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Have fun in NYC without spending a bundle

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Food: For breakfast, a bagel with cream cheese is the real deal. (Don't you dare put jam on that bagel!) And don't ask how many calories it is; just know that you won't be hungry for hours. In many parts of the city, corner coffee carts sell decent java, pastries and donuts for about $1.

A cheap lunch might be a hot dog from a cart, a slice from a pizzeria or a sandwich to go from a deli. Also popular are "halal" grill carts selling falafel, chicken in pita and other Middle Eastern fare for $5 or less.

For a sit-down splurge, try Dawat, 210 E. 58th St., an Indian restaurant with impeccable service and an outstanding menu created by the writer and actress Madhur Jaffrey. There are several $16 lunch specials. Dinner entrees run more but even at night, you can get a half-order of tandoori chicken for $14.

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Supermarkets often sell whole cooked rotisserie chickens to go for under $10. Add a loaf of Italian bread, a readymade salad, and find a park for a picnic for two. Or round up some friends and order a few dishes to share in an ethnic restaurant. Chinatown has many inexpensive restaurants but one of my favorites is Joe's Shanghai at 9 Pell St. You may need a map to find it, but the dumplings are divine. At Aura Thai, 462 Ninth Ave. near 36th Street, panang curry with chicken, beef or tofu is $8.95.

Dessert for two: Split the six-for-$9 selection of truffles and pralines at Max Brenner's, 141 Second Ave. at Ninth Street.

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Neighborhoods: Spend an afternoon exploring. Take the No. 7 train to Jackson Heights and soak up the sounds, sights and smells of the Latin and Asian shops and restaurants. Walk across 125th Street in Harlem. Wander around the Lower East Side, where bargain stores still sell housedresses on racks, but trendy bars and cafes are encroaching on the old neighborhood. Don't forget Coney Island, last stop on the D, F, or Q trains to Brooklyn. If you're tempted by laughter, screams and music from the amusement park, a ride on the Wonder Wheel is $6 while the Cyclone roller coaster is $8. Stroll the boardwalk or wade in the ocean for free.

Big Apple Greeters offers free, personalized tours led by volunteers who love sharing their inside knowledge of the city. Request the neighborhood of your choice or let them surprise you with an authentic corner of the city you might otherwise never see. Reserve three to four weeks ahead.

Accommodations: If you don't have a friend or relative to stay with, the Pod Hotel — 230 E. 51st St. — has some rooms under $200. Or pretend that Sunday is the new Friday, and book a Sunday-Monday stay through NYC Sunday Stays at with room rates 20-30 percent off, free breakfasts and other deals.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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