We told you about this little Times Square gem in the second issue of Budget Travel, and it's maintained its high standards (and low prices). Good as always are the $3 aushak (boiled flat dumplings filled with scallions and smothered in a savory yogurt, garlic, and ground beef sauce); bolanee pumpkin (also $3; it's a fried turnover filled with delightfully sweet mashed pumpkin, again with a yogurt sauce); a house salad with sinful mayonnaise, yogurt, and herb dressing (included with every entree for no extra charge); and any of the kebab dishes ($8.99 lunch, $10.99 dinner). And be sure to try the homemade condiments placed on each table - both the cilantro and the red pepper sauce add a nice tart note. The decor is straight out of Aladdin: colorful rugs covering the walls and tabletops, bejeweled pointy shoes hung like trophies, and Afghani memorabilia galore. There's even a little tent room in the back, where you recline on decorative pillows as you dine, emir for a day.

Blockhead's Burritos 499 Third Avenue (Midtown east). $7.95 for soup and salad, burrito, soft drink; from $12 for other two-course combos. For other locations, see below

Also at 954 Second Avenue (East Side), in Worldwide Plaza, 50th Street between Eight and Ninth avenues (Theater District), and 424 Amsterdam Avenue (Upper West Side), this is a slick, stylish group of restaurants providing budget havens in otherwise expensive neighborhoods. Blockhead's riffs upon the cuisine of Mexico with glee. In addition to the traditional quesadillas, tacos, and fajitas (all good and reasonably priced) they offer a tangy Carolina BBQ burrito as well as a hot and spicy Jamaican jerk chicken burrito ($8.50). Other diversions from the norm include the option of cutting your calorie and carbohydrate intake by substituting whole-wheat tortillas, brown rice, and tofu "sour cream" for no additional cost. The meal price above is for their seemingly never-ending lunch and dinner specials, which, although not listed on the menu, are consistently offered on sandwich boards outside each restaurant.

Lemongrass Grill 2534 Broadway (Upper West Side)/80 University Place (Village)/37 Barrow (West Village). Appetizer and entree from $9.45

Thai restaurants have been sprouting like dandelions all over New York for the past decade or so. None, however, have been quite as successful as this popular New York chain. Its secret? Authentic Thai cooking in a whimsical "jungle hut" setting and prices a few dollars lower than most of their competitors. There are no clunkers on the menu, but I'm partial to the peppery gai tom kha soup ($2.50), the peanut-dressed salad kaek ($3.50), rice noodles pad thai ($6.95), and gaeng khiao wan ($8.95), a green curry with chicken, basil, eggplant, and coconut milk.

Gabriela's Mexican Restaurant 685 Amsterdam Avenue (Upper West Side). A filling Mexican meal from $9

Authentic Mexican food in a festive setting, Gabriela's is the south-of-the-border equivalent of a Spanish tapas (hors d'oeuvres) restaurant. While the main dishes are all excellent and well priced (from $7.50), the best way to order here is to fill your table with a variety of appetizers and just graze. Start with crema de elote y poblano (creamy, comforting corn soup, $3.50), and then dig into delectable taquitos al pastor (mini tortillas topped with shredded pork, pineapple, cilantro, and onions, $2.95). To add spice, try next their delicious tamales ranchero con puerco (shredded pork-stuffed tamales served on a corn husk and doused in a fiery mole sauce, $2.95). If you're still hungry (unlikely), order up a few of their famous tacos ($2.25 to $2.50 each), which range from the standard chicken and beef to chorizo (Mexican sausage), birria (beef with tomato sauce), and lengua (beef tongue). A great place for a party, Gabriela's has a hip-swiveling salsa soundtrack and colorful papel picados (elegantly cutout squares of paper) strung across the ceilings like banners.

Palacinka, A Creperie 28 Grand Street (Soho). Entree and dessert from $10.50

Crepes for dinner and dessert? Absolutely, when they are as delicious as the central European variety (called, not surprisingly, palacinka and made with buckwheat) served at this funky and sophisticated Soho cafe. Fillings include tarragon chicken, goat cheese, and roasted pepper ($7.50); ham, GruySre, and tomato ($7); and spinach with feta, garlic, and lemon ($7). For dessert, you can choose a simple but yummy butter-and-sugar crepe ($4), or one spread with either Nutella, lemon, or lime, or else a strawberry or apricot confiture (each $4). Also on the menu are elaborate sandwiches, salads, and, in winter, soups (all entr,es come with a small green salad).

Chez Gnagna Koty's 530 Ninth Avenue (Hell's Kitchen). Entree and appetizer from $12

Cheerfully decorated with splashy African kente cloths on the walls and tabletops, wooden sculptures, and a large framed photo of Nelson Mandela with President Clinton, this is one of the friendliest restaurants on Ninth Avenue. It is presided over by the gracious and elegant Ms. Koty herself, a Senegalese native, who visits each table more than once in the course of the meal to chat, make suggestions, and answer questions. Our tip: always order what Ms. Koty recommends, as she knows best what's fresh that day. On my last visit, friends and I feasted on the yassa chicken ($8), tender breast meat in a mustard, lemon, and onion sauce that tastes as good as it sounds; fried bananas ($5) which come with a scrumptious tomato dipping sauce, nicely marrying the sweet and tart of this dish; and a chunky and wonderful fish soup ($5). Also good on the menu: maffe (a peanuty stew made with either lamb or chicken, $7.50 to $8.50), their large house salad ($3), and any of the couscous dishes ($9 to $9.50).

Hallo Berlin 402 West 51st Street (near Theater District); 626 10th Avenue (near Theater District)

German entree and appetizer from $9.50 Not the spot for vegetarians, these two little restaurants glory in meat, meat, meat, all prepared German-style. Both places are tricked out in the style of a Berlin beer garden (albeit much smaller), with umbrellas covering picnic tables and walls festooned with fake grapes and leaves, along with metal beer placards. As you'd expect, the sausages are top-quality and featured (from bockwurst and knockwurst to Berliner curry, $2.50 to $10), the Wiener schnitzel a delight (at $11, with a nice side of tart wine-marinated sauerkraut, red cabbage, fries, and a string bean and cucumber salad); and the sauerbraten savory ($13.95). All entrees come with a bowl of hearty soup, included in the price, as an appetizer.

Republic 37 Union Square West (Flatiron District). Appetizer and entree from $9, heavy on noodles

A scene, plain and simple. Out front: a frenetic singles bar, patronized by the models, photographers, and other trendy types of the area. Out back: a surreal Maoist fantasy of a restaurant, with large communal tables and benches for diners, oversized photos of beautiful people draped with noodles on the walls, and black-clad waiters with a single red star on their T-shirts. The menu is a tribute to pasta dishes from around the world, with some noodle-less grilled selections available (although these tend to be a tad dry). Favorites include the spicy coconut chicken broth noodles ($8), watercress salad with a delectable lemongrass-ginger topping ($3), salmon sashimi salad ($4), BBQ pork over cold vermicelli ($8), and chicken udon: thick noodles with peanuts, chicken, cucumber, and bean sprouts in a coconut milk and spinach sauce ($7).