Frugal Fare #1: CJ Lunch Box

"Frugal Fare" is going to be a new feature on Foodhogger, where we'll cover the more affordable places to dine for lunch/dinner in Toronto and still get great food & service.

CJ Lunch Box (but everyone refers to it as "Lunch Box") is one such place. 

Location:

409 Richmond St., W, Toronto (Spadina/Richmond)

Cost: under $10 (cash only)

There used to be something else in it's place, but I can't recall what it was (anyone remember?) and now it's very clear what's there. 

 

Lunch Box is a small lunch time spot serving little containers of sushi, deep fried chicken, noodles, edamame and dumplings...for as little as $3 - $5!  What a steal (and tasty too)!  These days business is booming and it's our first in Foodhogger's : Frugal Fare.

Salmon sushi with chicken combo $5.97 (with free miso soup)

Veggie Dumplings: $3 - a bit on the greasy side, but it makes a good side or snack.

Although Lunch Box has started increasing their prices (almost everything is one or two dollars more than before), the raised cost hasn't seemed to deter the crowd.  The line-ups are almost always curled around the counter in the tiny restaurant, where in cafeteria-like fashion you pick your boxes.  

Chicken? $4.

The staff are cheery and highly efficient (one at the cash register, one packing your lunch, one making the sushi, one warming the dumplings; there's at least 6-7 people behind the counter).  Not to mention that the turn-over is so high, the food's fresh.  In fact, if you don't see any more sushi of your desire, they'll roll it up for you in 2 min!  (Sushi connoisseurs  [of which, I am not one] beware: it's not gourmet sushi, but it's great for lunch)

Salmon sushi $4

There are also a handful of tables if you wish to dine there, with a newly added flat-screen TV playing concerts by different artists everyday (last time it was Celine Dion and before that Beyonce) to keep you entertained. 

Also, I hear that with every purchase you get a free miso soup but I will have to confirm this (as I found out only after my purchase, sans soup) and this should be relatively easy considering I'll most likely be back there next week!

They're open from 11am to 5pm on weekdays only - so if you wanted some chicken or noodles to take home after work, you're out of luck.  I think they would do well to stay open for dinner, but then it would have to be called CJ Lunch/Dinner Box...which doesn't have the same ring to it.

Ravi Soups

Location:

322 Adelaide St W, Toronto

Cost: $10.99 (used to be $9.99) for combo (soup & half wrap)



Soups shouldn't cost more than a few bucks, right?  Wrong where Ravi soups is concerned!  But, consider it the HIGH end of soups where your soup eats like a meal...isn't that what Campbell's Chunky soup advertisers want you to believe?

At Ravi Soups your soup contains ingredients fancier than basic peas, noodles and chicken broth....instead, you will find wild rice, curried lentils, thai basil and lemongrass. 



It's ironic that we should have ended up at RaviSoups the day after my Mildred's Temple Kitchen mishap, 'cause as it turns out Ravi Kanagarajah is the former Mildred Pierce soup guru!  However, here there is none of the snootiness that MTK expansive temple was festooned with.



There is a bit of a line-up but it moves quickly as the 'to-go' soups are packaged into brown paper bags and delivered to the eagerly awaiting. 

Back at work, our soups and wraps are still piping hot and ready to be devoured.

My porcini mushroom and wild rice bisque (the only non-dairy soup on the menu) was a bit greasy looking with all the truffle oil, but looks are certainly deceiving 'cause it was deeeeeliiiiiicious! 


Very hearty with all the chunks of porcini mushrooms; overall a really nice flavour.  A little hard to digest for some me, they say porcini mushrooms can have that affect on people.

My "roasted free-range chicken with roasted yams, baby spinach, caramalized onions, tomato chutney and chipotle mayo" wrap was divine!  The combo was certainly a lot of food; I saved half my wrap for later. 

The Chicken hot pot soup - a winner according to my friend who had it.

The Corn Chowder, garnished with crab, crispy shallots and thai basil:

I have not heard a single negative thing about RaviSoups!  If you want soup, this is where to get it - it's really worth the $10-13 for lunch.  If that's a bit steep for you, I hear everything (incl. the combos) are half price on Fridays between 5 and 6pm.

Hey, Soup's on!