Torrisi Italian Specialties   (Photo: Ryan Monaghan)

Amma
246 E. 51st St., nr. Second Ave.; 212-644-8330
$50 gets you a whopping seven courses of true Indian home cooking, not the trumped-up fusion fare that's become so pervasive.

bär-bō-nē
186 Ave. B, nr. 12th St.; 212-254-6047
Choose from a five-course tasting menu for $39 or a five-course pasta one for $37 at this hearty Italian restaurant.

Chestnut
271 Smith St., nr. Degraw St., Carroll Gardens; 718-243-0049
Chef Daniel Eardley offers a Tuesday and Wednesday $30 prix fixe that feels like a gift.

L’Ecole at the French Culinary Institute
462 Broadway, at Grand St.; 212-219-3300
A classic fallback: five courses for $42—prepared by students in their final stages of training.

Torrisi Italian Specialties
250 Mulberry St., nr. Prince St.; 212-965-0955
The $50 four-course dinner is a tremendous bargain, and a serious delight. In the realm of red-sauce cooking, it’s nothing short of revolutionary.

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