Budget Crunch: 7 delicious deals to devour now

Got $10 and a friend? Then contributor Kevin Korinek has seven tasty deals to try now.

1. La Patisserie Chouquette goes all out when it come to Turkey Day with its signature Turducken croissants. These warm, buttery pastries are filled with mouthwatering, crispy duck skin, chicken and turkey, surrounded by cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce and fried onions. With gravy available on the side, it's a complete handheld Thanksgiving meal. These $7 treats are only available on Saturdays in November, and it’s first come, first serve – so get there early.

2. Happy hour is even better at Sardella. Gerard Craft’s restaurant recently updated its menu with some budget-friendly drinks and snacks to enjoy from 4 to 6 p.m. Try a variety of drinks from house red wine to a cold pint of Perennial White Impala, all $5 or less. While you’re there, nosh on $5 toasted ravioli or an assorted array of $6 bruschetta bites.

3. Guerrilla Street Food is making friends this month, offering weekly collaborations with a few St. Louis favorites, including farmers market favorite, The Tamale Man. This week, $4 gets you the Tamale Man’s take on a bubuto – the Filipino tamale – that includes roast chicken, coconut milk, annatto seed, rice flour, masa, dried shrimp and a hard-cooked egg wrapped in a banana leaf and corn husk.

4. The Royale launched a new light lunch menu this month that's big on taste and Budget Crunch friendly. For $8, pick two items – a main dish and a side – or pick three for $10 and add an extra side. Choose from mains like a taco, single cheeseburger or a vegetarian hopping John cake, then select sides like a green salad, chips, cup of soup, mac and cheese or a health-conscious Brussels sprout salad.

5. Get a jump on the Christmas shopping this year and get something in return. On Tuesday, Nov. 14, DiGregorio’s Italian Market on the Hill hosts a free fall wine tasting just in time for the holiday season. Sample more than 25 wines and try delicious hors d'oeuvres and signature entrees while perusing a variety of holiday gift baskets.

6. Coming in at $8, The Goat is a must-have favorite from hip Cherokee Street coffee shop The Mud House. This delicious little veggie sandwich is sure to have you asking for more. Cold slices of cucumber are stacked atop greens and a creamy goat cheese spread and topped with beet chutney on toasted wheat. It’s a light, refreshing bite for your lunch break.

7. ’Tis the season of giving, and Niche Food Group is looking to reward your generosity during the month of November with its Cookies for Cans drive to benefit Operation Food Search. Dine-in guests can bring a canned good or nonperishable food item to any of Craft’s five restaurants and receive a free banana-butterscotch-oatmeal cookie from Sardella pastry chef Sarah Osborn.

Kevin Korinek is a freelance writer and photographer with a passion for making homemade pie.