Cheap eats: 5 dishes to order when funds are low and standards are high

We’ve all been there. Sitting on the couch, exhausted, probably with a thousand-yard stare at the TV that isn’t even on, nursing a deep, gnawing hunger that the half-stale bag of nacho cheese Doritos in your cupboard just isn’t cutting anymore. You’re starving, but the thought of having to actually put together a nourishing meal for yourself and your loved ones makes you kind of want to just go to bed and have sleep for dinner.

It doesn’t help that, if you’re anything like me, these occasions always seem to present themselves right around the time your checking account descends into the double digits. What’s a broke epicurean to do?

Luckily, plenty of spots around Snohomish County have got your back on these dark, destitute days. Sure, pizza delivery and $1.50 Costco dogs are always there for you, but you deserve better. If you can scrounge up $20 or less from the change on your car floorboards and the DoorDash credits lingering in your account, a satisfying meal — with real vegetables and everything! — can be all yours within the hour. Read on to find out which SnoCo restaurants have the art of the struggle meal on lock.

Tasty Indian Bistro, Everett — Palak paneer, $15, and samosa chaat, $9

This Indian joint in south Everett is likely personally responsible for my continued survival through many dark nights. For my money, comfort food doesn’t get much more comforting than a hearty, thick curry, enriched with heavy cream and packing enough spice to let your taste buds know you’re still alive.

My traditional go-to is the chicken tikka masala ($18), but if you’re looking to maximize your cost-to-flavor ratio, turn to the vegetarian North Indian classic palak paneer ($15). The bright green curry is every bit as flavorful and zippy as the tomato-based takeout classic, but swaps the meat for cubes of paneer, a firm Indian cheese that offers a satisfying, salty chew without the added expense of chicken.

Another bonus? The dish gets its striking color from plenty of spinach, so you can pull a toddler trick on yourself and get a hearty helping of veggies without even realizing it. Your mom would be proud.

For those times when your wallet is really under some strain, let me clue you in to a secret: The samosa chaat ($9) is technically an appetizer, but punches well above its weight. Traditionally a street-cart snack, the dish combines a crispy potato pastry with a rich, spiced sauce loaded with chickpeas and finished off with yogurt and mint and tamarind chutneys. It’s shockingly filling, and shockingly delicious.

Tasty Indian Bistro, 510 W Casino Road, Ste. A, Everett. Check website for hours. 425-267-2444; tastybistroeverett.com.

Raliberto’s Taco Shop, Stanwood and Everett — California burrito, $11

I first discovered this Mexican fast-food chain on a trip through the Southwest last summer, stopping many a time for late-night rolled tacos and burritos at outposts across Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. Imagine my thrill when I learned these masters of budget dining had locations in Snohomish County — one in south Everett and one in Stanwood.

Wherever you run across their iconic bright-red barns, you know you’re in for consistent quality, friendly service and, above all else, plenty of budget-friendly options. They’re open late, with Stanwood’s drive-thru serving breakfast burritos and quesadillas untill 10 p.m. and Everett’s open untill midnight. The only thing keeping them from struggle-meal perfection is that they don’t offer delivery, but service is so speedy you’ll be in and out with your craving of choice before you know it.

Fans often tout their rolled tacos — crispy tubes of beef and beans rolled up tight in a crunchy tortilla that come in batches of five to 20 — as the ultimate in cheap convenience food, but I always make a beeline for the California burrito ($11). You’ve got all your main food groups covered: protein (thinly sliced carne asada), carbs (french fries), veggies (fresh lettuce, tomatoes and chopped onions), plus dairy (sour cream). It’s practically a health food, one you can eat one-handed in the car at 8:30 p.m. What more could you ask for?

Raliberto’s Taco Shop, 8924 271st St. NW, Stanwood. Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. 360-629-2000.

Bubba’s Roadhouse, Sultan — Bubba’s Fat and Cheap Breakfast Jam, $9

Just about everything on Bubba’s menu qualifies as “cheap and delicious,” well worth the gas you’ll burn driving out to Sultan. Craving chicken and waffles? They have it every morning for just $14, topped with the syrupy, hot-sauce-infused house “Chicky Sticky” sauce. Need a big, juicy burger or a steaming bowl of ramen to cure your lingering hangover? They have it in spades, with nearly every topping you could dream of. For the veggie-minded among us, Bubba’s even serves up a bountiful salad topped with bleu cheese, bacon and balsamic glaze for only $9.

But if you’re seeking bang for your buck, it’s hard to top the aptly named Fat and Cheap Breakfast Jam. Every weekday from 9 a.m. to noon, get your choice of ham, sausage or bacon, eggs your way, hash browns and toast, all for $9. It’s basic, but it’s probably your granddad’s favorite for a reason; it’s a balanced meal that’ll keep you running through the rest of your Highway 2 road trip or refuel you after a brisk hike up to Cherry Creek Falls. Use the cash you saved to splurge on a pancake with strawberries and whipped cream (or three, $12) on your next trip.

Bubba’s Roadhouse, 31702 U.S. Route 2, Sultan. Open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 360-793-3950, bubbasroadhousebarngrill.com.

Gyro House Mediterranean Cafe, Everett — Falafel value meal, $13

There is no shortage of affordable, delicious fast-casual halal restaurants around Snohomish County, from the ubiquitous local chain Gyro Stop to Gyro Crush and even Gyromania in Everett. Gyro House, next door to Fresa Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar on Everett Mall Way, is my personal favorite, thanks in part to their value meal deals. Plus, the interior is cozy and relaxed in a way many other gyro shops aren’t due to space constraints, and I always enjoy basking a little while in the sounds of the TV playing quietly in a corner of the dining room and quiet conversations emanating from other booths.

Choose from meat options like classic beef-and-lamb gyros or chicken shawarma, or — again with the budget-motivated vegetarianism — go for the falafel, which Gyro House does better than any other halal shop I’ve tried in the area. For $13, you can get a handful of the crispy chickpea patties along with a fresh salad of tomato, lettuce, cucumber, onion and feta and an order of fries. Take my word for it, you’ll want to splurge on the extra $1.50 to make the fries Greek — topped with garlicky tzatziki and chunks of funky feta. And even when funds are tight, I admit I can’t resist the pistachio baklava ($3) tempting me from the glass case next to the register. You’re worth it.

Gyro House Mediterranean Cafe, 620 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett. Open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. 425-513-1884, gyrohousewa.com.

Rise and Shine Bakery, Edmonds — Shredded chicken banh mi, $6.50

Members of our SnohomDish Facebook group know that banh mi and pho, often served out of the same tiny storefronts along with other Vietnamese delicacies, are a tried-and-true solution for good eats on a budget. The number of restaurants around the county serving up incredible takes on these basics is almost too high to count, and everyone’s got a personal favorite (Herald reporter Ben Watanabe stands by Yummy Deli in Everett, for one).

Rise and Shine, just a couple miles down Highway 99 from me, has quickly risen to the top of my own list since I gave it a try last week. For one thing, you absolutely cannot beat the price and quality: sandwiches range from $6.50 to $10, and owner Mai Tran lovingly crafts each and every component herself, from grilling slabs of marinated pork belly to baking fresh baguettes each morning.

She clearly pays close attention to the banh mi eating experience, slicing off the crusty bread ends so your first bite is loaded with savory meat and crunchy herbs and vegetables. And Tran’s menu features a few firsts for me, as far as banh mi fillings go, from five-spice marinated tofu to the garlicky, juicy shredded chicken that’s quickly taken up residence in my little food-lover’s heart. The sandwich is perfectly balanced between the tangy, spicy pickles and jalapenos, a generous handful of herbaceous cilantro, and still-slightly-warm chicken.

And if you really want to gild the lily, stop by early in the day to nab one of the daily selection of sweet and savory pastries ($2.75-$3.50) in flavors ranging from young coconut to taro to pork floss and cream cheese.

Rise and Shine Bakery, 23030 Highway 99, Edmonds. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; closed Mondays. 206-574-8330, riseandshineedmonds.com.

Riley Haun: 425-339-3192; riley.haun@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @RHaunID.