A Week of Cheap Eats...Without Sacrificing
Your Weekend Splurges
Recently, I did a
series of three posts to highlight the places in San Miguel where you can eat
for under 100 pesos. There are many of them and the list continues to grow with
at least 5 new restaurants opening this past month.
Based on that listing,
here is a week of cheap eats that you can enjoy without cutting any of your
favorite splurges. You'll get some of the best food in San Miguel.
My indulgences? A
Margarita on Friday night after a busy week, a bottle of Chardonnay on Saturday
night to share with friends and of course a morning Croissant.
The Weekly Total:
$88.23 with tips.
Yes, in some cases you
can eat cheaper at home but some people prefer going out and others do not like
to cook. It's a matter of personal preference.
You'll notice that Friday
and Saturday are the only days that run over $10.00 a day. I like to splurge on
the weekends.
With only a little
over $10.00 in this budget for liquor and a long list of other options for
eating, it's possible to get this total down even lower, especially if you
don't drink or opt for something other than a steak on Saturday night. You can
also combine eating at home with going out and probably do better on your
spending.
Ordering appetizers,
alcoholic drinks or desserts is the easiest way to blow a budget and drive up
the total on your bill. So what can you do?
Appetizers
Are Your Meal
Some restaurants serve
large portions of appetizers. You and your partner can order a few and still
come in under budget.
Drink
at Home
Drinking out is the
quickest way to ring up a tab. As I mentioned before, have friends over for an
at-home cocktail party before you go out to eat. Or invite them over for an
after dinner drink.
Desserts
Are A Luxury
If you've got a sweet
tooth and really crave a dessert, eat in and go out to enjoy dessert and
coffee.
Always
Eat A Healthy Breakfast...
This week, make
breakfast every day in your own kitchen. I like smoothies because they are
easy, healthy and you can switch out the flavor depending on what fruit is in
season.
Agave Syrup (The
Sweetener) = 69 pesos
Yogurt = 26 pesos
Cranberry Juice =27 pesos
Strawberries - Leo = 20
pesos
Total $142 pesos =
$10.93 (5@ 29 pesos each = $2.23)
Sunday
Street food: A Mexican Feast of Menudo and
To-Die-For-Tacos
10 AM
Doña
Bola
Calle Calzada de La Luz and Calle Amado Nervo
1A
Colonia Guadalupe
Menudo = 30 Pesos
Large bowl of Menudo
from the only place in San Miguel that brews it for seven hours and for which
you can actually smell it cooking as you walk down the block.
After 7 PM
Andy's
Tacos
85 Insurgentes
2 Tacos al Pastor = 18
pesos.
These are so
delicious, you'll fight all of the aficionados just to get a front row seat.
If I dream about these
again tonight don't wake me up.
Daily Total: 48 pesos= $3.69
Monday
Not a Calorie Counting Day...
9AM
Cumpanio
Correo 29
Croissants and a Conga
= 52 pesos
Better than the ones
you've eaten in Paris Croissants for just 14 pesos. Pair it with a Conga for a
total of 52 pesos.
I'm hooked on both and
if I had no discipline at all, I would be here for breakfast every morning...
in the prime spot- the window seat.
3 PM
El Tucan
Hernandez Macia's 56
Flautas = 30 pesos
My go-to favorite when
it comes to Mexican. The flour tortilla version tastes just as comforting as a
chicken pot pie.
This dish is topped
with so many fresh vegetables you forget the meal ever saw a pan of oil in the
first place.
Daily Total: 82 pesos = $6.31
Tuesday
Tuesday Market Eats and a Cajun Feast...
9 AM
Rodriquez
Family Barbacoa
Section 3, Aisle 3 –Tuesday Market
Barbacoa = 20 pesos
I love Barbacoa for
breakfast and The Rodriguez Family Barbacoa stand is my first stop at Tuesday market.
I get a half cup of the caldo without vegetables and extra Barbacoa and then
load up with the just chopped cilantro, onions and of course lime.
This is not just a
cold weather feast. 20 pesos.
or
Bautista
Brothers Carnitas
Section 2, Aisle 1-Tuesday Market
Carnitas = 26 pesos
More often than not
someone is bringing out a fresh tray of Carnitas or I have a perfect sense of
timing. Bautista Brothers offers them in a torta or a hot, fresh-made tortilla.
Either way, you'll swear you're in Carnita heaven. Torta 26 Pesos.
7 PM
Harry's
Hidalgo #12
(Split) Soft Shell
Crab Sandwich = 58 pesos
OK, not perfection but
when you're craving crabs and the ocean is hours away, this is the next best
thing.
Besides, a side dish
of onion rings are near perfection.
Daily Total: 84 pesos = $6.46
Wednesday
Mexican Comfort Food and Peruvian Delights...
10 AM
El
Pato
Calzada de la Estacion 175
Mixiotes = 50 pesos
As I've said before,
you can't get comfort food any better than this. One of the best dishes in San
Miguel. Reminds me of my mothers pot roast.
5 PM
La
Parada
Recreo 94
Are you surprised that
all of the ceviches run 25 pesos for the small portions except the Salmon with
snow pods, seaweed and cucumber is 35 pesos. Eat two and you have a meal for
just 60 pesos.
Daily Total $110 pesos = $8.47
Thursday
A Chicago Dog and The Best Tacos In Town...
1 PM
Chucho's
Gyros
Below Ten Ten Pie on Sterling Dickenson
Gyros or Chicago Dog=35
pesos
The dog has flavor and
Chucho finally has those Chicago ingredients down to a science. No ketchup
please.
Not unusual to eat two
but today, I'm on a budget and one does the trick.
6 PM
La
Azotea
Umaran 6
2 Jicima taco
90 pesos
The best taco artisan
taco in San Miguel? The thin sliced Jicima shell and the fried leeks puts this
taco in a class all it's own.
Daily total $125 pesos = $9.62
Friday
A Meal In A Bowl and Southern Italian
Delicious...
1 PM
La
Pozoleria
Calzada de Luz 51A
Green Pozole 38 pesos
= $2.92
This Pozole is so
good, I would eat it every day...and probably will when January rolls around. I
even love it when it's San Miguel hot...if I can remember what that is.
7 PM
Hotel
Sautto
Hernandez Macias 59
This is a splurge day.
What's on my menu?
Amatriciana, made with
fresh tomatoes, smoked pancetta, garlic, onion and basil. 85 pesos.
Margarita Hotel
Sautto. 60 pesos
Daily Total: $184 pesos = $14.16
Saturday
Upscale restaurants today: Moxi, Hansens and a
bottle of Chardonnay
9 AM
Hotel Matilda- Moxi
Aldama # 53
Breakfast = 55 pesos
Yogurt, fruit and
granola + fine china + pool view = Best Breakfast Deal In Town.
55 pesos.
3 PM
Hansens
Calzada de la Aurora 12
Steak Dinner = $109 pesos.
Nothing better than
ending the week with a great steak. Hansen's serves the best with fries and a
salad. It's a 1-4 PM special for $109 pesos.
La
Europa
Canal 13
Bottle of Antares Chardonnay
from Chile = 58 pesos
If Chamonix (Sollano
17) serves this Chardonnay, it's good enough for me. They charge 60 pesos a
glass. You can buy the entire bottle at La Europa for just 58 pesos. Can't
believe that I like a Chardonnay this cheap!
Daily Total:$ 222 pesos = $17.09
Grand
Total $76.73 + 15% = $88.23
Many readers tell me
if they're under $100 a week they are happy especially when they're this well
fed.
Now, grab the list
again and plan your restaurant outings for next week.
Yes, you're likely to
change a menu item or two or three but that's part of discovering why eating
out in San Miguel is so much fun.
Buen Apetito!
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