Don’t you want to just run down to Calgary’s River Cafe and dive into this divine tuna dish? (Photos by Helen Corbett)

Really, is there a nicer, cozier place to have lunch on a winter’s day than *River Café, in Calgary’s Prince’s Island Park? The imaginative and immaculately prepared food is usually beyond my road tripper’s budget. But during downtown Calgary’s Big Taste week (on until March 16), I can savour a three-course, scratch-made lunch for the bargain price of $15.

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Maybe the best meatball sandwich I’ve eaten, at Caffe Mauro in Calgary

$13 for a sandwich? That’s why Caffé Mauro, across the street from downtown’s Mountain Equipment Co-op, didn’t make my list of top places to eat in Calgary for under $10. The sandwiches themselves were, and are, superb, reflecting owner and cook Sal Malvaso’s long-time commitment to first-rate ingredients and made-to-order freshness. You can watch him assemble a short list of sandwiches including a beef brisket Reuben and the top-selling prosciutto and bocconcini, piled high on a  baguette.

Two things changed my mind. First, my sister sends me this email: “Seriously, this meatball sandwich is maybe the best lunch in town. Soft, peppery meatballs, sautéed mushrooms, in the softest baguette. YUM!”

Second was the math. When I took home an outstanding meatball sandwich and plopped it on the scale, it topped 1.3 pounds. Unless I wanted to gorge myself, it was plenty for two lunches. So $13 divided by two equals $6.50, which turns into a high-quality bargain.

Caffé Mauro makes a slightly smaller version of said sandwich for $10. Either way, add it to my list of great Calgary cheap eats.

Caffé Mauro
999 8 Street S.W., Calgary
Weekdays 7:30 am-4 pm. Closed weekends

It’s a terrific Peruvian family experience (Nicole, left, and Consuelo, right) at Calgary’s Inti Restaurant

When I hit a lunch buffet, I’m squarely focused on three things: quality,  volume and price. Service? Just point me towards the groaning tables of steamer trays. But *Inti Restaurant, a fairly new Peruvian restaurant in a northeast Calgary strip mall, nails all aspects of a great buffet dining experience, for only $16.

First and foremost, there’s the excellent and rather exotic Peruvian cuisine. It starts with what, for me, is the meal’s highlight, a spicy chicken soup with peas, which I accompany with a tangy squid and shrimp ceviche. Of course, this is followed by two platefuls of pork stew with potatoes and peanuts, rotisserie chicken, savoury kidney beans and fried yucca. Surprisingly, there’s also a tray of ginger beef, a nod to a post-World War 2 influx of Chinese immigrants to Peru; who knew?

A fabulous spicy chicken soup

Purple corn makes an appearance in a house-made fruit drink, chicha morada, and a fruit dessert. Apparently, purple corn is good for high blood pressure. Need more dessert? A friend sings the praises of the coconut rice pudding, but I’m too stuffed to join in.

The usual overflowing buffet plate

Good as the food is, it may be topped by the interaction with our lovely host, Consuelo. Her son, Hans Puccinelli, officially owns the family-run place, but he’s ensconced in the kitchen. That leaves Consuelo to come by with clean plates, menu explanations and suggestions. By the time we leave, we’ve heard about the family’s migration from Peru to Canada, and Consuelo is imploring us to come for a future pisco sour tasting.

Note: Inti is a favourite hangout for star chefs John Jackson and Connie DeSousa, when they’re not busy running their Charcut Roast House.

Inti Restaurant
208, 3132 26 Street NE, Calgary
Lunch Tuesday to Saturday 11:30 am- 2 pm, Sunday noon-2 pm, dinner Tuesday to Sunday 5 pm-9 pm. Closed Monday