March 2004 Dirt Cheap Eats

Don't expect white tablecloths. This place is more storefront than cafe, but at $3.18 each, the empanadas, which feel like hand-held pot pies, are a delicious and uber-cheap way to dine. Try the Jamaican Style, stuffed with ground and chopped beef, onion, potato, and curry, or the chorizo version, packed with Spanish-style sausage, rice, and black beans. Choose from a long list of Dixie-cup-size salads--including cucumber and onion, black bean and corn, and chopped tomato--at $1.15 a pop. Add a pear-nectar juice and plop down in one of the outdoor seats. Open until 3:30 AM Fridays and Saturdays.