Why not dine out?

When money gets tight, one of the first pleasures people tend to forgo is eating out. We’ve seen a number of restaurants around town fold under the pressure, too. But just because you can’t spend frivolously doesn’t mean you have to give up the foods you love at eateries you love.

Chico has some great restaurants, and some have deals that make eating out not seem like such a bad idea after all. I’ve done some homework and tracked down some of the best deals in town, keeping in mind varying food genres, and picking one (or two or three) for each day of the week.

Monday: Head to the north of town for a hot, currylicious lunch at Priya Indian Cuisine (2574 The Esplanade). For $9.95, you can enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet of Indian delights, ranging from veggies and chicken dishes to curries and samosas. For that price, make lunch your main meal of the day and pig out—Priya’s food is consistently top-notch, with an atmosphere to match.

Tuesday: Are you ready for some tacos? Chronic Tacos (119 W. Second St.) offers its Fatty Tacos for $2.25 (50 cents more for the fish varieties). Two of these are more than enough for the average Jane—maybe three for Joe. Word is, though, that Chronic is working out a whole new schematic for its Taco Tuesdays, including smaller tacos—for almost half the price. Check out their specials board outside the shop for more info.

Wednesday: Try two-for-one burgers at 33 Steaks, Booze & Jazz (305 Main St.). The restaurant has expanded, and now has a few daily specials including this irresistible burger deal. The offer is good Wednesdays and Sundays, so you can even go twice in one week if you like. If you’d prefer to wear shorts and flip-flops, the Oasis Bar & Grill (1007 W. First St.) has a two-for-one “O burger” special on Monday nights from 5-9 p.m.

Thursday: It’s a great go-out-for-lunch day, and what better way to spend it than to get all-you-can-eat pizza, salad and twists for just $6.99 at Round Table (multiple locations). The popular pizza parlor also offers a family night, also all-you-can-eat, on Tuesdays, complete with face painting and games for the kiddos.

Friday: The end of the week (for most of us) represents a sigh of relief … it’s time for a splurge. Take your honey—or your bff—to 5th Street Steakhouse (345 W. Fifth St.) for lunch. Yes, lunch. It’s the only day of the week the five-star restaurant is open during the noon rush and it offers a completely different menu from what evening diners are used to—sandwiches, salads—all with the same service and ambiance. No matter how much you splurged on lunch (did you get wine or a soda?), Tacos Cortez (1530 Park Ave.) has you covered for dinner. An entire enchilada plate is just $3.70—yep, less than the price of a gallon of gas last summer.

Saturday: Take it easy, it’s the weekend. Head on over to the farmers market and get some good bread, veggies, cheese and meat, maybe some Chico Chai or a tamale from Rosarita’s, and be social. Then whip up a yummy lunch or dinner from what you’ve gathered. If you’d rather not cook (that’s the point of this whole thing, right?), head over to college town, where at Teddy Malibu’s (1002 W. Fifth St.) there are al pastor tacos for a buck (if you’d rather go another day, Monday’s dollar special is shredded beef; Tuesday, fish; Wednesday, beef tongue and Thursday, chicken.)

Sunday: Ah, the much-needed day of rest. And Chico’s day to get over the hangover from the night before. A local favorite is always champagne brunch, which can be found all over town, from the Breakfast Buzz off Nord Avenue to Nash’s 7th Avenue Omelette House in mid-town all the way out to either of the Italian Cottages (2234 The Esplanade and 2525 Dominic Drive). At the Cottage, the added bonus is that the first glass of champagne is free! So you can chow down on some delicious breakfast fare and enjoy a glass (or two) of bubbly to start the day off right.