Gourmet Eats on the Cheap

Everyone in their right mind loves food.  But when a nice meal out just isn't in the cards (or the bank), where can you turn?  Chef Roger Greene shared the below list of his favorite money-saving markets that have the best ingredients for great, gourmet home cooking.

SEAFOOD:

1. Sea World, 1130 W Argyle St. - For lobster, Dungeness crabs, tilapia, catfish
2. L. Isaacson and Stein Fish, 800 W Fulton Market - Excellent fresh fish, very reduced prices.  Just a few days ago fresh Halibut that smelled only of the sea was easily $10/pound cheaper than at the fancy fish stores further north.

PRODUCE:

1. Stanley’s Fruit Market, 1558 N Elston Ave.
2. Andy’s Fruit Ranch, 4733 N Kedzie
3. HarvesTime, 2632 W. Lawrence Ave.

MEXICAN/SOUTH AMERICAN INGREDIENTS:

1. Guanajuato, 3140 N California Ave.
2. El Mercado Food Mart, 3767 N Southport Ave. - Grass-fed meat at reasonable prices, products from Argentina and South America.

MIDDLE EASTERN INGREDIENTS:

1. Al Khayyam, 4738 N Kedzie - Terrific fresh pita bread, inexpensive spices.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN CUISINE:

1. Tai Nam Food Market, 4925 N Broadway - Noodles, shrimp, everything you need for Vietnamese and Thai cooking.
2. Sun Wah Bar-B-Que, 1134 W Argyle - Peking Duck, BBQ Pork, cheaper than buying a raw duck. Good for use in stir fry, very inexpensive.

I’m sure there are many that I have missed, but I have explored all of these and each one is a culinary adventure and a money-saver.

- Roger Greene, ‘Dinner Is Solved’ Personal Chef

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