By: Zach Geldert
Have you eaten Kraft Dinner for your past 7 meals? Are you tired of Mr. Noodles? Does that Michelina’s ‘dinner’ sitting in your freezer make you want to puke? If you have answered yes to any (or all) of the above mentioned questions fear not! We at the Cadre have put on our thinking caps and loosened up our belts a notch to provide our readers with affordable alternatives to sitting at home and shoveling bland tasting and artificially flavoured food. So for a moment you can forget about the fact that you are balling, and eating, on a university student’s budget. We have even broken down the affordably priced spots based on food type so that you have a chance to mix up your food choices.
Sushi – The best bang-for-your-buck for sushi in Charlottetown is Mr. Sushi. Located on Great George St., Mr. Sushi offers 16 pieces of sushi (the special big sale) for only $8.95-$9.95 (depending on the sushi combo). With that kind of a bargain you should not be going hungry, nor will you be regretting choosing this authentic cuisine over that minute-rice in your barren cupboards.
Chinese Food – Sorry China Garden, while you are well priced and great tasting at 2:30am, the best tasting while remaining reasonably priced Chinese food in Charlottetown goes to The Noodle House. Located off University Avenue, The Noodle House is well regarded for its authentic quality and great prices, with lunch specials going for $9.50 and Combos (egg roll, chicken balls, and chicken fried rice) going for $9.25. With plenty of options on their menu everyone should be able to find and affordable meal that beats KD and hot dogs any day of the week.
Pizza – This was one of the trickier food choice to decide with plenty of pizza places around town who all offer a good deal. Honorable mentions go to Jack’s (huge slice and pop for $5) and Dino’s. However, the most affordable way to curb your pizza craving is by getting it from Domino’s. Domino’s is located on University Avenue near the police station (not that any of our readers know where that is) and offers a vast selection of toppings and crusts to suit all tastes. The key to getting a stellar deal is ordering the pizza online and putting in the promo code 50STDNT at the checkout to receive 50% off your entire purchase. You do not even need to pay for your order online! Simply order the pizza and choose to pay in-store. While we understand that everyone has their preferred pizza there is no doubt that this is the best deal in Charlottetown.
Best Burger – Honestly, this is a toss up. We could not come to a consensus about which burger is the best. We tried to think of restaurants outside of the chain stores however it is hard to beat paying $1.80 something for a burger. Therefore, my advice is to go to all the fast-food chains and order their value menu burger because at the end of the day they all taste the same, make you regret eating three, and still taste better than a freezer-burned Michelina’s Noodle Stroganoff.
Indian – This was one of the only unanimous decisions amongst the Cadre staff. The best Indian cuisine goes to The Himalayan. Located just off University Av. close to Dairy Queen, The Himalayan offers a wide range of curries, notably their Tibetan Chile Chicken which comes to a grand total of $12 with delicious authentic naan bread on the side. You can also call ahead and place an order for pick up which gives you a perfect excuse to slip out of class for a ‘bathroom’ break’. If you are looking to seriously spice up your bland food life I strongly recommend you try the Himalayan.
Cheapest Beer – No I’m not talking about Molson Cold Shots. I’m talking about going and getting a beer after another dreary accounting class. If you are looking for the truly cheapest beer and do not mind a different atmosphere, then the Sportsmen’s is for you. Located on Great George St next to Baba’s, they offer beer for just $3.50 a pint. That’s not all that the Sportsmen’s has to offer. They are also one of the few bars in Charlottetown where you can play darts. If you’re going for the 180 there is no cheaper way to do it than for $3.50 a pint.
Breakfast – So maybe you went to the Sportsmen’s, had a few drinks, and then moseyed on down to BG’s (a.k.a the Dirty) and woke up on your floor with a pounding headache. What is the best cure you ask? Breakfast, but not just any breakfast, a selection from the one and only Maid Marion’s. Located on Brackley Point Rd., “Maid’s†has the best, biggest, and most affordable breakfast in town. The go-to is the Robin Hood which weighs down your plate with eggs, toast, hash browns, and your choice of meat and coffee on the side for less than $10. If you didn’t spend all your money form the night before and your pockets are a little heavier, I suggest getting a milkshake as well. This breakfast will provide glorious relief from whatever may ail you on a Saturday morning so that you can finish studying biology in time for Saturday night.
Coffee – Whether you’ve matched with someone on Tinder, met a cool person in class, or are simply running on 3 hours of sleep, getting a coffee is always a great idea. With so many places to choose from how is one supposed to choose the spot that is just right? Once again, the Cadre has you covered. If you are looking to impress someone with your taste in coffee the Cadre recommends going to Timothy’s which is located on Great George St. Timothy’s offers a warm and relaxed atmosphere that makes it easy to sit and have long conversations with whomever you are with. If you are looking for great coffee on the go, look no further than Mickey’s Place! Located in the Student Union building, #4 on the campus map if anyone is still finding their way around campus, Mickey’s serves Starbucks coffee at Not-Starbucks prices ($2.10 for a medium). With a wide selection of roasts to choose from Mickey’s is bound to appeal to all coffee lovers, plus you will be supporting your own student union and providing jobs to students! What’s not to love?
There you have it. We have now suffered through beer and food tasting for our loyal readers. It is a tough job but we do it for you. If you have anything you would like to add, would like to write about your own experiences of feeding yourself on a budget, or wholeheartedly disagree with the aforementioned recommendations please feel free to send us an email at cadreeditor@gmail.com and remember what the D.A.R.E program taught you, just say no to KD and Michelina’s.
photo from: Google