It’s impossible to get into trouble in NYC when you don’t have any money. I’m talking about the good kind of “trouble” … eating out, gallivanting into the wee hours of the morning, celebrity posse members, VIP tickets, etc.
I’m sure you can find all sorts of bad trouble without money, because you don’t have money … but as I’ve said, I’m a good girl (most of the time).
I always swore that I’d be the type of girl who chose food over cloths. Aged balsamic vinegar over manicures, and good red wine over two buck chuck. And I am … although my resolve is loosening a tad. After spending 8+ hours a day in a kitchen wearing chef whites, all I want is nice blow dry, a Vogue, and a glass of (good) wine.
I can’t help it, I want it all! I want the stocked pantry with real vanilla beans, Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs, fleur de sel, AND the nights on the town, fabulous dinners at openings, and cab rides now and then.
Where does it give?!
Well for one thing, cooking for one isn’t very fun, so when I’m at home, I keep it simple. The goal is one new recipe a week, which is easy. Expensive, but easy. Any person (notice I’m not saying “chef”) on the Food Network who says you can cook a meal for four under $10 can bite me. You can’t.
Yes, if you have ingredients in your pantry already, you might be able to cook for under $20. Under $10, in New York? You gotta be kidding me. Especially if you’re trying to eat REAL food. Near impossible, but hey, I’m just telling you a pepper grinder alone in a grocery store runs you about $6, and that’s not even an ingredient included in most recipes, it’s expected!
What you can do for under $10 a day is pick your battles. It’s just like holiday eating … you can have your gourmet cheese, but you can’t take a cab. You can get your nails done, but don’t go out to dinner. As I said, pick your battles.
I’ve comprised a list of the easiest ways to enjoy the city’s best food without breaking the bank, enjoy!
Have Your Cake and Eat it Too
1. Eat out at the “hot spot” restaurants either for lunch or right before the dinner rush. The lunch menu offers less expensive items that typically are on their dinner menu. If you eat late in the afternoon, there’s no crowd, you can linger, and might even be given something “on the house!”
2. Stick with the appetizers. The good thing about appetizers is that they usually include starches and proteins in an assortment of cooking methods, so you can satisfy any mood or craving. They’re smaller, better priced, and usually best demonstrate the chef’s creativity.
3. Drink (tap) water. I know it sucks. But trust me, two glasses of wine and you won’t care what you’re ordering, or realize that you’re already about $30 in the hole. If you want to drink, go to happy hours, they have drink specials at happy hours.
4. This holds true with salads, desserts, coffee, and tea. This part kills me, because I love having salads out, and following a good meal with coffee and dessert. $12 for a salad? Desserts, same deal. $4 for coffee and tea? Tea is a tea-bag with water … really $4?
5. Sit at the bar. Bar menus offer “bar snacks” which usually are even smaller portions of appetizers already on the menu. Here you can eat AND drink, since most of your money can be spent on booze.
6. Gourmet trucks are a great way to have a quick and cheap bite without emptying your wallet. No tips necessary!
7. Go to a grocery store with a list. Don’t shop without one, or you’ll walk away with things you don’t need or want.
8. Frequent the farmers markets, at the same time, and to the same vendors. They’ll start to recognize you and give samples and insights to food finds.
9. Become friends with people who like to eat out, cook in, and drink well. People who work in the business tend to know loop holes, befriend them. Usually they’ll be up for searching for well-worth-it foods at a great cost.
10. Never EVER pass up a free drink for a handsome (or ugly, sorry, I mean I am poor) man, skip work paid cocktail hours, free appetizers, gallery openings, catered events, hand outs, whatever. You never know where the next big thing will come from right?
If there is ONE “celebrity” chef I could be it would be Ina Garten. She’s the cat’s pajamas. Swap the adorable Jewish husband who eats everything she makes for a tall, dark, handsome Catholic that eats everything I make. The barnyard style house of the East End for a southern colonial in Charleston. And the soiree of gay men for my dearest best friends. Done!
Three of the Petite Fours were my responsibility, three were my partner’s. One was combined. For one of my original three, I was inspired by Ina, specifically her Fleur De Sel Caramels. So instead of using the recipe the school provides, I used hers. And it was better, way better. In fact, during my evaluation, the chef said that this recipe was better than the school’s and should be used instead. WOW, huge compliment, go Ina … and ME!
