Cheap Eats: Bar Louie

(Credit: Nathalie Voirin)

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While my boyfriend frequently likes to call himself 'economical' by purchasing store brand items and being cost savvy, I call it being cheap. Sure, I'm joking with him (most of the time), but the truth is that either way you look at it, being aware of your spending is a good thing. So, it's no suprise that you'll find us at restaurants with weekly half-priced deals and happy hours like Bar Louie.

The style: Tucked away in the Bay Street area at International Plaza, Bar Louie resembles a trendy and expensive restaurant like the others surrounding it. In reality, it's a laid-back venue where you seat yourself on plush round booths and watch the game on the big screen.

The chow: Their menu is full of appetizers, pizzas, sandwiches, burgers, wings, salads, and other bar-type finger food. Turn the menu over to reveal an entire page of martinis and other specialty cocktails for your more sophisticated side. Luckily for me, eating on a budget doesn't allow for overspending, so I had limits and I was sticking to them.

I started with a cold glass of Sam Adams ($3). After all, it was Monday and their specials were for Sam Adams' Boston Lager, Summer Ale, or Cherry Wheat. Mondays also led me to gobble up ten deliciously tender buffalo wings for 35 cents each. Sauces range from the extremely hot En Fuego to Szechwan, BBQ, or Buffalo. The usual cost for a plate of wings is $7.99, but since I stumbled in on the right day, I only paid $3.50. Cha-ching! I could hear my bank account stacking up the minute I licked my fingers clean.

Of course, Bar Louie has different specials every day, so it was only necessary to make this a week-long endeavour. From 5 p.m. until close on Tuesday nights they serve $2 burgers, made any way you like. The plump, oversized burger was stacked high with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles. And if this didn't stuff you to the max, you could have five bugers for the price that you would pay for one on any other day of the week.

If you are going to eat here during the rest of the week make sure to do it during lunchtime (11 a.m. to 2  p.m.) for their $5.95 lunch combos. I enjoyed an Aged Wisconsin cheddar grilled cheese; full of fresh tomatoes, tasty American cheese, and crisp bacon. It was a nice change from the usual smushed, buttery grilled cheese that I attempt to create at home.

The sip: Happy hour runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day with 2-for-1 drinks and half-priced selected appetizers. It would be somewhat unlawful to not taste a martini ($5)--afterall, martinis must dominate the back of the menu for some reason! Not a martini fan? Stop by on Thursdays in the month of July for $3 'Ronas & 'Ritas (Coronas & Margaritas). For my final bite, I chose the spinach and artichoke dip--a usual favorite. This time, not so much. The chips were salt-less and hard and the dip a bit bland. I would opt for a different app.

The bottom line: It's okay to be economical..er...cheap about your spending. And if you're going to do that, this is the place.

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