Diet for a Thin Wallet

If you work at Wards or have your money tied up in Nasdaq stocks, this isn’t shaping up as the happiest of new years.

But take solace. You’re not alone. The great economic boom of the ‘90s shows signs of lurching to a halt, accented by constant reminders by the incoming Bush administration that the dreaded “R” word--recession--may appear on the economic horizon. Wall Street is static, utility prices are shooting through the ozone layer and now we’re stuck with having to pay for that stuff we bought on credit for the holidays.

It kind of makes you lose your appetite.

Well, maybe not, but it does make you wary of spending the equivalent of the average annual salary in Nepal for dinner. New, frugal options are needed, ones light on the purse but not on quality.

Good news--cheap eats abound in Orange County, with choices ranging from family-style chains including Denny’s, Coco’s and Carrows to neighborhood taquerias, which are so ubiquitous in these parts you need drive only a short distance to find one.

In fact, it’d be easy just to reel off the laundry list of good, affordable Mexican restaurants. But there’s more to frugal feasting than that. Pretty much every type of ethnic food offered in Orange County restaurants comes with a low price tag. Here’s a guide to some of the best.

I’d be remiss to not offer one Mexican entree. Taco Mesa is the rare place that maintains ethnic authenticity while preparing lighter, relatively healthful fare. Here you’ll find some of the better Mexican food in the county, from a savory chile verde ($5.99) to the popular enchiladas de mariscos ($6.49), in which two red corn tortillas are filled with crab and shrimp and topped with a sweet tomatillo cheese sauce and avocados.

The specials are where the most creative cooking is found, with such choices as a feathery lobster cream soup ($4.29) and, a personal favorite, the tacos alambrados ($6.99): grilled steak, bacon, peppers, onions and cheese. Taco Mesa doesn’t skimp on portions and keeps prices low with counter service and the use of plastic plates and utensils. 647 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, (949) 642-0629; 22922 Los Alisos Blvd., Mission Viejo, (949) 472-3144; and 3533 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, (714) 633-3922.

Peruvian food continues to grow in popularity as new restaurants serving this diverse cuisine pop up. One of the better and more affordable places is Korikancha, hidden in an east Santa Ana strip mall. Peruvian is an amalgam of Spanish, Asian and Incan cookery, and Korikancha covers all bases, with most meals well below $10. There are some excellent surf and turf entrees, such as the picante dishes that blend walnuts, onions, tomatoes and milk with shrimp or other seafood with delicious results. One fine steak dish showing the hallmark Peruvian diversity is the tallarin saltado de carne, in which a fried steak is mixed with spaghetti and a spicy pesto sauce. In addition, you can feast on large, savory bowls of seafood or beef soup for $6.50, or dig into a dinner of a rotisserie-grilled half chicken seasoned in chiles for $6.95. 1714 E. McFadden Ave., Suite A, Santa Ana, (714) 543-3600.

Zubies Dry Dock is ground zero for thrifty diners who want cheap, fresh slabs of grilled fish, mounds of peel-and-eat shrimp or thick, chewy pizzas. If you don’t mind peanut-shell-laden floors or red-and-white checkered tablecloths on picnic tables, you will enjoy one of the best seafood values in Orange County.

The day’s catch is listed above the counter, with standard choices such as mahi-mahi ($9.95), salmon

($10.20), halibut ($11.95) and sea bass ($11.95). Considering the quality, you’ll get a thick, fresh cut of fish here for a lot less than what’s offered at most high-end seafood restaurants. And no place can match the massive 32-ounce porterhouse steak for $16.95. In addition, Zubies’ oyster bar features high-quality raw oysters, calamari and shrimp for $7.50 and below. And then there’s the pizza, made in one size--large--and costing $9.75 with as many as eight toppings. On Monday nights, this same pizza is $3.75 if it accompanies a pitcher of soda or beer. And on Saturday mornings, breakfast burritos with sides of rice and beans are 99 cents. 9059 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 963-6362.

Outside of a barrage of Bob Marley photos and posters, Irie Jamaican Restaurant may be humble in appearance, but it serves some of the best jerk chicken in Southern California. Add mounds of white rice and black beans to this spicy meat, and you have a full meal for only $6. That’s the standard cost for most dinners at Irie, where some of the specials are hard-to-find, down-home Jamaican dishes such as oxtails, ackee and salt fish, which is sauteed with tomatoes and onions. Other choices include curried goat, steamed fish, and fried dumplings and meat. This small, mom-and-pop restaurant may not make the Zagat guidebook, but all of the filling dishes are prepared with soul. And what’s lacking in extravagance is made up for in low prices. Two can easily dine here for less than $15. 9062 Valley View St., Cypress, (714) 484-0661.

Pakistani food as it’s served at Bismillah Halal Tandoori Restaurant melds the best of Persian and Northern Indian cuisine and offers them at unbelievably low prices. One house specialty, the shami kebab made of ground beef and lentil, costs only $4. In fact, all entrees cost less than $7, except for the tandoori lamb chops and shrimp masala at $8. Bismillah’s best bet is its savory curry dishes, especially the lamb shahi korma, made with a rich, spicy sauce that makes your mouth tingle. Standard Indian favorites such as chicken tikka masala and chicken jal frezie are cooked with a subtle touch, but if you want to add some heat, try the nihari, a Pakistani specialty of cubed beef swimming in a hot and richly spicy sauce. You’ll need some basmati rice with this one, which should be no problem, because a large bowl of it costs only $2.25. 8901-D Knott Ave., Buena Park, (714) 827-7201.

While the Guinness and Harp flow freely at Patsy’s Irish Pub, the quasi-authentic Irish food is another reason to come to any of its three Orange County locations. Dining here can easily cost less than $10 per person, especially if you fancy the thick, meaty sandwiches such as the grilled Reuben ($6.95) or a traditional corned beef on rye ($6.25). The Irish specialties cost a wee bit more, but the portions are almost too large to finish.

The lightly breaded fish and chips ($9.95) is made with flaky Icelandic cod filets, and the Irish stew ($9.45) comes in a bowl nearly the size of a hubcap. In this stew, braised lamb, red potatoes, carrots and onions swim in a light, salty broth. And the de rigueur corned beef and cabbage ($9.95) is heavy on the lean beef and light on the cabbage, as it should be. Since Patsy’s is a pub, stay for the live Irish music on the weekends and maybe another Guinness. 28971 Golden Lantern, Laguna Niguel, (949) 249-2604; 25571 Jeronimo Road, Mission Viejo, (949) 587-0253; and 545 Westminster Mall, Westminster, (714) 891-4522.

Little Saigon teems with good, cheap places, and one that stands above the fray is Thanh My. As with many Vietnamese restaurants, the menu here is vast, with upwards of 200 dinner choices. Most cost less than $7. The rice and noodle dishes are particularly inexpensive, averaging less than $5. The rice dishes come in a bowl with spicy selections such as sauteed shrimp in a curry sauce and chicken with lemon grass and hot chile.

Among the specials, I highly recommend the bo nuong xa, featuring spiced grilled beef with lemon grass, assorted vegetables and rice paper in which to wrap it. A sweet plum dipping sauce comes with it. In addition, there are scores of soups, casseroles, porridges and vegetarian dishes, all thoroughly authentic and satisfying. If you’re a beefeater, the bo 7 mon at $10.95 (two orders minimum) is a carnal, belly-packing delight. 9553 Bolsa Ave., Westminster, (714) 531-9540.

By nature, Thai food should be inexpensive, so it follows form that the Thai Pavilion in San Clemente won’t empty your wallet. This funky, pink-painted hole in the wall makes some of the tastiest Thai along the southern O.C. beaches, with sauces ranging from mouth-wateringly savory to tongue-blisteringly spicy. Locals swear by the red curry dishes, but if you’re feeling brave, try any dish with the word “spicy” in it. The spicy mint chicken for $7.95 comes with onions, red chiles, bell peppers and mint--powerful stuff, but the result is delicious. The savory soups are served in massive bowls and easily make for a meal, and you can never go wrong with the fine pad Thai noodles. Entrees range from $6 to $12 for seafood dishes, but portions are large and the quality exceptional. 211 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, (949) 492-1750.