Hello,

I am traveling to the Loews South Beach for 5 nights on business towards the of July.

I have three free nights for dinner. Looking for ideas near the hotel in the $40 range for meal. I believe one night I am going to Cafeteria, but the other two are up in the air. Open to any cuisine.

Thank you for your help.

Cheap Cuban place across from the Delano-- El Viajante Segundo. Dirt-cheap (for South Beach) and really good.

Puerto Sagua (Collins around 7th) is really dirt-cheap Cuban grub, no atmosphere and just good eatin'.

Front Porch Café is on Ocean in the Penguin Hotel (north of 14th), about two blocks walking from the Loews. Best breakfast in South Beach, and their dinners are actually good too.

There are a couple of Thai places on Washington-- one is next to a record store/head shop, and I really like it. I think it's called Thai House.

If you feel like going a bit farther south on Ocean, A Fish Called Avalon is a great seafood place with very reasonable prices. It's in the Avalon Hotel (Ocean and 7th).

I think that Tiramesu on Lincoln Road will also come in under $40 a person. Italian food-- reliably tasty, good portions. Nexxt Café would also be a possibility.

I'm sure other ideas will come in, but these are just off the top of my head. Anyone else...?

rjw, thanks so much for the great suggestions.

We enjoy Joe's Stone Crabs ..it's probably a bit more than $40.00 but certainly worth it. Food is excellent and lots of celebrities go there. Their url is http://www.joesstonecrab.com/findus.html

DavidsII .off Lincoln Road, has tasty cuban food but I think they have caught on to the Lincoln Road craze to charge absurd prices for their food. I will certainly go there for coffee con leche.. and lastily the News Cafe is always a good place for food and people watching. I suppose I am just burnt out on Lincoln Road Restaurants .

In addition to the above (David's II has two locations) my favorite is The Forge in Mid Beach around 44th.