Dunkin Donuts site making fun of the sizes at the green giant. I like Starbucks coffee just as much as you, but a large is still a large even if they call it a venti.
Find a DD near you.
Get a free Sundae when you buy one sundae at Baskin Robbins until March 9, 2008 with this printable coupon. Here is their sundae menu. Have to have the coupon to get the deal, must redeem it in stores. Find one near you.
A fellow Sharky's fan sends news that their frequent eater card (called a Finatic Card - they really love the fish puns) gives you $7 when you accumulate 100 points ($1 = 1 point). Lots of lunch/dinner options under $10, but not too many Lincoln Lunches (named after the Prez who graces the fiver). Browse the menu from the chain near you. Find a Sharky's near you.
Thanks, Steve!
Get a free bag of veggie or fruit crisps from Flat Earth. Printing the coupon requires you to install a printer plug-in, which is kind of a turn off. Last week when I tried installing a similar printer plug-in it crashed my computer until I got rid of it. But once you install it you can print the coupon twice. So really, it's two bags of free chips. Thanks, Dottie!
Caveats: gotta be 13 years old. Coupon good for the first 1 million customers. Expires March 9, 2008.
Wine.com, normally one of the higher priced wine retailers (compared to Bevmo, at least) has marked down two bottles of red with 90+ ratings. The Beringer Knights Valley Alluvium Red 2004, a bordeaux red blend from Sonoma County, California is $17 (orig $30). The d'Arenberg d'Arrys Original Shiraz/Grenache 2004, a rhone red blend from McLaren Vale, Australia is $14 (orig $19).
Order a few bottles of each and get 1-cent shipping on your order of $99 or more with promo code FEB1CENT, good to Feb 21. I'd drink to that if I wasn't coughing up a lung! :(
If you bought a $10 gift card at Chipotle as per my recommendation last week, remember to bring in the receipt and get your free burrito today. Wait until tomorrow and no free burrito for you.
My fave is carnitas. Find a Chipotle near you.
Trader Joe's, one of my favorite discount grocery stores, will no longer sell single ingredient items from China like garlic and frozen organic garlic, according to a story from Business Week. April 1 is the cutoff date. The chain made the decision after customers complained they were worried about Chinese-made products. In recent months toothpaste, dog food and toys imported from China have been found to be contaminated or have high levels of lead.
Remember a new TJ's is opening Feb. 29 on Ventura Blvd in Woodland Hills. Thanks, Ryan!
Tomorrow, Feb 12, you can get a free short stack of three buttermilk pancakes at IHOP. The freebie is from 7 am to 10 pm and in exchange they ask that you consider making a donation to the Children's Miracle Network. Usually National Pancake Day falls on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which kicks off Lent, when Catholics and other folks give up something like alcohol or chocolate for 40 days. So I'm a little confused...
Perhaps I will ponder this over an IHOP short stack, of which I am a big fan. Find a restaurant near you.
(not my actual lunch) My lunch at Little Orchids Restaurant in Woodland Hills was $1 over a Lincoln Lunch and that's pretty darn good for Thai food. The fare is consistently good and it never takes very long to come at Little Orchids, which does not have a Web site. Service can be curt but the place is clean. Their lunch special is $5.95 and includes rice, an entree, and one side (you choose between salad with peanut dressing, soup, or two pinkie-sized egg rolls). Extra sides are $1 each. Soup options are wonton, spicey & sour, coconut or vegetable.
I had chicken curry with a generous ball of rice and it was delicious. The super crispy wontons were so hot I almost burned my tongue. My friend reported his Thai Prik-King (green beans and chicken or beef in curry sauce) was also very tasty.
Get the lunch special Tue thru Saturday before 3pm. Visit them at 21614 Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills. (818) 883-4848.
(not my actual lunch)
Hubby introduced me to Falafel Grill, a lunch spot in Agoura Hills that satisfies falafel cravings. I was skeptical because he said their falafel is $6. In my former haunt of Jersey City, NJ, Ibby's sold falafels for $2.50. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the grill and would eat there again.
I had the special ground chicken sandwich, which is just like a falafel but with two grilled fillets of ground chicken instead of falafel balls. It came in a large pita with shredded red and white cabbage, small diced tomatoes and yummy tahini sauce. A good amount of humus lined the bottom of the pita, which was tucked into a plastic sleeve. My fingers didn't get messy until the last few bites when structural pita failure occurred. My sammy was $5.95 (normally $7.25). The falafel is also $5.95 and got props from Hubby.
The restaurant has a low-key religious vibe. A few tables look onto oil paintings of rabbis and a copy of the Talmud. Catchy Israeli music is pipped in and you can buy imported wafers with Hebrew characters on the wrapper. There's even a little kitsch: faux jumbo Coke Cans dispense napkins on each table.
A few other $4.95 Lincoln Lunch options: a hamburger, a veggie burger, hummus and pita, baba ganush and pita. Soup of the day is $4.65 and chicken nuggets are $3.95.
Visit them at 5611 Kanan Rd in Agoura Hills. (818) 991-8799. Free delivery with $25 order.
Get $5 off a tab of $15 at TGI Friday's until Feb 29, 2008 with this printable coupon. The menu includes Zen chicken pot stickers, fried mac -n cheese, and cheeseburger sliders. Find a Friday's near you.
Caveats: dine in only, not good on booze, one per party, cannot be combined with other offers including the three course menu.
The pie sale is back on at Marie Callender's. All whole pies ordered to go are $6 plus the tin, excluding cheesecakes. I think it's a little more if you order the whole pie in the restaurant, so have dessert at home. Read their pie menu. I'm fond of the Chocolate Satin pie. It's chocolatey, it's smooth. What more do you need?
Ends Feb 29, 2008. Find a store near you. Thanks, Stracy!
(not my actual dinner) I finally used a coupon from my 2008 Entertainment book and it nearly paid off the cost of my $15 invesment. Hubby and I had dinner at Shalimar Cuisine of India in Woodland Hills and got one free entree because we ordered a second entree. My chicken tandoori was perfectly spiced and tender. Hubby's lamb in lentil sauce was more sweet than spicy and also very food. Rice and freshly made naan were tasty.
With one beer the tab came to $37, including tax and tip. The coupon knocked it down to just under $28. Reviewers on Yelp give Shalimar the thumbs up. Fyi, when you use the book you need the card that comes with it. That prevents people like me from ripping out the coupons I won't use and giving them to others. Darn.
The SFV book is currently selling for $15, plsu $3 shipping. Search for books by state.
Visit Shalimar at 23011 Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills. (818) 225-7794.
Get a free original or cinnamon sugar pretzel from Auntie Anne's tomorrow, Sat Feb 2 from 10 to 4. The chain is celebrating their 20th birthday with a free pretzel day! Find a store near you.
The choice is clear: cinnamon pretzel for me!
I recently indulged in a three-course lunch at Pinot Bistro in Studio City as part of Restaurant Week. At $22 it was a quadruple Lincoln Lunch! I started with lightly fried mushroom and rice balls, which had a great texture but didn't taste much like mushrooms. Also, two of the five were frozen in the middle. My main course was five large slices of turkey breast over diced root vegetables cooked perfectly al dente.
Turns out my friend ordred better than me. Her baby spinach salad with chunks of gorgonzola cheese and pomegrante seeds was fresh and light. Four slim filets of sand dabs were buttery and served with a lemon sauce. A few too many capers for my taste, but I don't really like capers.
For dessert we both had chocolate pudding, made fancy by a pair of strawberries and shortbread cookies. My lemonade was refreshing and the waiter did not hesitate to refill it twice. Service was attentive but leisurely. The restaurant is split into two rooms plus a smallish party room in back which meant it was relatively quiet. The setting was pleasant and the bathrooms were just a notch below gorgeous.
Visit them at 12969 Ventura Blvd in Studio City. (818) 990-0500. Make a reservation online at Pinot Bistro or search for other restaurants participating in Restaurant Week, which continues Feb 3 to Feb 8.
What is Restaurant Week?
(not my actual lunch) A reader named Lisa tipped me off to a Lincoln Lunch at Vallarta Supermarket. Through tomorrow a beef or ham quesadilla with rice, beans, rice and chips is $5 (orig $6). I stopped by the Canoga Park store to check it out and was set on the quesadilla combo when the pupusas called out. Eat me! At $2.50 each I couldn't help the bargain. Plus, I looooove pupusas. I got one with pork, beans and cheese. It is thick and about 5-6 inches in diameter, so pretty big. It came with a generous container of the semi-spicy cabbage/carrot mix that is a delicious pupusa topping.
For another $1.29 I got a *real* Coke, the kind from Mexico made with sugar, not corn syrup. Then for 40-cents I got a custard-filled, powder sugar-covered treat from the bakery, which I have not eaten yet. But I am very optimistic. The line was a tad slow owing to lunch hour rush.
Prices in the rest of the store were a toss up. Granny Smith and Fugi apples were 99-cents per pound (very good), but milk was $3.69 a gallon, fresh squeezed OJ was $4.19 for 64-ounces (high). Spaghetti was 89-cents a package (good) and Cup a Noodle's went for 4 for $1. Find a store near you. Thanks, Lisa!
Don't forget that Restaurant Week starts today. I still haven't made any reservations but I'd like to eat at Daily Grill, Minx, or Pinot Bistro. My wallet can't handle all three! For those who need a recap on the deal: during Restaurant Week you get a three-course lunch for $15 to $22, depending on whether the restaurant is considered "deluxe" or "premier." Three-course dinners are $25 and $34, respectively. Prices exclude beverages, tax and gratuity.
Participating San Fernando Valley restaurants include: AMARANTA COCINA MEXICANA, BUON GUSTO RISTORANTE, CAROUSEL RESTAURANT, DAILY GRILL - STUDIO CITY, MAX RESTAURANT, MINX, PINOT BISTRO, ROY’S RESTAURANT WOODLAND HILLS. In the San Gabriel Valley participating restaurants include: 750ML, BARN BURNER BBQ, EL CHOLO CAFE PASADENA, NEOMEZE, SUSHI ROKU PASADENA, and TWIN PALMS. You can also search for restaurants alphabetically.
Click on the restaurant you are interested in to make a reservation. The deal runs from Jan 27 to Feb 1, and then from Feb 3 to Feb 8 (so, skipping Saturday). Call 877.dineLA1 (877.346.3521) for more details.
Get a buy one get one free buffet meal at Home Town Buffet or one of four restaurants in the chain (Country Buffet, Fire Mountain, Ryan's, Old Country Buffet, ) when you sign up for their email list. Requires you to give your full name, email address, dob, wedding anniversary, and zip code. I'm told they later email you a coupon. Thanks, C!
Caffinated bargain hunters rejoice. Word on the street is that Starbucks is trying to brighten lackluster sales by selling a cuppa Joe for $1. Of course, it is a smaller cup. But they are countering that with free refills on brewed drinks. If I save my cup from yesterday and bring it in today can I swing a free drink?
But don't rush out to Starbucks just yet. The coffee giant is testing out the new pricing at select stores in its hometown of Seattle. Cross your fingers it comes to LA soon! Or at least before my Christmas gift card runs out.
Ate a lemon chicken pita sandwich at California Pita in Woodland Hills for lunch and am fully pleased (no Web site, tho). Unfortunately, I was so hungry I ordered the first thing I saw and didn't notice three Lincoln Lunch options until it was too late.
My pita was $5.99 and totally worth it. It came hot and wrapped in a tinfoil cone. Chunks of lightly grilled chicken, lettuce, and tomatoes spilled out the end. A layer in I ran into a yellow mustard-based sauce. Normally, nothing repels me as quickly as mustard does. Gross! But this sauce grew on me and by the last bite I was glad it was there. The pita was warm, chewy, thick and pocketless. Perfect for a rainy day. Only complaint: chicken wasn't lemony. If the quality of the Lincoln Lunches (falafel, falafel burger, and dolma) rival the chicken pita, I would recommend them.
The scenery is not as good as the food, however. The dining room is bland and very open. But the tables were clean and well stocked with napkins. Once I ordered the wait for a server to bring my food was minimal. Service was eh.
Visit them at 21753 Ventura Blvd. (818) 999-1118. Locations in Sherman Oaks (15053 Ventura Blvd), LA and Brentwood. The eatery got four positive reviews on Yelp. What is a Lincoln Lunch? Answer.
Today only, Sizzler celebrates it's 50th anniversary with a buy one get one for 1-cent sale on its 8-ounce steaks. Find a restaurant near you. Nuff said!
Caveats: offer available for dine in only, and is not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Available at participating Sizzler locations in the US only, while supplies last. Offer not available in Utah or Puerto Rico.
I ate the most incredible thing last night, a mochi from Trader Joe's. It's basically the Japanese version of a bon bon: a ball of ice cream with a coating. But here's where the creators of the mochi totally outdid the creators of the bon bon. A mochi is covered in a soft, chewey rice-based dough, making it not very cold to hold while you nibble away. The chocolate coating in a bon bon starts to melt *and* it makes your fingers white with cold. Not fun. A six pack of mochi's sells for $3 and they come in chocolate, strawberry, and green tea. Eating one made me feel almost as good as being able to run again after two depressing long weeks of not running. I have to thank a friend of Hubby's cousin Maggie for introducing me to the mochi while eating dinner at Hama Sushi.
So here's a poll. What do you prefer, traditional bon bons, mochi's, or plain ice cream? Vote for mochis!!!
Restaurant Week in LA starts Jan 27 - soon! During Restaurant Week you get a three-course lunch for $15 to $22, depending on whether the restaurant is considered "deluxe" or "premier." Three-course dinners are $25 and $34, respectively. Prices exclude beverages, tax and gratuity. Participating San Fernando Valley restaurants include:
AMARANTA COCINA MEXICANA, BUON GUSTO RISTORANTE, CAROUSEL RESTAURANT, DAILY GRILL - STUDIO CITY, MAX RESTAURANT, MINX, PINOT BISTRO, ROY’S RESTAURANT WOODLAND HILLS. In the San Gabriel Valley participating restaurants include: 750ML, BARN BURNER BBQ, EL CHOLO CAFE PASADENA, NEOMEZE, SUSHI ROKU PASADENA, and TWIN PALMS. You can also search for restaurants alphabetically.
Click on the restaurant you are interested in to make a reservation. The deal runs from Jan 27 to Feb 1, and then from Feb 3 to Feb 8 (so, skipping Saturday). Call 877.dineLA1 (877.346.3521) for more details.
Get a free flatbread sammie (normally $2) at Quiznos when you buy a fountain drink and chips. The sammies are taco-sized and come in four variations: sonoma turkey with pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayo, bistro steak melt with thinly-sliced black angus steak, mozzarella and mild peppercorn sauce, alpine chicken with bacon, swiss and ranch dressing, and the Italiano with Genoa salami, pepperoni, capicola, mozzarella and basil pesto. Check out their sammie menu. Unclear when the deal expires. Remember to bring in the coupon. Find a store near you.
(not my actual lunch but very close) The all you can eat pancakes meal is back at IHOP. A Lincoln fiver gets you five large pancakes, hot and fluffy and smothered in butter. Just what the doctor ordered. I made it three-and-a-half pancakes through my stack and all were delicious. The waitress asked if I wanted more (could have brought them home in a to go bag) but I decided not to test IHOP pancake longevity.
Normally a five-stack is $6. Upgrades are available if you crave cheap, fried meat. (An odd, meaty flavor lingered after eating a strip of bacon off a friend's plate. Perhaps it had just been sitting around too long.) My esteemed colleagues, perhaps envious of my full belly, inquired how much individual pancakes would have cost. A three-stack is $4.50, which comes out to $1.50 per pancake. So ordering five pancakes for $5 only makes sense if you eat 3.333 of them. Thank god I had that last bite, pushing me to a consumption total of 3.5 pancakes! Some quick math: 3.5 pancakes x $1.5 per = $5.25. I saved a quarter.
Few other Lincoln Lunch options on the menu, however. An order of onion rings will run you $4, a small house salad is $3.29, and a bowl of soup is about $3.60. Not exactly filling choices. For six dollars you can get two pancakes, scrambled eggs and hash browns, tabasco included. Read their menu here. Find a location near you.
Reader Dee sent in this glowing recommendation for Guido's Pizza & Pasta. "One of my favorite neighborhood eateries in Sherman Oaks has been remodeled to accommodate indoor seating and offers several coupon specials, including a Dinner for 6 for only $22.86 and a pasta dinner for 2 for only $13.86 - they make the BEST pizza in the Valley." Guido's specials do indeed include a dinner under $23 (scroll down to the bottom right) that claims to feed 6 with a large, one topping pizza, any pasta order, a large dinner salad, a calzone, bread, and one garlic bread. Gotta print the coupon from the above link. Expires Feb 6, 2008.
Read the whole menu. Free delivery in limited area with $10 tab. Visit them at 14056 Burbank Blvd. (818) 787-7070 in Sherman Oaks/E Van Nuys. Many more locations around the Valley.
If you are a member of 24 Hour Fitness, the smoothie chain Jamba Juice will give you a free Fit 'N Fruitful or Protein Berry Workout smoothie when you sign up for Jamba's email list. Print out the coupon they give you after signing up and bring it into Jamba with your 24 Hour gym membership card. Find a Jamba Juice near you.
Godiva online has 13 boxes of chocolates marked half off because they are Christmas-themed. But in most cases you can cut off the red and green ribbon, put on new ribbon and voila! Who says chocolate purchased now won't taste just as sweet mid-February? Hint hint. Certainly all your Christmas treats will be gone by then (or in my case, long gone).
Get 70% off the price of a gift certificate at Restaurant.com using code GIFTS. Expires Dec 24, 2007. A $25 certificate ends up being $3 after discount, but make sure you read the rules about how the certificate can be used at the restaurant you are planning to use it at. When I checked out this site before, there were all sorts of caveats, like a $25 certificate can only be used on a tab of $50 or more. Others had day and time restrictions. Just check what you are getting into. Then eat, drink, and be merry!
The wet weather called for a hot, hearty lunch so I zipped over to Dan's Super Subs in Woodland Hills. The sandwich joint came highly recommended from a co-worker of my hubby and a packed parking lot and long line boded well. Almost as soon as I decided to order the hot roast beef sandwich with melted cheese (regular size is $4.83, also comes cold) a server walked up to me to take my order. She scribbled it down on a slip of paper, which I handed to the cashier nary a minute later. They are quick!
Sat down and within five minutes my sandwich was ready. Good thing because I was hungry and time crawls by when your belly is empty. The regular size was about an inch longer than the widest "V" I could make between my pinky and thumb (about a ninth on a piano), the jumbo is a foot long and costs $7.50. Great for splitting with a buddy! They have 28 sandwiches at these prices, plus a few special ones for a bit more. Each sammy comes with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onions, a pickle, and Italian sauce.
Visit them at 22446 Ventura Blvd, just west of Shoup on the south side of the street. (818) 225-8880. Parking is tight.
What the heck is a Lincoln Lunch, anyway?
Ever wonder if it's possible to get lunch in the Valley for five bucks? You have to look closely, but there is a way, my friend. I call my five dollar meals a Lincoln Lunch because ol' prez Abe's beard, arched brows and resolute lips grace the five dollar bill. My friend Patrick, the editorial cartoonist at the Daily News, drew this awesome picture after we found a Lincoln Lunch at Boulevard Burgers in Woodland Hills (21718 Ventura Blvd). Check out more of his drawings here.
Pulled a u-turn on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks today when I saw this sign on the awning of The Wiener Factory: "We sold over 4 hot dogs this year." With such brisk sales I figured it was worth a stop! Service was quick at the window even though there was a line inside. I ordered a chili dog with onions ($2.95), curly fries ($2.50) and a coke ($1.50). Not the most healthy, but hopefully it will put back a little junk in my trunk that I have burned off running. When the food came I realized the dog would have been enough. It was crispy, hot, and slightly salty. The chili reminded me of Tommy's chili, goopy and good. The curly fries were very hot but so big I barely made a dent. A regular who I shared one of two outdoor tables highly recommended the spicy Polish dogs, which are *actually* spicy, he said, unlike most "spicy" restaurant food. Sadly, the joint is closing Dec 31 because the owner sold the building. The rumor mills says coming soon is a Pinkberry, the fad almost-frozen-yogurt chain.Visit them at 14917 Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks. (818) 789-2676. Open 11 to 6.
The hotdogspot.com gave it the thumbs up.
The upscale Farm of Beverly Hills in the Topanga mall in Canoga Park has a happy hour that makes their prices...cheaper. From 4 to 7 pm Monday to Friday, appetizers are 20% off, draft beers are $2 off (so in the $3.50 to $6.50 range) and well drinks are $1 off. The Topanga bar menu has lots of tasty looking items, including the Truffled Mac & Cheese, served crisp for $6.80 (orig $8.50) or the Garlic French Fries, served with herb aoili for $4.60 (orig $5.75). How about the Chicken Lettuce Cups, crispy wontons, bell peppers and sweet & sour sauce, for $9 (orig $11.25).
You definitely need more than a Lincoln for this meal, probably a quadruple Lincoln ($20) once you factor in tax and tip.This scarcely qualifies as a Cheap Eats item, but could be a fun splurge.
A new lunch buddy introduced me to Boulevard Burgers in Woodland Hills recently (no Web site unfortunately). The place specializes in charbroiled, basic burgers that have lots of lettuce, a little sauce, and a solid, meaty flavor. Nothing fancy here. Fries are good 'n chunky as are the onion rings. A burger is $3, fries are $2, pay 60-cents more for the combo and get a soda. The cheeseburger combo is $5.80. They have indoor and outdoor seating (on the street and in a back patio), which is a nice touch. They have plenty of other Lincoln Lunch options (if you only have a fiver with prez Lincoln on it in your wallet), like a chicken or roast beef sandwich for $5, tuna sandwich for $4, gyro sandwich for $5, plus breakfast options until 11 a.m.
You can view the menu by clicking here, then click on VIEW MENU. A review from Chowhound is glowing, Yelpers also gave it the thumbs up.
Visit them at 21718 Ventura Blvd. (818) 703-6005.
Normally I don't make space for anti-bargains but this one seems especially mean spirited this time of year. A friend informs me that starting Dec. 1 (possibly sooner) the Italian restaurant Maggiano's Little Italy is shutting down it's popular happy hour until Jan 2. Bah humbug. Aren't we already spending enough money on holiday gifts? An employee said they can't keep up with the volume of food and drink being served during the holidays. Well this is one way to cut down on demand. You can call Maggianos at 800-983-4637 (Mon thru Fri 7 to 3) to let them know what you think of their moratorium on happy hour. Thanks, Greg.
PARTIAL REDEMPTION: For a limited time you get a bonus $20 gift card when you buy $100 in gift cards. Buy one online. That extra 20 percent will make up for some of the lost happy hour savings.
Buy one get one free at Coldstone Creamery until Nov 30 with this printable coupon.
Caveats: have to order from the Love It Signature Collection (???), served in a cup, extras like waffle cones and toppings are extra. Here is a menu of all the Signature Creations, which may be what they are talking about. Find a store near you.
(similar amount of food, totally different layout)
Here's a Lincoln Lunch to end all Lincoln Lunches: a $5 meal at the vegetarian India Sweets and Spices in Canoga Park. So far unparalleled in size and a top contender for quality. For my Lincoln fiver I received a samosa, a pakora (shredded onions and veggies dipped in chickpea batter and fried), yellow rice, yogurt curry, stewed chickpeas, a tangy yogurt sauce to cool my tongue, chapati (like a very flat naan), a big, flat piece of crispy poori, onions and pickles. I couldn't even eat half of it! Everything tasted hot and fresh and was spicy, but not so much that I had to refill my water bottle and or blow my nose. My table wasn't perfectly clean, but the floors were and before I left an employee came out to clean all the tables. Plastic utensils and water are available and you pay after eating. My meal would have been $4 without the samosa and pakora, or $6 with them and one dessert. A la carte dosas are $3 to $5 and samosas are 69-cents each. Here's the menu for their Los Feliz store, so prices are a tad off. I had the #2. Thanks jjohns!
Visit them at 22009 Sherman Way a hair west of Topanga Canyon Rd (the second storefront from the corner on the north side). (818) 887-1417. Parking in the back.
The cupboard is bare
With no food to spare
I'm hungry and it doesn't seem fair
To eat lunch without real food
It's going to affect my mood.
Ramen it is. Munch munch munch.
Not so bad, and definitely a Lincoln Lunch.
Woot Wine has a good deal on three bottles of sparkling wine from Mumm Napa for $50 plus $5 shipping. Buy them now and you won't have to worry about serving the fairly nasty champagne sold at the supermarket this holiday season. Or as Woot Wine puts it, on New Year's Eve why settle for what's on sale at the A&P? The package includes two bottles that sell for $14 each at Bev Mo' (Curvee plus their Brut Prestige) and a third bottle of Single Vineyard Deveaux Ranch that seems to be sold only thru the vineyard (and for $30 plus membership, at that). This week only! Woot Wine puts up a different selection of wine every week and once it's gone, it's gone.
Read other Wooters comments on the trio.
T-day is next week. Egads! I've got my head so burried in bargains the holiday crept up on me. The sale that brought me out of the fog was from Ralph's. Their 12-24 lb frozen turkeys are 37-cents a pound (with club card and $25 purchase), the best deal around it seems. Albertsons has frozen birds at 39-cents a pound and fresh ones for 99-cents a pound. Vons has 17-22 lb frozen Butterballs or Manor House birds for 48-cents a pound (also with club card and $25 tab). Smart & Final has frozen birds for 99-cents a pound. More caveats: most stores limit you to one bird. Prices good today thru Nov 22.
UPDATE: Reader Charles writes in that he topped my turkey prices! "Just returned from Food 4 Less.
Turkeys on sale 4 dollars through 15 pounds, 6 dollars through 20 pounds, and 7 dollars above 20 pounds." So for a bird exactly 15 pounds you pay 26-cents a pound, for a 20 lb bird you pay 30-cents a pound, and for a really Big Bird, say 25 lbs, you pay 28-cents a pound. The smaller the bird you get within each category the more you pay per pound. Still, not a bad deal. Thanks, Charles!
No limits or minimum purchase
This ends today! A Chili's opening in Newbury Park is serving free meals with a few caveats. First, the menu is set so you don't get to choose what you want to eat. Second, the booze is not free. Third, if you do not have an invitation you can still get a free meal but those with an invitation will be seated before you. So go at odd times if you are crashing the party. They are not taking reservations. The restaurant officially opens Nov 15. They are at 1700 Newbury Rd. (805) 214-9947. Thanks, Lynn!
(not my actual lunch, nothing like it except the food looks equally tasty.)
One of my favorite places to get very good lunch at a decent price
(not a fiver but much higher quality than any taco stand can offer) is
Gorikee in Woodland Hills. They bill themselves as "California -
Asian" dining. Translation, please. They serve Americanized Asian food that is
fresh, deliciously spiced, and served on oversized plates (always a
sign of good food). For lunch I had a great big Melange plate that came with a
cup of corn chowder, a green salad, rice, green beans, garlicy
brushetta, curry shrimp, and grilled salmon. For $10.95. Everything
was delish, especially the chowder, shrimp, salmon and salad. Their
regular lunch special is $7.95 and comes with soup, a set entree,
daily vegetable, salad and rice. I also recommend their burger, though I
don't see it on the menu anymore. Do not pass up their garlic French fries!
DINNER BONUS: If you order between 5 and 6 p.m. your
entree comes with a soup, salad, and dessert.
Read other reviews here. Visit them at 21799
Ventura Blvd in the northeast corner of Warner Plaza. (818) 932-9149. Closed Mondays.
Everybody's favorite smoothie place has re-started a deal that gets you a free smoothie every time you buy a $25 Jamba Juice card. This time, however, you can only get the 12-ounce smoothie free, not the super big one. You do get to choose the flavor, though, a colleague reports. Find a Jamba Juice near you.
Wine.com offers free shipping when you spend over $100 before Thanksgiving. They have recommendations for wines that go with each part of the meal. For toasts and appetizers here are some ideas for bubbly, then some brightly flavored wines to go with startersfruity reds for the main course. If that's too much booze to keep track of, they generally recommend buying fruity wines with lower tannin levels such as Zinfandel and Pinot Noir to best match the many of flavors on your Thanksgiving table. Now you can sip vino while you gobble gobble! Use promo code 1TURKEY. Thanks, Sarah!
The San Fernando Valley Entertainment book for 2008 are $5 off today, plus Entertainment.com will ship it for free. Same is true for books covering LA/Long Beach/S.Bay and other locations. I'm really tempted to buy one because I've heard they have a ton of two for ones and restaurants, plus deals on movie tickets and other entertainment options. Unclear when the $5 off deal ends. Coupons are good to Nov or Dec 2008.
Amazon has it for $25 + shipping, Barnes & Noble does not seem to be selling it on their Web site, but I believe they carry it in stores.
A reader writes that Subway is selling their breakfast sandwiches/wraps for $1.99 instead of the regular prices ranging from $2 something to $3 something. It's part of an introductory offer so who knows how long it will last. I didn't see anything about the deal on their site or menu, unfortunately. To find a store near you go here. Thanks, Lisa!
A tad odd, I know, but for any cheese fans out there Woot Wine has a steal on a 3-lb round of Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese, made by the Farmstead Cheese Company. It is selling for $30 (plus $5 shipping), much less than the $68 on the Farmstead Web site. Woot Wine sells a set of wines each week and has taken the time to point out the advantages of selling cheese instead of booze: "Ships to all 48 of the states that matter! Sold by cheesemaker. You need not be 21 years old to place your order. You need not be sober to receive your order." Whew, I was worried about that last one.
The wheel measures 2 inches thick by 7.5 inches across. It will last for 6 weeks in the fridge but should not be frozen. Not sure when the cheese makes way for a new wine sale, so don't wait too long if you are interested. After it's gone, it's gone. Read comments and questions posted by other Wooters.
A long line portended good things of Hugo's Tacos on Coldwater Canyon in Studio City. No line moves quickly enough when you are as hungry as I was, but soon enough it was my turn. I ordered two tacos - carnitas and zucchini/corn/string beans. The 5 minute wait seemed like eternity but it was worth it. Both tacos were tasty and I especially recommend the honey chipotle salsa. (There are six other salsas to choose from.) At $2.25 each the mini tacos were a bit more than I'm used to paying, but not surprising for a thoroughly mainstream Mexican eatery. Hugo's also had shaded tables where you can eat. Read their menu here.
Visit them at 4749 Coldwater Canyon Ave. in Studio City. (818) 762-7771.
Lighten up the oncoming darkness of Daylight Savings this weekend by logging onto Appreciate the Darkness to get a free sample of Green & Black's dark 70% (cocao, I assume) or their milk chocolate bars. Fun promotion, though I'm wondering how many people are going to be salivating for chocolate so soon after the biggest candy holiday of the year. NOTE: The above Web site will ONLY be good from 3 p.m. PST Saturday, Nov 3 until 3 a.m. PST Sunday, Nov 4.
After you log on to get your free chocolate, remember to turn your clocks back one hour Saturday before you go to bed or first thing Sunday morning for an extra hour of your life.
Get a free meal at McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants on Veteran's Day Sun Nov 11 during their annual Veterans Appreciation Event. Not sure if they have a standard meal or if you get to eat lobster and steak free! Bring your VA card, VFW card, American Legion card, discharge papers, DD214, or other veterans ID to show to your server.
Visit them at 3500 West Olive Avenue in Burbank (818) 260-0505; at 111 North Los Robles in Pasadena (626) 405-0064; at Two Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills (310) 859-0434; at Hope and Fourth in Downtown Los Angeles (213) 629-1929; at 2101 Rosecrans Avenue in El Segundo (310) 416-1123; at 2000 Main Street in Irvine 949-756-0505; at 2791 N Main St. in Santa Ana (714) 558-1963. Find a participating restaurant near you.
Get a free beef taco at Taco Bell TODAY only between 2 and 5 pm. It's some promotion they are doing connected to the World Series wherein everytime a base is stolen they give away tacos. The series ended Sunday night with the Red Sox sweeping the Colorado Rockies in case you are *really* out of the loop (like me). But it doesn't matter if you even like baseball, you can still get a free taco. Read the fine print here. Find a Taco Bell near you.
Acapulco restaurants has a coupon for a $3.50 entree when you buy one at full price. Their prices are high to start with ($11 for a burrito?) but if you like going there this is a good deal. Expires Nov 23, 2007. Find a location near you.
Toy 's Us is giving away $10 off cards when you spend $75 or more until Nov 21, 2007. There are lots of caveats though. The gift card expires Dec 31, 2007 and diapers, formula, video game hardware, phone orders, or gift cards do not count towards the original $75 purchase. If you are getting a head start on your holiday shopping $75 is not hard to spend. Find a store near you.
Michael's has a 40% off coupon for one full priced item that unfortunately does not include faux Christmas trees 4 feet and taller. But they do have a lot of other holiday decorations on sale. Good thru Nov 3, 2007. Find a store near you.
Get a free bag of Halloween candy at Kmart when you bring in this printable coupon to one of their stores. Good for a variety of candy in "snack" or "fun" size (normally priced $2.79). My pick is Butterfinger, Snickers, or 100 Grand, but there are many others. Read the fine print here.
Find a Kmart near you. Expires on Halloween.
(not my actual lunch) A friend recommended I stop by Saigon's Bakery and Sandwiches in San Gabriel to break up my long drive to Claremont. The street addresses were so confusing I had given up hope when, of course, it appeared before me. And there was parking. Score. But would the food hold up?
The small shop had pictures of all their sandwiches next to the price, just like at a Chinese takeout dive. But the store was clean, brightly lit, and had a few tables if you want to sit and munch. I ordered a grilled pork sandwich and an iced milk coffee, plus a bagette to go. My total: $4.50. Nope, that's not a typo. My sandwich, served on a foot-long skinny baguette with long slices of onion, carrots, cilantro and a mild chili pepperwas $2. I would have paid double. It was tasty, the flavors well balanced, and a decent sized meal. The bread is crunchy on the outside and ever so soft on the inside. Delish. The coffee, at $1.75, was actually a shot of expresso mixed with instant milk and doused with ice. Tasted so rich and sweet I wondered if there was chocolate in it. The drink kept me up until the wee hours of the night (I usually drink decaf) but make no mistake, I would totally drink one of these again. The loaf of break I saved the bread and had the next day for breakfast, toasted with jam. Again, simple but delicious. I'm not the only one who liked it. Read other reviews here.
Visit them at 718 E. Valley Blvd in San Gabriel. (626) 288-6475. The bakery is on the sw corner of San Gabriel Blvd and Valley, tucked behind the corner building. Exit 25B off the 10, then drive north on San Gabe Blvd, left at Valley.
Today is the last day to use a buy one get one free coupon at Jamba Juice. I used one last night and found it quite satisfying. The Heart Defender (main flave is pomegranate) is delish! I didn't even have to surrender my coupon (but you do need to show one), which means I may be able to sneak in another today.
Print the coupon here. Find a store near you. Expires at the end of day, Oct 16, 2007.
Grabbed a meal for a fiver (ya know, the bill with Lincoln on it) in Canoga Park at Follow Your Heart restaurant, a poorly named but very tasty place. The food is vegetarian with many vegan options. But don't let the lack of dead animals on the menu scare you away. The food is hearty, well-spiced, and makes you feel good. I like their chili, though a few of the beans were a tad more al dente than I would have liked. A cup is $3.50 and a bowl is $4.95 and comes with crackers or a roll. A half-salad is also nearly a LL, at $5.50. If you want to splurge, go for a mocha milkshake (dairy or non-dairy), which easily feeds two, for $3.75.
If you visit, the restaurant is in back of the grocery story on the left. Cozy place. Read the menu here. Find a store that sells their products near you.
Visit them at 21825 Sherman Way in Canoga Park. (818) 348-3240
Cost Plus World Market is having their "biggest ever" wine sale with bottles up to 25% off. Is this a counter-move to stop the flow of customers to BevMo's nickle wine sale? Me thinks so. Still, cheap booze is worth scoring. Think of all the upcoming holiday parties to which you will want to bring a bottle to please the host? Plus there is the loveliness of pouring yourself a glass after a stressful day at work. (Nothing builds a habit like a bad job, not that I would know.) The ad temps the thirsty with a $9 Da Vinci Chianti, a $6 Garnacha de Fuego (a spicy wine??), and a $5 Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon. The sale seems to be specific to each store, so the Web site does not seem to list other specific sales unless you enter a zip code. Lame! But you can search here for their best picks, their featured wines and their Italian wines. Sale ends Oct 28, 2007.
Find a store near you.
A reader emailed me that my earlier blog post about $5 eat-in and $6 take-out pies at Marie Callender's didn't mention that the deal excludes cheesecakes. Pies, cheesecakes. They are practically the same thing in my mind so I thought it was a darn good idea to clarify. The sale does, however, apply to their "cheese pies." Don't ask me how a cheese pie is different than a cheesecake. Hmmm, maybe a taste test is in order. And for the record, the tin is 50-cents. Deal good through Halloween.
See their full menu of pies here. Find a restaurant near you.
Found myself a Lincoln lunch at the newly-opened casual restaurant Urban Eats on Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank, a few blocks down from the renown Cuban bakery Porto's. The food seems well priced, even if there were not too many options under a fiver (which bears the face of old prez Lincoln). I ordered a small salad - you choose between mesclun or romaine lettuce plus 3 toppings and dressing - for $4.25. A large is $6.50 and you get two additional toppings. I picked corn, mushrooms and red onions and cilantro lime dressing, which was tangy but didn't zap my taste buds. The lettuce was fresh and the toppings plentiful. It looked big when it came but two hours later I wished I had also ordered a side of foccacia bread for $1.50.
The best deal of the house last for the month of October, when all draft beers are only $2 (normally $4.25). They have Anchor Steam, Carlsberg Pilsner, Pyramid Hefeweizen, and Urban eats Honey Blonde on tap. Happy hour, anyone?
Urban Eats also has sandwiches ($4.95 to $8.65), sides like mac n' cheese and potato salad ($1.50 to $3.50) and a la carte meat ($2 to $5.95). For the full menu go here.
And as long as we're on the topic of salad I will share this little ditty my hubby likes to sing on occasion:
Yadon't make friends with saaa-lad.
Yadon't make friends with saaa-lad.
(It helps if you twist your shoulders back and forth on Yadon...friends...salad.)
Visit them at 3501 W Magnolia Blvd at Avon St. (818) 848-1106.
Ever wonder why people stand in front of the candy machine for so long? It's the height of instant gratification. Your sugar cravings are gunning, the bright packages of sweets make your mouth watery, and a crisp dollar in hand makes the world seem full of possibilities. The choice is hard, but you can't delay. Then the package lands -chunk- and as your fingers slip into the machine it seems you haven't picked the biggest one. Munch munch munch so tasty. But oh it's a shame. The last one is gone.
(not my actual lunch)
There's no question that the BBQ chopped salad at Stone Fire Grill is tasty. But it's best to go with someone you can share a lunch with because even the small serving is tough for two mouths to finish. I think I had four helpings and my friend the same before we saw the bottom of the bowl. Don't plan on stashing half for later because the dressing is thick enough that it just doesn't save. The $8 mixed green salad ($13 for medium, serves 3-4 and $17 for large, serves 5-6) comes with black beans, corn, bits of red cabbage and carrots, a few tortilla strips, and tomatoes. You get to choose BBQ chicken, tri tip or salmon (not on the menu but they offered it in person) for the same price. I like the tri tip.
There are not a lot of other Lincoln Lunches on the menu, unless you order from the kids menu or consider 12 breaksticks ($4) a meal. Prices are high because it's family-style portions. Also, the sodas will bump up your tab a lot, like most restaurants. For the menu go to their homepage then at the bottom of the page click on Menu. Locations in Valencia, West Hills, Irvine, Fountain Valley, and Chatsworth.
Restaurant.com considers themselves a matchmaker between hungry people and restuarants. They provide tons of restaurant listings, which you can search by zip code, food type, or by name (but not by proximity, which is annoying). Restaurant.com also sells gift certificates and until Oct 7, 2007 they are selling them at 50% below their regular price, which is $10 for a $25 gift certificates. Sounds like free money, right?
It is and it isn't because each restaurant requires you to spend a certain amount for the certificate to be good. At Anarkali you have to spend $35 plus they add 18% gratuity to bill, which makes it $44.70 including tax. Subtract the $25 certificate, add the $5 you paid for the certificate, and you end up paying $24.7 for a $41.3 tab. Not bad. I'm not going to bore you with all the math, but the more you have to spend to use the certificate, the less it saves you.
Use code DISCOVER when checking out to get the discount. Expires Oct. 7.
Buy any bottle of wine and get a second one (the same bottle) for just 5 cents at BevMo. Online they list 195 bottles that are part of the sale (guess it doesn't apply to the entire store.) They give a description of the wine and it's rating on a scale of 1 to 100, plus any prizes it has won. Knowing that a lot of folks give bottles of wine as presents around the holiday, it's a great time to stock up. I'd get a dozen and whatever you don't give away you can drink yourself or save for a dinner party. The deal also seems to include some hard alcohol. I just added a second bottle of Skyy Vodka to my cart and the tab only went up by five-cents!
This Auguste Bessac Cotes du Rhone '06 is $13 and scored 89 points by their judge, Wilfred Wong. The blurb says: "A frisky red, the lively '06 Auguste Bessac Cotes-du-Rhone delivers a complete package; excellent ripe fruit on the palate and superb freshness in the aftertaste." Sounds like an adventure.
The Baroncini Chianti '06 is $14 and is described as a "picture-perfect Chianti; the straight-forward and focused '06 Baroncini Chianti simply drinks well; no more and no less, this wine is not fancy, just plain good." I like the sound of that!
If you want to spend a little more consider the Paoletti Cabernet '02 for $35. It scored 90 points and is "bright, firm, and full of ripe fruit flavors, this almost-in-your-face wine lasts long and smooth on the palate."
The El Portillo Malbec Rose '06 goes great with grilled pork chops, according to the description. It's $15.
The Grant Burge Chardonnay '04, $15, has my mouth watering. It is described as "a delicious Chardonnay from Australia; this white has a bright golden color, with aromas of fresh pineapples, and melon; on the palate, it is rich and medium bodied with notes of butterscotch."
You can also shop online and pick up your order in a store that you choose. Sale ends Oct. 29. Locations here.
According to SlickDeals, Domino's Pizza is delivering free medium pizzas with one topping in *select* areas when you order online and use the coupon code CLICK. Thru Oct 10. A partial list of area codes and cities that work was compiled by readers of SlickDeals, so I ain't guaranteeing anything. But these are the areas that they say work around here (there could be many more, try calling your local chain):
Anaheim, CA 92804
Arcadia, CA
Costa Mesa, CA (#8477)--think that's a store number
Orange, CA
Pasadena, CA (91106,91107,91104)
Santa Monica, CA
Tustin, CA 92782
Woodland Hills - Working.
Remember to tip the driver.
Jamba Juice has a buy-one-get-one free offer for a free 16-ounce smoothie with you buy any "functional" smoothie. Functionals include the Protein Berry Workout with soy or whey protein, acai Super-Antioxident, Fit 'n Fruitful, Heart Defender and my personal favorite (ding ding ding ding ding) Coldbuster. In case any of these sound too healthy to be good, rest be assured that JJ smoothies often have ice cream, frozen yogurt, or some other tasty treat in them.
Print the coupon here. Good thru Oct 16, 2007. Find a JJ near you.
Caveats: one per visit. Participating locations only.
Everybody is having a birthday. Now its ChocolateBox's turn. The La Canada Cafe is giving away free gelato and coffee to customers Oct 27 and 28 to mark it's first year in business. The Cafe is 100% organic and the goods are regularly flown in from Italy. They carry all the flavors you've come to associate with gelato: Hazelnut, Stracciatella (a fancy way of saying chocolate chip), Strawberry, Coconut, Lemon Sorbetto, etc.
If you spend $10 bucks in the store they will enter you into a drawing for an iPhone, to be given away Christmas Eve. Visit them at 714 Foothill Blvd. in La Canada. (818) 790-7918.
Buy a drink at a Starbucks across the nation and get a 2-for-1 coupon good for any drink on any weekend in Oct. They are also passing out a free iTunes download for Bob Dylan's "Jokerman." The barista said she had six packs of the coupons and will hand them out until they are gone, so don't delay. The first 300 customers each day will get the iTune coupon, to be given out every morning this month. I guess they will change what the song is to accomodate repeat customers. BONUS: Someone left their coupon and iTunes download behind. I'm not usually a scavenger, but Starbucks coffee is pricey! Score for me.
(not my actual lunch)
A colleague recommended Poncho's Restaurant in Winnetka (no Web site, unfortunately) and handed me a menu filled with huge plates of food priced at $5.50 or less. Bingo! Then I went and found I was two weeks late. They raised their prices Sept 14, limiting my fiver options (prez Lincoln is on the $5 bill btw) to breakfast dishes, tacos, a tostada, quesadilla, torta, chile relleno, sope, or burrito. Woe is me, huh?
I settled on the chicken quesadilla with rice, beans, guac, and salsa even though it was $5.50. A friend ordered ceviche tostadas for $5.99 but was disappointed. My quesadilla was tasty but not exceptional. I think I would have been better off with a huarache for $4.50 or if I had stopped by on a Tuesday, when two fish tacos with rice and beans are $5.
Visit them at 20116 Sherman Way, just west of Winnetka St. in Winnetka. (818) 716-0077. Parking is limited.
Thru Sept 30 get $5.00 off your tab of $25 or more at Big Mike's Philly Steaks & Subs in Hermosa Beach. Print out the coupon here. Also good at the El Segundo location. Reviews here either love it or hate it. Visit them at 1314 Hermosa Ave in Hermosa Beach, (310) 798-1455. Or at 507 Main St in El Segundo, (310)726-9638.
In a pinch I went to the chain Sharky's for a quick, cheap bite. The menu did not have a lot of $5 Lincoln options so I ordered two original tacos for $5.18 plus tax. I'm cutting them a little slack on the price because they give a big bag of chips with every order and have a free salsa bar. My chicken taco was juicy and had plenty of chopped onions and cilantro, but it definitely needed salsa. And there was no lime!!! Overall it was decent but no match for the tacos from the taco stand near my house. I didn't have high hopes for the grilled veggie taco since the chicken was bland and the veggies looked steamed, not grilled. But it was surprisingly tasty and had the slightest touch of spice. My NY friend who thinks ketchup is spicy would run for milk, but the rest of us will be fine.
Find a Sharky's near you.
Went to use the $5 meal coupon from page seven of Sunday's paper at the new Pollo Campero in Van Nuys and was greeted by two employees in orange. The eatery was having "technical" problems and won't open until Monday. Then the employee handed us two menus with $1 off coupons. I smelled a bargain and asked for more coupons and she handed over almost a dozen! We drove off to their North Hills location and used both discounts. So for $4 I got a soda, three pieces of chicken (drumstick, thigh, and thighlet-it was pretty small), rice, black beans, and a fluffy biscuit (my options also included tortillas, cole slaw, red beans, and yellow rice). Food was hot and chicken was crispy. Plenty of salt on everything. In short, a decent fast food meal. Not sure how long the employees will be handing out $1 off coupons at 7249 Van Nuys just north of Sherman Way, but ya might want to check it out.
A chicken tangent: isn't this pic cute? 
Now that football season is here, many bars and restaurants are enticing customers to watch the games with food and drink specials. Here are a few good ones:
Safari Room, 15426 Devonshire, Mission Hills. (818) 893-9768, Free hotdogs Sunday only. Draft beer is $2.50, domestic bottles $3.50, imported bottles $4.50. Well drinks $3.75.
Pickwick's Pub, 21010 Ventura Blvd, a block west of De Soto in Woodland Hills. (818) 340-9673. Both nights $5 burgers, french dip sandwiches, tacos, pork sliders (all usually $8 to $9). Buckets of 4 to 5 beers (Coors Lite and Pacifico) are $10.
Primetime Sports Bar, 9755 Mason, Chatsworth. (818) 576-3578. Free BBQ every Sunday starting at 11 a.m. Domestic bottles are $3, imported bottles are $4. Pitchers of Coors light are $9.
Casey's Tavern, 22029 Sherman Way, Canoga Park. (818) 992-9362. Both nights $2 beers and $2 hotdogs. No other food is served. Cocktails are $2.50. Casey's is known as a jazz club with three shows a week but serves dogs for the football fans.
Yankee Doodles, 2830 Tapo St, Simi Valley. (805) 526-1130. Both nights $2 Michelob Ultra pints, $3 margaritas, $2 kamikazee shots, $5 Long Island ice teas, $5 34-ounce mugs of Mich Ultra. Monday's there is a $5 all you can eat buffet. It changes every week but last time they had ribs, pasta, and burgers, a server said.
Sunday's paper had a coupon at the bottom of page 7 for a $5 meal at Pollo Campero. that includes chicken plus two sides and a soda (but not plantains or yucca fries). New locations in North Hills at 9000 Sepulveda Blvd and Van Nuys at 7249 Van Nuys Blvd. Expires Oct. 31.
Ketchup restaurant in West Hollywood has slashed it's prices by 50% on Sundays. Lunch entrees are $12 to $19, dinner entrees are $14 to $40.
A review on Open Table sez: "Ketchup recasts the tired, boring and predictable typical American grill as something young, vital and completely new. Using fresh and high-quality seasonal ingredients, the restaurant serves up its own brand of classic American cuisine and steaks that cater to a hip and sophisticated clientele."
I think I see a Ketchup date night in my future. Make a reservation through Open Table or by calling (310) 289-8590.
Visit them at 8590 Sunset Blvd.
Gelato Bar in Studio City is celebrating their first birthday by giving away free gelato and coffee this Monday, Sept 17. You can also enter a drawing to win a one week stay in an apartment in Umbria, Italy. Ice cream and a chance at Italy? You know I'll be there.
Caveats: free coffee betwen 8am and noon. Free "bambini" size gelato between 3 and 9pm.
Visit them at 4342 1/2 Tujunga Boulevard. (818) 487-1717.
The mini-cupcakes at Leda's bake shop in Sherman Oaks were so tempting that I considered making a Lincoln Lunch out of them. At $1.50 each I could buy three with a fiver (Lincoln is on the fiver, you know). But all that sugar wouldn't keep me full for long. Instead I bought a decaf Americano (shots of espresso plus water, a bit sharper than coffee) and met my first fan!
When I handed the barista a hot pink Bargain Hunter flier she said she reads it every Thur in the paper. Wow! I was a total goofball and squealed "I'm famous!" Then I walked out before thanking her for reading and asking her if she was interested in any particular sales. Doh!
Leda's also makes vegan versions of its cookies, brownies, and scones. Visit them at 13722 Ventura Blvd, just west of Woodman. (818) 386-9644.
Had to drop off some paperwork at the local AAA office and I picked up a brochure touting all their member benefits. I usually make up the fee with a single hotel reservation, but there are many other ways to "get" your money back. A few of their better discounts:
20% off at regular priced pairs at Shoes.com, 12% off sales
Free VIP discount book at Camarillo Outlets
10% off Circuit City merchandise
15% off JoAnn.com
10-30% off at Lenscrafters
$5 off tickets in the Terrance or Terrance main to see the Anaheim Ducks
$4 off upper view or terrance box wheelchair tickets to see the Angels
20% off adult admission to Knotts Berry Farm in Buena park plus 10% on merchandise
50% of certain LA clippers games
20% of LACMA adult admission and membership!
$4 off tickets to six flags magic mountain in Valencia, $12 off Wednesdays
20% off reserved tix to UCLA home football games at the rose bowl, except game against Notre Dame
10% off your El Torrito, Wetzel's Pretzels, Payless ShoeSource, Target.com
20% off at Haagen Dazs, Samsonite Company stores
10% off fine jewelry at Blue Nile, except pre-set engagement rings
Free tickets to Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune
Membership starts at $20, a discounted first-year rate. After that it's $47, plus a few more bucks for a second person in the household.
Never fear being called for jury duty in Van Nuys. A few doors down is the Hot Flaming Grill, a great place to get lunch with lots of fiver options (you remember our buddy Lincoln is on the five dollar bill, right?). I ordered the $4.50 Chicken Lula Kabob sandwich and was not disappointed. What came was a ground chicken kabob surrounded by shredded cabbage, lettuce and carrots that was spiced with a tangy lemon vinagrette (the unique flavor is from Armenian spices). It was wrapped in Armenian lavash flat bread (similar to a flour tortilla, but drier). Delish.
Other sandwich options under $5: Rotisserie chicken, beef or chicken shawarma, beef or chicken kabob. A few salads were under $5. Oddities on the menu: Slurpees ($1.50 or $2 depending on size) and Russian Borsch soup for $3. Mention their Web site and get 10% off.
My only complaint was that my wrap took almost 20 minutes to come. But the service was friendly, the restaurant clean, and the food very tasty. Worth a repeat. Visit them at 6322 Van Nuys Blvd. (818) 997-9769. Or in Santa Clarita at 19433 Soledad Canyon Rd. (661) 298-0115.
(not my actual lunch)
On my way to Ramen Nippon, a top rated Japanese noddle house in Reseda, I spotted Tony's Pupuseria II. A place to check out later, I decided. But my opportunity came sooner than planned after a tedius wait and above-LL prices pushed me out the door. Back at the El Salvadorian Pupuseria, I ordered three of the namesake pancake-like treats. Pork and beans, pork and cheese, and pork, bean and cheese. Got all my bases covered.
The place was packed and I had plenty of time to peruse the menu, which had a real deal for takeout. $10 for either 5 pupuas and 10 tamales OR 10 pupusas and 5 tamales. Pupusas are normally between $1.55 and $1.75. Can sodas were 75-cents, horchata and other juice drinks $2 to $2.50, and milkshakes were $2.50.
When my food finally came the pupusas were perfect: almost crunchy on the outside with a hot and gooey filling. Served with shredded lettuce and carrots and hot sauce. I couldn't finish two of them! The waitress rang up my bill to $3.23 and I politely remind her I ordered three pupusas, not two. Turns out every Wednesday they are just 99-cents each! That explains the crowd and long wait. Next time, I plan to arrive before noon, order just two pupuaas, and get the stawberry-banana shake. With tip, this meal was a Lincoln Lunch. Right. On. The. Nose.
See? That's Lincoln right on the fiver!
Visit them at 20039 Vanowen in Canoga Park. (818) 340-0899.
(not my actual lunch)
Headed to Pismo Grill on Canoga in Woodland Hills to get my shrimp taco fix today. Turned out it was a Lincoln Lunch and I wasn't even trying (that hard). The shrimp taco was $2.75 for a full-size taco witih five shrimps, plus $1.95 for a side salad and rice. Total was $5.09. They validate parking, too.
Psst, it's called a Lincoln Lunch cause prez Lincoln is on the fiver. And. Its. A. Five. Dollar. Meal.
Chick-fil-A and Coke are giving away 1 million free meals. All you have to do is sign up here. Promotion ends Aug 29 or until 1 million people have signed up. In 6-8 weeks they send you a coupon for a free chicken sandwich and medium coke. Requires name, address, ph number, email, dob. I usually give out my work address so I'm not bombarded with junk mail at home.
(not my actual lunch)
Across the street from an assignment I spotted JB's Kabob & Grill. I tried to order a chicken kabob with rice and tomatoes for $5.99 (over my limit, I know), but the woman behind the counter grumbled that it would take her 20 minutes to make it and wouldn't I rather have the lunch buffet for $6.99? I decided that was too far a stretch for a Lincoln Lunch and instead ordered a falafel sandwich. It was tasty, but no better than many others I have tried. The fluffy pita bread was warm, and the falafel was fresh. The tahini sauce mixed well with humus and tomatoes. Missed the cucumbers and lettuce I've had in other falafels. $3.50 plus tax.
Visit them at 8931 De Soto in Canoga Park. (818) 701-6169.
(not my actual lunch)
Didn't have a lot of time so I ate lunch at the Woodland Hills Corner Bakery today but was *really* disappointed that the $5 Lincoln Lunch options were slim pickins. I had only two menu options aside from the side salads (I'm not a rabbit, folks!) and breakfast menu (ahem, it's called a lincoln LUNCH): Big Al's Chili or Soup of the Day. Took my chances with the tortilla soup in a bread bowl for $4.59 (with tax $4.97) and mooched a free cup of icy water.
Soup was very hot and tasty, with crispy tortilla strips on the top. Only problem is after 10 bites it was gone! They barely carved out any hole in the bread bowl, so I was left with a massive hunk of bread. Had to rip it off with my hands because the server only brought out a spoon. All the sandwiches and panini prices started with a 6, so I don't think I'll be returning to Corner Bakery anytime soon.
(not my actual lunch)
Stopped by El Taco Loco in Valley Village today on my way back from an assignment and was pleased with their $.99 cent tacos. I ordered three mini-tacos (tortillas about a 3-inch diameter), one each: al pastor (marinated pork), carnitas (regular pork), and pollo (this is LA folks, do you really need a translation?)
The chicken taco was juicy with lightly sauteed onions. With a little salsa, badaboom-badabing! The al pastor meat was tasty, but also slightly bland. I liked the carnitas the least (wonder if that's 'cuz I ate it last) because the meat was a bit dry. Again, salsa improved things. All three tacos were dusted with chopped onions and cilantro. My plate also came with about a dozen chips.
With tax the tab came to $3.22, way under my fiver-goal. Cha-ching!
Visit them at 5424 Laurel Canyon Rd. (818) 752-3845.
Hot doggity! A colleague just shared one of his favorite places to score a cheap meal: The Stand in Encino, where every Monday night they sell their $3 Stand Dogs for $1. They don't skimp on the topping choices either: diced red and white onions, tomatoes, three kinds of mustard, pickle or corn relish, 1000 Island dressing, ketchup, their house red sauce or BBQ sauce. Look at the full menu here.
Expect a crowd, as plenty of folks make The Stand a regular stop on Mondays. Visit them at 17000 Ventura. (818) 788-2700.
(not my actual lunch)
Flooky's: the name called to me at lunchtime today. How could I not take a chance at a place called Flooky's? The menu offered plenty of options for a $5 Lincoln Lunch and I settled on a chicken gyros (say yeer-row).
The gyros by itself is $3.50, or with a soda and heaping of fries dusted with spices is $5.54. Other options: Southern Style Chili Dog, Maxwell Street Polish (dog comes with mustard, sauteed onions and pepperoncini) for $3.45, standard sandwiches for $4 to $4.65, or burgers ($2.05 to $4.65). Fries are about $.80 more on each. Flooky's also serves lunch all day. Omelets are $4.25.
But back to my gyros. The pita was warm and light, with grilled chicken aplenty, plus cucumber strips, tomatoes, and a really good sour cream-based secret sauce. Fries were excellent.
Visit Flooky's at 21034 Victory (in a restaurant strip on the north side of the street) at Variel in Woodland Hills. (818) 340-7797. Parking can be difficult. Indoor seating is counter-style.
Thanks to a colleague, I now know of at least one spot for a Lincoln Lunch in Burbank: Giamela's on Magnolia just east of Victory in a little brick buliding with a patio out front. Their small subs are $4 including tax and the big ones are $5. Sodas just $.60 including tax, so it's totally possible to eat with just a fiver.
My friend had a large sammy with salami and pastrami. Came with chopped tomatoes, onions and pickles on a soft sesame loaf and was *very* tasty, she reports. And she wasn't even that hungry! It was so big that she had leftovers for dinner.
Yelpers review Giamela's here.
(not my actual lunch)
What's in a name? That which we call a Lincoln Lunch/ By any other name would cost as little?
Huh? I think I'll stick to prose.
So it's been brought to my attention that I did not fully explain why I call my posts on $5 midday meals the Lincoln Lunch. Study this fiver and maybe you'll recognize Abe's beard, his arched brows and resolute lips. Still don't get it? Lincoln is on the five dollar bill!
Moving on. I exchanged a fiver for a tasty pastrami sandwich at Cavaretta's Italian Groceries on Sherman Way just west of Topanga today. Theirs comes with cheese, lettuce, onions, mustard and mayo, plus dressing. The small size is $4.50 and was plenty of food. The store has a nice selection of drinks, including trendy ones like Boylan and Izze, plus wine, fresh cannolis. Need I say more?
Reviews here.
Bonus: They have three outdoor tables and a few indoors.
Super bonus: The place smells strongly of meat.
Visit Cavaretta's at 22045 Sherman Way in Canoga Park. (818) 340-6626
The cover of today's LA Times Food section lists places to get cheap food with tantalyzing pictures. A few of the items really ARE cheap, but a good number are not what I would consider a deal. A $42 tasting menu? A $10 BLT? Puh-leeze.
Let's skip to the true finds:
$5.50 for a 18 bagels at Schwartz Bakery on Wednesdays, in LA
$2.50 kachapuri (similar to a calzone) at Dream Bakery in North Hollywood
$5 roasted chicken with rice and beans at Polla a ala Brasa in LA, Gardena and Montebello
$1.95 cupcakes at Jongewaard's Bake 'n' Broil in Long Beach. (Are those mini cupcakes or the real deal? I can't tell from the picture.)
Looking for free Wicked Wings or Loaded Potato Skins from TGIFriday's? Best way to get one (up to $8) is to fill out a survey offer that appears at the bottom of your TGIF's receipt. The survey offer doesn't come with *every* receipt but frequently, according to a colleague who eats there often enough to rub elbows with Posh Spice. Can fill it out online or over the phone, and must be within 48 hours of purchase.
TIp: If you give then the top "5" rating for the first few questions the survey is much shorter. Sweet!
I'm learning the key to a successful Lincoln Lunch is sticking to one dish and eshewing extras like drinks and appetizers and dessert. I had mild success reigning in my order at the new Arya Bhavan in Canoga Park. The lunch buffet was $5.99 so instead I ordered the chana masala (chickpeas and onions in a spicy red curry sauce) for $4.99. But the mini samosas looked so tasty and they were only $.60. So I got one. That brought the total to $6.05, plus a $1 tip. The chana masala was hot and a good portion. The samosa was warm but still tasty dipped in a green hot sauce and a red sweet sauce.
Other lincoln options: Daal $4.99, Aloo Ghobi $4.99, Aloo Matar $4.99, Chana Bhatora or Chana Puri for $3.99 each. A half chicken tandoori style is $5.50. Lots of breads, rice, appetizers, soups, and sweets for under $5.
Visit them at 7257 Topanga. (818) 340-7500.
(not my actual lunch)
Taqueria el Tapatio, a tiny counter-only eatery off Sherman Way across from the post office in Canoga Park, has great Mexican at uber low prices. Lunch for two - with drinks - for $10.18? Believe it.
I had a beef tostada that was crunchy and was topped with two tomatoes, sour cream, and a spicy red sauce. Yum. Price: $3.03. A friend had the pork torta, a sandwich so big she couldn't finish it, for $4.11. Soda $.85, lemonade $1.40. With tip it was $12.
Other cheap eats options: Tacos $1.30 each, burito $4.19, corn quesadilla $1.09, flour quesadilla $2.40, eggs with meat OR pork sausage $5.
Cash only. Visit them at 7214 Jordan Ave, Canoga Park. (818) 710-8807.
(not my actual lunch)
Headed to Los Altenos Taqueria in Canoga Park with a fiver in my hand and a hole in my belly. Was it possible to get lunch for $5 or less there? The menu had a handful of choices, along with more than a dozen options between $6 and $8.
Lincoln Lunch choices included a torta for $4.65, a tostada de ceviche for $1.70 each, and these options for $5 each: a torta with sauce, huevos with ham, huevos rancheros, scrambled eggs with rice and beans, and a gordita.
I ordered the pork gordita and it came with a basket of chips that the server refilled without me asking. This was my first gordita and very tasty. In case you haven't had one, a gordita is a four-inch round, thick corn pancake, grilled on both sides and slightly bland, which nicely complements the delicious filling. Mine was cut in half, with the top was spread with refried beans and the bottom topped with chunks of stringy pork in red sauce, shredded lettuce, and salsa. On the side was scoops of guac, sour cream, and more salsa. It looked small on the menu, but hours later I'm still pleasantly full.
The total with tax came to $5.41, plus a dollar tip. Visit the Taqueria at 21109 Sherman Way in Canoga Park. 818-992-1814.
If posts are a little light Friday and Monday it's because I'm in New York visiting friends. Was reminded of a great deal on the bus from the airport when I saw a man with a cart selling icees, wonderful treats that come in a paper cup and leave a stain on your tongue ((different than Italian ices and the brand ICEE) . When I was in college they were $.25! Such a deal for something so tasty and refreshing in this hot and humid and humid climate. Do they have icee carts in the Valley?
I set out to check out Garden Wok's $5.50 lunch and was pleased with the food but not as much with the price, which totaled $7.
Garden Wok on Reseda Blvd in Tarzana is all vegetarian and has a number of lunch choices for $5.50 that include tea, brown rice, soup or spring roll, plus an entree. I had eggplant with basil, but what came was spicy eggplant with bamboo shoots. The server also brought me wontons instead of a springroll. But all was very tasty, even the clear corn-and-tofu soup. Portions were also good.
With tax the bill was $6, plus a $1 tip brings it to $7, a bit over my goal of $5. Still, the food was good and fresh. Read other reviews here.
Closed Monday.
Another great tip from BargainsLA. Every Tuesday Baskin Robbins sells its $2 scoops for $1. Brilliant!
Caveat: gotta buy between 6 and 10pm and get the 4oz size. Locations in Woodland Hills, plus West Hills, Canoga Park, Winnetka, Tarzana, Reseda, Northridge, Chatsworth, Encino, Granada Hills, Van Nuys, Simi Valley, Sherman Oaks, North Hills, Panorama City, Arleta, North Hollywood, Westlake Village, San Fernando, Sun Valley, Studio City, Burbank, Glendale, and Santa Clarita. So basically, everywhere.
Free food is one of life's true pleasures. Thru Aug 31 with this couponget a free junior hand-scooped yogurt cup or cone at TCBY. That means a free, tiny treat.
Locations in Thousand Oaks (The Oaks and Overbrook Plaza) and Glendale, Pasadena and Camarillo.
Their entrees may not win over everyone, but the tacos at El Torrito are delish. And on Tuesday's, grilled steak, chicken or carnitas tacos are only 99-cents between 4 and 10 pm. Caveat: gotta sit in the bar area, not the regular seating.
Get a happy hour margarita for $3.95 and half price appetizers, plus all the chips and salsa you can eat.
Locations in Burbank, Northridge, Woodland Hills, Oxnard, Palmdale, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and Valencia.
Get a free appetizer or dessert ($7 to $13 on their menu) at Ate-18, an upscale Encino restaurant that specializes in American, French, Israeli and Mediterranean food. The Filet Mignon Yakitori ($13) sounds excellent: Japanese Yakitory Style Skewers Served with a Chilled Tomato, Red Onion & Baby Arugala Salad. Desserts are pretty standard.
Print this blog post for the discount!
Caveats: Not valid with any other offer, one per table, only good Monday thru Thursday with $ 15.00 purchase between 10 am and 5 pm (and $ 20.00 purchase 5pm-Midnight). Good thru July 30, 2007.
Visit Ate-18 at 17620 Ventura Blvd just east of White Oak. 818-728-1212.
(not my actual lunch)
This time I headed to Mission Burrito at Canoga and Vanowen (2nd location at Fallbrook and Roscoe in West Hills) for a $5 meal. Here are their fiver options:
Bean and Cheese Burrito $4.25
Chips 'n Cheese $3.25 (w/meat add $1.75)
A la carte: taco, enchilada, chilli relleno, tamale $3.25 to $4.25
I threw in a quarter and got a Green Pork & Beans Burrito that was very tasty. Green sauce and cheese melted on top of a burrito stuffed with big pork chunks. Yum. Quick service and retro floral-print booths made it even tastier!
Get a free 7-oz Slurpee samples today in honor of 7-Eleven's 80th birthday. Find a store near you.
Senor Grandes is having a promotion (at least the Woodland Hills location on Victory Blvd just west of Canoga). Buy one chicken taco and a large drink and get a second chicken taco free!
Servers are passing out the coupons to customers. They don't sell chicken tacos a la carte so it's unclear how much they're charging, but normall the two taco combo plate is $5.99.
The catch is you can't use it for lunch. It's good only after 4pm Mon-Fri and all day Sat and Sun.
Ever wonder if it's possible to get lunch in the Valley for under five bucks? You have to look closely, but there is a way, my friend.
One of the best spots around here is Zanos Pizza on Ventura just west of Canoga, in a little strip mall on the south side of the street. For $5 you get a side salad, soda, and slice of pizza (cheese, veggie, or pepporoni).
Plus they give you a basket of super delish garlic knots. The pizza can be heavy on the cheese, but the salad and garlic knots make up for it.
Through Halloween, 
