The Vitals: the spot: Little Big Burger 1630 East 6th St. Austin TX 78702 the eats: Little Big Burger with double patty, cheddar and bacon the bucks: $7.50, $4.50 respectively the full nelson: a burger chain that's pretty keen on Bang for your Burger Buck

One of my first jobs out of college would occasionally take the staff out for lunch. I naturally liked to steer the ship on where would we go, and fought relentlessly from dining at a chain. That was almost 20 years ago and in the two decades that have since passed, the words "restaurant chain" conjure up a more complex dining scene. Yes, there are some respectable chains out there, especially in the world of burgers. In the case of Little Big Burger, you just might have the best Bang for your Burger Buck chain there is . . . (more…)

The Vitals: the spot: Tsubaki Szechuan 1117 NW 25th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73106 the eats: Xiao Long Bao(soup dumplings), fried beef with cumin, pork wonton in chili oil  the bucks: $8.95, $13.95, $5.95 respectively the full nelson: dumplings as good as I've had in NYC, San Francisco or LA

Growing up in the Midwest and being a 1st generation Bengali American, I know that even the "fly over states" have more diversity than what some might give them credit for. And it being 2019, one should not be too surprised to hear the words "Xiao Long Bao" in a place like Oklahoma City. But even I have to admit I was surprised to find these iconic dumplings and a dim sum staple in the land of the OKC Thunder . . . (more…)

I've never done a "best of" post before but after the year I have had in 2018 . . . there was no way I couldn't. Between finishing Cheap Eats Season 4, shooting all of Season 5, plus numerous excursions to NYC and LA and appearing on Best Thing I Ever Ate, there are a lot of great meals to muse over. So take one long last look at the best bites I had in 2018 . . . my best year of eats yet! (more…)

The Vitals: the spot: Tumble 22 7211 Burnett road Austin TX 78757 the eats: The OG Classic Hot Chicken Sandwich the bucks: $8.50 the full nelson: a perfect fried chicken experience captured in a bun 

Austin really isn't a fried chicken joint town and that's OK because these days it's all about Hot Chicken, or should I say Nashville Hot Chicken. Now I'm sure of you saw Cheap Eats Nashville and know that I did indeed try some real deal Nashville Hot Chicken at Pepperfire, our spot for dinner. While Austin can't compete with Nashville's sheer number of fiery Hot Chicken joints, Tumble 22 serves up some hot chicken on a bun that makes me think twice about taking a trip back to Nashvegas. And they do it for a little over $8. (more…)

The Vitals: the spot: Lee's Bakery 4005 Buford Highway NE Ste C Atlanta GA 30345 the eats: Large Combination Pho, Grilled Pork Sandwich the bucks: $10.25, $3.75 respectively the full nelson: the definition of why Vietnamese joints are Cheap Eats havens

Upon my initial research into Atlanta for Cheap Eats, I knew I was going to have to make a stop at Buford Highway. The legendary drag is home to tacos, sushi, dumplings. curries, Korean food beyond BBQ and so much more. It got me a little nostalgic for my LA days where an immense diversity of food cultures can be unlocked with the power of the automobile. It was a challenge to single out one cuisine for my inaugural Buford Highway feast, but it had been a minute since I had some good pho and all it takes is a google search to know that Lee's Bakery Atlanta tops many lists. (more…)

The Vitals: the spot: Haat Bazaar 3711 73rd st suite 73 Jackson Heights Queens NY the eats: Biriyani, beef curry, dal, dimmer chop(fried egg), bhaji - basically get everything you can but fair warning: the fish has a million bones!! the bucks: $10 a person the full nelson: legendary Bengali grocer serving authentic home cooked Bengali food in the heart of Jackson Heights Queens

Beyond Chicken Tikka Masala and Naan lies a complex world of regional Indian cuisines, like Bengali cuisine of which I grew up on. Not unlike some 1st generation American kids, I longed for hamburgers and pizza over funky fish curries and lentil stews but as I grew older and Mom's kitchen grew further and further away, I reminisce for the OG stuff I grew up on. Fair warning: Bengali food is not for everybody. The curries come off oily for the uninitiated, the fish is loaded with bones and can be dangerous to eat if you're not careful, and yeah, the kabobs are cooked to a temperature beyond well done. Still the spice profile is distinctly different from the all you can eat Indian buffets where cumin and coriander are made almost irrelevant by copious amounts of heavy cream. The bottom line is that there is a lot more to Indian food than your neighborhood Indian restaurant, and if you are looking for a true foodie adventure, head to Haat Bazaar in Jackson Heights, Queens. (more…)

The Vitals: the spot: Red Mesa Mercado 1100 First Ave N St. Petersburg FL 33705 the eats: Chile Relleno Burrito with Pork Colorado,   the bucks: $7.95 the full nelson: The best Bang for your Burrito Buck outside of Mexico

Considering this is my third post on the food scene in St. Petersburg FL, I think it is safe to say that I am pretty impressed with the food down there. If you saw Cheap Eats St. Petersburg, you might remember the duck confit quesadilla from Red Mesa Cantina. Well Chef Chris Fernandez makes one mean burrito too, in fact this might be one of the best burritos I have ever had . . . and that includes a burrito bender in San Francisco I went on earlier this year. It one was heck of a deal too, legit Bang for your Burrito Buck. Still you should be a little skeptical . . . bona fide burritos in Florida? Well seeing is believing so scroll down to check out Red Mesa Mercado's contender for some Bang for your Burrito Buck! (more…)

When it came time for Cheap Eats to come down South, Birmingham AL was high on the foodie radar. Forget that Food & Wine magazine moved here(Southern Living is located here as well), Birmingham is home to a James Beard award winning restaurant, a diverse and contemporary food scene and more than a couple places for Cheap Eats. Now if you saw our episode in Birmingham, you already know about one heck of a meatloaf plate and a meaty grilled cheese fit for a Cajun. But in my time in Bham, I found a few more contenders, so let's take a look at even more Cheap Eats Birmingham! (more…)

Welcome to Cheap Eats Buffalo, the season finale of Cheap Eats Season 5 and a huge strike off the Cheap Eats bucket list: I ate Buffalo wings IN Buffalo NY! You knew there would be wings but did you expect serious taco and cupcake game? I sure didn't. Throw in some French Toast that were literally on a roll and you have one fine day of Cheap Eating in Buffalo. Well, enough of the chit chat, time to take one more bite out of Cheap Eats Buffalo! (more…)

Food Halls are the Gastropubs of the 2010s and that food trend is fine by me. While deceptively pricer than the casual food court like seating might imply, Food Halls allow you taste some of the most noteworthy restaurants a city has to offer in a single visit. After taking Cheap Eats to Atlanta, I learned quickly that the ATL has serious dining game and its certainly apparent in these two Atlanta Food Halls. Krog Street Market and Star Provisions are both formidable havens for foodies in their own right, though each have their own distinct feel. Which one comes out on top for Bang for your Food Hall Buck? Scroll down and find out! (more…)