Dining Features

It’s too early to be busy, but a handful of regulars are already steeped in domestic beer at Walter’s in Tosa. I’m emptying the contents of a miniature bottle of red wine into a glass and am ready to move to the next course: “I’d like to order a pizza.…” From the other side of the bar, the tender looks at me behind eyeglasses too big for her face: “You gotta wait till 6 o’clock when the guy comes with the -pizza oven.” Gotcha. I synchronize my watch. At the stroke of 6, a guy walks in the back door toting a little counter-top contraption he plugs in behind the bar. It’s Pizza Night, and this little buddy is responsible for some unexpectedly delicioso thin-crust pies. Sausage and cheese, if you please.

Welcome to our biggest, belt-bustingest budget dining -story ever. Forty places to eat honest, true-as-our-town food. You want a great Reuben? We’ve got it. Healthy vegetarian food? Right here. Something a leetle beet French? Mais oui. We put our 10 bucks (sometimes just $5) to the test. And man, we got better mileage than a hybrid car.
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Quick Picks
When you’re out of time and low on cash, these six restaurants serve quality eats without slowing you down or emptying your pocket.

1. Sammy’s Red Hots You can’t beat $1.89 for a scrumptious Chicago-style dog — that’s with mustard, relish, pickle, onion, tomato and peppers. Four locations, but I like the classic West Allis shop: 10534 W. Greenfield Ave., 774-0390.

2. Ja’stacy’s Restaurant For fried catfish, black-eyed peas, sweet potatoes, collards and peach cobbler — comfort food when you need, well, comfort. $8-$10.95. 2370 N. Martin Luther King Dr., 264-9054.

3. Hopsheng Gourmet Good Singapore rice noodles ($8.88) and moo shu pork ($7.95) on the Chinese menu. 2428 N. Murray Ave., 906-8888.

4. Coquette à la Car English translation: Hand-delivered kitchen-to-sidewalk service on your carryout meal at -Coquette Cafe. Just place your order (try a caramelized onion and black olive tapenade flatbread pizza, $8.50), pull into the loading zone in front of the Third Ward restaurant, let them know you’re there and voilà. Available Mon-Fri 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 316 N. Milwaukee St., 291-2655.

5. The Gyros Stand These gyros are loaded with juicy, spit-roasted lamb and onions. Be generous with your yogurt sauce ($5.25). 1110 E. Oklahoma Ave., 747-1103.
6. xel-há Worth it for the Mexican sauces — almond, pumpkin seed, mole de Oaxaca, tomatillo and others on pork loin or chicken breast ($9.50). 2301 S. Howell Ave., 294-4848.

Weekly Wonders
If you miss these deals on Tuesday, Wednesday or whenever, there’s always next week.

1. Taco night . Bars from Walker’s Point to Oconomowoc observe the ritual. But Seester’s Mexican Cantina distinguishes itself from the greasy, bottom-of-the-batch joints by taking three of the regular-menu tacos — ground beef, chicken tinga and pot roast-like steak — and running them at $2 each. Mmmm. 161 W. Wisconsin Ave., Pewaukee, 262-746-9400.

2. You can’t argue with a two-for-one, unless the first one isn’t good enough to make you want two. That isn’t the case with Scotty’s Bar & Pizza . The weekday lunchtime two-for-one burger deal is swell. A flavorful inch-thick burger with or without American cheese and onions comes on a decent Kaiser-type bun with fries ($4.75, plus a quarter for cheese). Mon-Fri 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 3921 S. Clement Ave., Bay View, 481-6060.

3. A friend of mine calls Izumi’s Friday night fish fry the town’s best-kept secret. She might be right. It ain’t stingy: For $9.95, your place setting welcomes three pieces of decent -breaded fried perch, two fried drumsticks, a scoop of mayonnaise potato salad and cucumber salad, three slices of a California roll, rice, miso soup and — wait, there’s more — a glass of plum wine. If you’re still hungry, there’s something wrong with you. 2150 N. Prospect Ave., 271-5278.

4. The only thing better than a pizza is more pizza. Unlimited -pizza. Who’s got it? - Ricardo’s , which regularly packs its environs for the purposes of pie. On Monday night, the buffet at this smoke-free joint comes out, and with it the mandate of all-you-can-eat pizza and garlic bread ($7.95 adults; reduced rate for kids). Pizza varieties from Mediterranean to Hawaiian are up for grabs. Just don’t expect taco or BLT. Nobody likes wilted lettuce. 5627 Broad St., Greendale, 421-1980.

5. Buffets ordinarily have more lows than highs. But the tone is different during middays at Carini’s la Conca d’oro . The vegetarian lunch buffet is small enough that the staff keeps the chafing dishes moving (rather than letting the food sit there, burning to the bottom of the pan). And overall, the $7.95 spread is fresh, agreeable and looks like this: five cold salads, two soups and four hot items (one usually includes meat). Tues-Fri 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 3468 N. Oakland Ave., 963-9623.

Classic Cheap
These buddies have made our bargain dining list for years. Here’s why:

1. Hooligan’s Eat upstairs or down, at a table or the bar with your fellow Hoolie-ites. How has this East Side bar earned the rights to a title like “classic”? For having a made-for-the-masses menu. It’s big, it’s meaty and it includes daily specials like jambalaya, hot roast beef on French and spicy chicken and crawfish salad. Does Hooligan’s really need 10 chicken sandwiches on its regular menu? Yes, and 12 burgers, including ostrich and veggie versions. White- and blue-collars share the air and the ketchup bottles (for Hoolie’s respectable medium-thin fries). $5.95-$8.50. 2017 E. North Ave., 273-5230.

2. Speed Queen Bar-B-Q Once you have the pork shoulder at this not-a-bit-superfluous-looking establishment, you become a snob. It’s shredded up in a sweet barbecue “zaws” and plunked on a piece of average white bread ($8.83). It’s just plastic utensil food, and that’s exactly what it should be. The menu includes dinners (shoulder, tips, chicken, et cetera), sandwiches and “half & halves.” $7-$10 average. 1130 W. Walnut St., 265-2900.

3. Real Chili I don’t know if this is a science or an art form or just a meal in a bowl. Probably just the meal, but people take Real’s chili seriously, ordering it with spaghetti, beans, cheese and raw onions and doctoring it up with sweet and hot vinegar available in cruets on the table. Then folks bury the melted-cheese top in oyster crackers, crushing them up and stirring till the chili’s so thick you can’t turn the spoon anymore. Some people do chili dogs, but frankly, I don’t see any sense in mixing up a pup in this matter. $4-$6. 419 E. Wells St., 271-4042, and 1625 W. Wells St., 342-6955.

4. Oakland Gyros In college, I discovered how good spit-roasted lamb, raw onions and cucumber sauce inside a pita tastes at 3:00 in the morning (forget about the aftereffects of the onion). The gyro sandwiches here are great, plentiful on the meat, the pita like a soft mattress. But when you look at the price of the sandwich ($4.50) in comparison to the plate ($6.70) — and the plates include olives, pepperoncini pepper, feta (you must have feta) and either rice, French fries or salad — it’s the plate all the way. Oakland’s chicken shishkebabs are a fine choice, too. $2.50-$7.80. 2867 N. Oakland Ave., 963-1393.

5. John’s Sandwich Shop People don’t come here to look at the interior (from my table, I glanced up at a broken glass shade on the ceiling light fixture nearest me). It’s small but serviceable — chairs a little rickety, carpet a smidge worn. Tosa folks treat it as their own. The place percolates on weekend mornings; the grill takes on everything from chicken, burgers and omelets to grilled cheese, patty melts and BLTs. My best bet comes from the perky quesadilla section — spicy Caribbean jerk chicken ($8.95). $2.95-$8.95 average. 8913 W. North Ave., 257-9347.

6. Benji’s Jewish deli food is therapeutic. Benji’s matzo ball soup has nursed me through colds. Its hoppel poppel ($6.75) and lox omelet ($7.25) have given my soul a boost when nothing else would. Frilling things up in this well-broken-in place means different pictures on the walls. You get a friendly “Hey” from the guy slicing and serving up carryout corned beef as you pass through the entrance en route to the lunch counter. And you won’t go wrong with a deli or grilled sandwich like the turkey pastrami Reuben ($8) or a messy creation called The Gonzo — corned beef, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, lettuce, tomato and Thousand Island dressing ($8.75). $5.25-$9 average. 4156 N. Oakland Ave., 332-7777, and 8683 N. Port Washington Rd., 228-5130.

7. Bella’s Fat Cat So bad and yet so good. You know what I’m saying. There’s no mistaking burgers, fries and chocolate shakes for anything grown in tilled soil. The bad food urge is -usually unpredictable. When it comes on, the Fat Cat takes care of business. The thin, effortlessly chewable burger grazes the edges of its soft, oversized bun. Fries are the ketchup-scooping type. You’ve come this far, so you may as well have a malt or shake, too. Maybe you have a set of bigger clothes for days like this. $4-$6. 1233 E. Brady St., 273-2113; 2737 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., 747-9746; and 2974 N. Oakland Ave., 431-8480.

8. Kopp’s The classic drive-in that fills its parking lot even on frigid days, Kopp’s is a no-brainer destination for comfort food: burgers wrapped in paper sleeves, chicken sandwiches, fries and frozen custard (chocolate peanut butter chocolate — just kill me now). Owner Karl Kopp installed some initially controversial Fiberglas cows in a grazing area behind the Glendale restaurant, begging the question, “Art or advertising?” Oh, art definitely. Just like Kopp’s turtle sundae. $2.65-$4.95. 5373 N. Port Washington Rd., 961-3288; 18880 W. Blue Mound Rd., Brookfield, 262-789-9490; 7631 W. Layton Ave., 282-4312.

Real Cheap
These low-overhead joints concentrate on what matters most: the food.

1. Cielito Lindo The priceless chrome counter and stools from its diner past are the dose of Milwaukee in a place that otherwise feels very Mexican. The chunky spicy red salsa is extraordinarily good (in the city’s deep sea of salsas), served complimentary with chips. And the steak in sweet/spicy green tomatillo sauce could be the best thing on the menu (it’s extensive, and I’m still working my way through it). I also wouldn’t think twice about ordering the tamales or enchiladas in red or green sauce. $4.99-$10.99. 733 S. Second St., 649-0401.

2. Ujala Delight Preparing Indian food is time consuming, but A. Waris Khan cooks to order instead of making ahead of time and reheating. Consequently, the beautifully seasoned sauces, rich chewy breads and flaky samosas (fried pastries stuffed with meat or veggies) taste fresh, really fresh. The ginger, turmeric, cumin and fennel seed haven’t had time to fall asleep; the clarified butter hasn’t picked up off-flavors. To enjoy Khan’s food in this sparse restaurant accented with rock-filled vases on each table, call ahead to speed up the process. The tomato/bell pepper Masala sauce, available with chicken or okra, is outstanding. $5.99-$7.99 average. 730 W. Mitchell St., 383-0786.

3. Sobelman’s Pub & Grill Earlier this year, Dave and Melanie Sobelman’s Menomonee Valley bar won a Mayor’s Design Award for its building façade spruce-up, charming 1899 brick edifice that it is. Inside, it could be like any dark, humdrum bar with a low ceiling and lots of smokers. Reggie White’s jersey hangs in state on the wall, and the jukebox waits for someone to push its buttons. Sobelman burgers have vocal fans. The patties don’t have the same to-die-for tender, resilient buns of years past, but they clean up well — which is to say, get them as fancy as you can, with cheese, mushrooms, bacon and such. The chicken sandwiches are good, too. $4.50-$7. 1900 W. St. Paul Ave., 931-1919.

4. Bombay Sweets A ray of light from my last Cheap Eats story (in 2001), this low-budget-looking operation makes sensational Indian/Pakistani vegetarian food for very little dough. One side of the white room is the “sweets” — a snack counter of Indian confections and savory, crisp mixes. To get in on what diners are eating out of Styrofoam containers at the red-and-turquoise booths, look up at the sign on the wall closest

to the sweets. Most things start with a starch — fried lentil patties, assorted flat breads and dosas, thin pancakes made of rice flour and lentils or farina. With them, you’ll have a savory, turmeric-yellow or rusty-red, soupy sauce made of lentils — I love the oniony, mustard seed-studded ones made with chickpeas and yellow lentils — and a cooling yogurt condiment or coconut chutney. It’s encouraging what this place can do with your three or four bucks. $2.99-$4.99. 3401 S. 13th St., 383-3553.

5. McBob’s National food magazines have virtually canonized McBob’s for something as mundane as a Reuben sandwich, but clearly the dive bar (in the most reverent sense of the word) has not let foodie infatuation go to its head. It’s not strange to see cops standing just inside the door, not -casing the joint but waiting for a sandwich. Down the bar, a Hotel -Metro chef and MPS teacher are drinking at 3:00 in the afternoon. It’s the Erin-go-bragh spirit. Did I mention those Reubens? I’ve never had better — heavy on lean, mouth-wateringly moist corned beef inside twin slices of buttery grilled rye bread — but I don’t eat them every McBob’s moment I get. There’s the famous “Irish taco” (chicken or ground beef), chili, fish fry, burgers and always more. $3-$9.75. 4919 W. North Ave., 871-5050.

6. Riverwest Co-op Café Vegetarians are challenged in our city, but places like this small cooperative grocery store’s counter-service café, with its limited, imaginative roster of meal makers, prove that you don’t have to down -pasta primavera everyday. It might be stretching it to say carnivores won’t miss the meat in a tempeh Reuben ($5.75) or -seitan Philly ($6), but then again not. A favorite $3.50 eat for me is the fresh spring roll, a rice paper bundle of sweet-sauced tofu, rice noodles, carrots, cucumber, mint and cilantro served with crunchy peanut sauce. Read Riverwest Currents at one of a hodgepodge of tables with thrift store hipsters or get your black bean burrito to go. $3-$6.50. 733 E. Clarke St., 264-7933.

7. Phan’s Garden I’ve mentioned the pho (Vietnamese soup) several times in the past and, so as not to mislead you, I’ll add that this pastel-pink Garden has many more flowers on the menu than its fragrant pho. The cuisines in Phan’s repertoire are Chinese and Vietnamese. Smart diners go for the Vietnamese dishes — lemongrass chicken, stir-fried creations and various hot pots of meat (or fish), noodles and vegetables in aromatic broth. $4-$9.95. 1923 W. National Ave., 384-4522.

8. Villa’s I remember when I first ordered the guaraches — homemade corn tortillas served open-face. You always remember your first time. Thicker and 100 times better tasting than commercial tortillas, these bad boys are dusted from middle to edge with lettuce, tomato, cheese and applicable meat (try steak or spicy pork, $7). Also stars: enchiladas (in green sauce, if you can handle the heat) and nifty breakfast items like huevos rancheros ($5) and chilaquiles ($5) — fried tortillas topped with ranchero sauce and cooked eggs. $3-$10. 2522 W. Greenfield Ave., 672-1943.

9. The Philly Way Across the counter, the clerk is writing down my order, signaling a second later to the short-order cook. The kitchen haze is hungry. It envelops everything in this tight, unadorned box of a takeout joint, making grease brothers of me and the guy whose order is just ahead of mine. I watch my cheesesteak sandwich come to life under the cook’s flipper. The chopped meat sizzles on the fry pan, the onions hiss loudly as they hit the oiled surface. He takes a sliced hoagie bun seven inches long and lines the inner chamber with cheese (provolone, American), scoops in the slick steaming steak and fried onions, and all that’s needed is a shaker of salt. They’re not fancy in the accouterment department. $5.50-$6.50. 405 S. Second St., 273-2355.

10. Walter’s If you live in Tosa, you know Walter’s — dated-looking place with vinyl bar chairs, sports pennants, a pool table, cigarette smog and a devoted clientele. I’d heard about this place for many moons before I finally had my first Walter’s burger — a half-pound Black Angus with cheese, please (Swiss or mozzarella, $4.75). Protected by a sturdy bun, the chargrilled patty is pretty darn good. And boy, are they friendly here — hence the loyalists. Walter’s also runs specials — -pizza (Wednesdays), tacos (Thursdays), all-day fish fry (Fridays) and ribs (Saturdays). $4-$8. 6930 W. North Ave., 774-0440.

Keeping Up Appearances
If having atmosphere is important with your thrifty meal, you got it.

1. Poco Loco The diner that this space occupied in its last life left Poco Loco a gift: a serpentine retro lunch counter, which accounts for most of the seating. And in the event you’re thinking, “Drat, I gotta sit next to people I don’t know — do I have to talk to them?” you need not worry. You can sit mutely, if you like, but the upbeat staff will make it hard to do. The walls are Santa Fe colorful, which carries over to the plates and bowls. The menu isn’t long or elaborate — the one you can hold in your hand is straight-up burritos, tacos, quesadillas and ensaladas. The board on the wall gets crazier, in the sense of shellfish enchiladas, tamales and tacos with high-brow fillings like swordfish. Best eats: steak and bean burrito and tilapia tacos topped with romaine lettuce and tangy cilantro-lime crema. $5-$9.95 average. 4135 W. River Ln., 355-9550.

2. Thai Kitchen You can almost overlook Thai Kitchen on this block of affordable restaurants. Without being fancy, the restaurant’s neatly set white tables and cream tile floor feel fresh and tidy. Small operations like this tend to be more neighborhood (rather than city) joints. East Siders embrace it. They’re smart to do so. The vegetables and meats aren’t overlooked, and fresh herbs and seasonings impart robust flavors. I order the nua nam tok (beef salad) and fierce jungle curry as spicy as I can stand them, but it’s perfectly acceptable to go mild. Majority: $5.95-$9.95. 2851 N. Oakland Ave., 962-8851.

3. Bar Lulu As part of the cement holding Bay View -together, Lulu helped give South KK its first push as the street began its renaissance. First came the warm café, a George Webb once upon a time. Next came the airy, kinda funky adjacent bar, once a used bookstore. The vibe in both rooms is conducive to nothing fussier than sandwiches and salads. I wouldn’t want to see styled plates of tuna tartare. What always seems to hit the spot: Mediterranean steak pita ($7), Moroccan chicken sandwich ($7) and rustic Tuscan salad ($7.25). With sammies, you also get Lulu chips or Asian slaw, both homemade and yummy. $6.25-$8.75. 2265 S. Howell Ave. 294-5858.

4. Apollo Café Suppose you want a quick counter-service Greek meal with a little more hullabaloo in the décor department than Oakland Gyros. What do you do? You go to Apollo. The Greek god of light is immortalized in the thematically designed interior whose colors call to mind islands along the sea (contrast this to Wisconsin in December). This stuff is a salt-lover’s dream, especially the beef-stuffed grape leaves and lemony Athenian chicken with dynamite seasoned potatoes. $2.85-$9.45. 1310 E. Brady St., 272-2233.

5. Hi-Fi Cafe The yard sale-like ’60s/’70s décor is delicious. Founder Sage Schwarm sold Hi-Fi in 2004 to open a cool trading company called Luv Unlimited across the street. Back at Hi-Fi, the menu is going strong — stronger, if you’re a plant eater. My favorite eats are the gloriously feta-y spinach pie (with pita and Spanish rice, $6.50) and the Genie sandwich (for sprouts and hummus lovers, $5.75). Go to town on -other high-fidelity finds: Greek pizza, “Muffalata” calabrese, The Lonely Bull (an ex-travaganza of nachos), veggie chili and so on. $3.75-$10.50. 2640 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., 486-0504.

6. Aladdin When owner Azmi -Alaeddin left Plankinton and Wells, leaving the full-service restaurant behind, his -prices went down, too. The cafeteria feel of the new Aladdin is offset by the -quality Middle Eastern food. On weekdays, Alaeddin runs his business lunch special: lamb, chicken, vegetarian and other combo plates ($5.95). Otherwise, you can -order his best-known dishes — tender Ozzie lamb sprinkled with (wowsa!) fried onions and toasted almonds, and chicken biryani — to enjoy under photos and relics of faraway lands. $5.95-$7.95. 202 W. Wisconsin Ave., 271-9870.

7. Nessun Dorma The name? An aria by Giuseppe Verdi. But a friend of mine started calling this laid-back, over-the-river bar “Norma Desmond,” and now I do, too. On mild-weather days, the door is open and neighbors in -whatever they’ve pulled out of their closet come strolling in for a Riverwest Stein and a bite. The menu is the same whether you sit at the handsome dark-wood bar or at a table — simple tapenade-and-bread appetizers, a few salads, a pack of panini and the specials somebody’s written on the chalkboard (soup of the day, meatloaf, lasagna, cheese tortellini with olive sauce, cheesecake). Norma is the antidote to hideouts with apple martinis and Nicole Richie wannabes. $6-$10. 2778 N. Weil St., 264-8466.

8. The Palomino Similar to its sister, Comet Cafe, in its penchant for carby, rib-stickin’ foods, the Pal is a pool table-and-beer bar. I’m guessing that about 90 percent of the menu is fried. What gives it my plug are the vegan/nonvegan sides that come with every dinner and sandwich. “Two sides, one sauce” is the incantation. With your Southern fried chicken or chicken-fried tofu, you could have hushpuppies, Tater Tots and -habanero hot sauce, or fried pickles, potato -salad and vegan pinky sauce. The possibilities are mind-numbing. A few to ponder: the Blue Pig, a half-pound burger stuffed with Gorgonzola and bacon ($8.95); and a BLT with avocado on sourdough bread ($6.95). Can you tell I like bacon? $6.95-$10.95. 2491 S. -Superior St., 747-1007.

9. Jacques’ French Café I like to tell the story of almost breaking a tooth on a sandwich called pan bagnat. It and I were in Provence, France. The sandwich was riddled with luscious Provençal olives, unpitted, as I quickly learned. Jacques’, a one-minute walk from the Allen-Bradley clock tower, lives in part of an old bowling alley and serves pan bagnat without hard pitty olives. A little whimsical, the corner dweller has a great, centrally placed bar for the diner and people watcher. Crêpes, whether you want sweet (caramelized apples) or savory (roast beef mushroom), are worth the caloric splurge. And the sandwiches — from the pan bagnat ($6.95) and pâté ($8.50) to saucisson (salami, $6.50) — start with a good crusty baguette. This is a French place, after all. $5.75-$9.95 average. 1101 S. Second St., 672-1040.

10. Ardor Pub & Grill The two-year anniversary of this below-street--level restaurant came and went last summer. If you don’t know Ardor, regardless of its glowing name, you can’t light up here. Relieved of the cloud of smoke that settled during its terms as John Hawks and Benjamin Briggs pubs, -Ardor is unequivocally handsome — if you like the dark wooden saloon look. And even though the menu is bar food — appetizers, wraps, grilled sandwiches and burgers — they put some thought into it. For vegetarians, the Portobello or veggie burgers, hummus wrap and black bean burrito jump out. Anything in a bun or tortilla comes with two sides — the house French fry mix (russet and sweet -potato) and mac and cheese, baked beans, corn or coleslaw. Points given for the pulled pork sandwich. $5.49-$8.99. 607 N. Broadway, 224-1476.

11. Comet Cafe Last summer, the new Comet was unveiled — bigger and, some might say, better. It has a bar, nonsmoking seating, Ho-Ho cake, a ball-shaped turkey dinner (see it to believe it), meatloaf with beer gravy and so much more. Most things in this universe are under 10 bucks and, after a few flicks of the salt shaker, have the flavor you desire. Chef Adam Lucks makes homestyle, Mom’s kitchen slow food. That means the pastry on the pot pie and sauce in the mac and cheese are from scratch. Bonus: It’s very vegan and vegetarian friendly. Meatless meatloaf? Yup, and it ain’t bad. $5.25-$10 average. 1947 N. Farwell Ave., 273-7677.