By Chris Cox

For the majority of college students there are two functional ways to dine: a penny-pinched meal of salty noodles, or ditching the cutting board in favor of a meal prepared by others. Since convenience often prevails, it is handy to know where to find a decent dish that won”t break the bank. Fortunately, Louisville offers many fine delicatessens which provide both succulent cuisine, and mass proportions to quell the hunger pains. It”s a choice of quality vs. quantity, although you don”t always have to sacrifice the former to obtain the latter. Knowing when to hit certain eateries is the key, as a meal fit for a king (well a college student anyway) can be found affordably at most points of the day. Here then, are the right places at the right time:

BREAKFAST:
Twig and Leaf Restaurant: with food just like mama used to make, this might just be the best meal you”ve had in a while. Down-home cooking at its best, Twig and Leaf serves more than a slice of pie; it”s a little slice of life. Try one of their many omelets, made with your choice of meats, and you”ll never utter the phrase ‘moons over my hammy’ again. The service is friendly without pretension, evident in the coffee cup consistently filled to the brim. Combining great food with a neighborly atmosphere you rarely find anymore, Twig and Leaf is a real diamond in the rough. Now all they need is a waitress named ‘Flo.’

Shoney”s: whether you”re the post-hangover or after Church crowd, Shoney”s packs in heaping helpings without emptying your wallet. Their all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet runs the gamut from bacon and eggs to cereal to pancakes, and for those larger appetites, back to bacon and eggs again. Just don”t plan on eating again for the rest of the day, as this gut-buster of a meal can fill your tank with a couple of helpings. Recommended for those who just can”t seem to get enough biscuits and gravy.

LUNCH:Bearno”s at U of L: celebrating the choice of food for college students everywhere, pizza reigns supreme at Bearno”s. For only $5.99 their all-you-can-eat lunch buffet is a steal when compared to the more pricey meals offered elsewhere on campus. The buffet runs from 11:00-2:00 Mon.-Fri., but hitting the buffet line may be prolonged once you get a bite of their mouth-watering cheese sticks. However, the pizza is high end, without the extra cup of grease pizza joints seem to tack on. The five cheese and double-layered pepperoni pies induce salivation of a Pavlovian nature. Easily the best food on U of L”s campus.

Los Aztecas: the standard for Mexican restaurants in Louisville. Aside from the usual free chips and salsa, Los Aztecas features a lengthy list of lunch specials, encompassing pretty much any dish that one could imagine. The menu also features a la carte items, as well as other savory dishes. ‘Delicioso’ and ‘grande’ are two ways to describe their quesadilla, with amounts of meat and cheese that dwarf those found at the fast food places. A fiesta for the taste buds.

DINNER:Wick”s: although the college crowd usually relates Wick”s to nothing more than a bar, they have a menu second to none. Specializing in pizza, Wick”s offers thick, hearty pies with a new spin such as Barbeque chicken and fajita. Even the appetizers do more than their share to dampen appetites. The stuffed Bredwick is a massive breadstick filled with cheese and pepperoni, and the buffalo wings come in both hot and mild, for the timid and the tenacious. At the cost of a value meal, there”s no reason to try and supersize anywhere else. For those wishing to wet their palates, Happy Hour runs from 4:00-7:00 with specials on 38 bottled drinks, and 16 drafts. Cheap beer and pizza? Enough said.

Jolly Mon”s: a sports bar and tropical dive rolled into one, Jolly Mon”s is one of the more overlooked dining experiences in Louisville. A burger and fries spot if there ever was one, Jolly Mon”s serves the kind of thick burgers Hardees only wishes they could make. The menu also includes Caribbean dishes, great if you”re there for a game, or for a round of karaoke. Jolly Mon”s is decorated as if it were a living monument to a Jimmy Buffet show, but the food easily steals the scene. Even standard dishes, such as chicken fingers, seem as lively as they can be without clucking. It”ll make you want to break into a rendition of ‘Margaritaville.’

LATE NIGHT:La Bamba: if there”s a better way to soak up a round of Miller Lites, I have yet to find it. If you haven”t at least commented on the ‘burritos as big as your head’ sign, then you haven’t experienced one of Louisville”s finer points. The sign makes good on its claim, with burritos, tacos, and inexpensive Mexican food that has even Taco Bell running from the border. Conveniently located within walking distance of many Bardstown Road bars, it”s the perfect place to feed your face after a night on the town.

White Castle: for every one person that hates their greasy little burgers, there are about two dozen who can”t resist their allure. But your choices aren”t limited to just burgers. The cheese fries and chicken rings make for excellent late night sustenance. Although if you”re here past 3 a.m., you”re probably not too concerned with quality. The bottom line is this is about the only place you can get a full meal with the change you find in the cushion of you couch.