Just spent the last few days in Portsmouth for my older sister’s wedding, and boy, do I have some reports on the restaurants I ate at! First things first: the cheapest meal I’ve ever had was at The Page (formerly The Sports Page) at 172 Hanover Street. We went there Thursday night for my sister and her fiancee’s “Jack & Jill” bachelorette party, and I split the Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip with my brother, which came with plenty of tortilla chips and cheesy, greasy dip. Washed down with one too many $2 drafts of ANY draft beer of my choosing, we also decided to split a personal Cheese Pizza, made with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil for a mere $4, thanks to the Thursday night special. The pizza was crispy and full of fresh, Italian flavor, although the thin crust could have used less flour.

On a more expensive note, Saturday night, for the fancy wedding party meal, we ate at The Oar House right on the water at 55 Ceres Street. Mind you, we were a party of 20, so we had one waitress for each side of the table which made the experience organized and as relaxing as possible, even with two 2-year-olds in attendance. The prices were sky high, so I split the Baked Brie with peach and melon conserve and toast points ($14) with my boyfriend, and we each got a salad as our meals. I opted for the Mixed Field Greens salad ($8), which was topped with red onion, dried cherries, crumbled blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette, while my boyfriend ordered the Beet Salad ($10), which came with only four beets, giant artichokes, chick peas, red onion, and parmesan peppercorn dressing over peppery arugula. Delicious meals, despite the price tags, and enjoyed with great company. My only heads up: I took my 2-year-old nephew to the ladies’ room for a necessary diaper change, and the bathroom lacked an also necessary changing table.

Finally, after the reception Saturday night, we all stopped at Gilley’s for a cheeseburger with pickles, mustard, chopped white onions, and ketchup. These burgs are served out of a trailer, basically, that was chocked full at midnight with bar hoppers and meat lovers alike. Well worth the 30 minute wait, as well as being able to witness the several liquor-fueled arguments that ensued in the long line.

25 years is a long time, so why not celebrate such an achievement for an entire 12 months? Well, T-Bones and Cactus Jack’s have done just that. The local chain continues to celebrate its quarter century anniversary by allowing all kids under the age of 12 to eat free at their restaurants the last week of summer. Starting August 23rd and ending August 30th, participating locations include T-Bones in Bedford, Derry, Salem, Laconia and Hudson, as well as Cactus Jack’s in Manchester and Laconia. Items on the kid’s menu include the standard grilled cheese, hot dogs and the kid’s cheeseburger, as well as a roast turkey dinner for those with bigger appetities.

Manchester’s got another new restaurant, but this time, it’s a pizzeria. North Side Pizzeria is now open at 108 Webster Street, and this joint is not offering any fancy “extras.” Thankfully. No, you won’t see American chop suey or shepherd’s pie on this menu - North Side simply offers pizza, calzones, subs (hot and cold), salads, and a few sides. Cheese and pepperoni pizza are available by the slice, and North Side has enough of a variety of toppings and specialty pies to make anyone happy. Everything from bacon to banana peppers to eggplant can be plopped on a pie, and gourmet pizzas include buffalo chicken and four cheese. Don’t feel like driving there? Free delivery is available with a $10 minimum order.

Signing up for restaurants’ e-mailing lists is crucial if you want discounts on your birthday. Being in the food-eating business, I am on quite a few local eateries’ lists, and received many deals on my own day of birth giving me a free dessert with purchase of an entree, or even half off a second entree. However, the best discount I received was from one of the most high end restaurants in downtown: Black Orchid Grille. The fine dining establishment offered me one free entree - no catches - and the deal didn’t expire until almost a month after my birthday. I took advantage of this $30-for-free gift last night. Needless to say, free food has never tasted so good. I decided on the Mint and Black Pepper Lamb Loin drizzled with red wine demi glaze, topped with gremolada, all resting on top of crispy yogurt polenta. I like my steak bleeding, so I asked for the lamb cooked rare, which made the meat incredibly juicy, flavorful and moist. A perfect birthday dinner (3 weeks later), indeed.

Manchester’s got another new Mexican restaurant, but this time with a more authentic twist. Empanadas, at 168 Amory Street, is serving up traditional Mexican eats, as well as some popular Spanish fare. The eatery is take-out only, and is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The cultured joint is cooking up the usual fajitas, nachos and tacos, but will also be treating locals to more Spanish-inspired meals, like their empanadas (hence the name of the place), which are pastries filled with cheese, meat and/or veggies). Pasteles, stuffed meat pastries wrapped in masa (made of green bananas, plantains, and yautia root), also grace the menu. Not authentic enough for you? Empanadas also serves paella on Fridays, and even has dessert empanadas, like the Cherry-filled and the Cinnamon Apple Tart Empanada. For your convenience, visit their website to place your order.

Our society is obsessed with eating healthy, and as the health benefits of coffee continue to be controversial, why not sample some tea? We know tea is good for you, with all its antioxidants - and it still packs some needed-for-survival caffeine. Luckily for the health conscious and ignorant alike, the Merrimack Public Library is holding a lecture on the health benefits of tea tomorrow, courtesy of Danielle Beaudette, owner of The Cozy Tea Cart in Brookline. Beaudette will teach tea sippers how the beverage can improve health, while offering up some tea samples. The best part? The event’s free. It starts at 7 p.m., so skip your after-work cocktail and go for some body-benefiting tea. Call the library at 424-5021 or email them at mmkpl@merrimack.lib.nh.us to make a reservation.

Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse (located right across from Kohl’s in Nashua) is jumping on the cheap eats bandwagon that its restaurant chain counterparts have long been riding on. In my opinion, however, Bugaboo’s new deals might just be the best discount for the most food yet. For under 7 bucks…$6.99, to be precise…diners get soup, salad, two cookies and an entree. The deal’s only available at lunchtime, and there are six lunch dishes to choose from, including their Smokehouse BBQ Chicken and their Mini-crab & Lobster Burger. This recession-fueled offer is even available Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., giving carnivores plenty of time to enjoy a relaxing lunch for well under $10. Thank you, failing economy. Thank you.

Many of you may not have even heard of Out of the Woods Cafe in Merrimack before, but the wilderness-loving coffee house is tucked away in the Commons Shopping Plaza (right next to London Court). The cafe has a gift shop a few doors down, which was opened before inspiring Jim and Dianne Flowers, the owners, to open the cafe. The cafe is most known for their wide variety of K-Cups (over 200, to be exact), and for those not in the know, K-Cups are single-cup coffee makers that work in Keurig coffee machines. With flavors such as Mocha Nut Fudge, the bold Lake & Lodge, and Caramel Vanilla Cream, Out of the Woods offers customers a slew of brand name coffee goodness, and the K-Cups can even be ordered online through the cafe. However, Out of the Woods is expanding their normal coffee house menu to include carnival-type fare such as hot dogs, fried dough, ice cream and root beer floats. Not sure how these items tie into their overall theme, but during the summer, at least, having another option for a quick, inexpensive lunch is always a plus.

Margarita’s may not serve true, authentic Mexican fare, but their food is nonetheless delicious. Lucky for Marg fans like myself, the local chain has a new Fiesta Zone Menu, served in the bar from 4-6 p.m. and then again after 9 p.m. for a limited time. The Market Burger smothered in chipotle mayo, lettuce and pickled jalapenos is just one item to grace the menu at the tiny price of $5.99, as well as the Island Baby Chimis for $4.99, which are packed with shrimp, pineapple salsa and cream cheese. Sounds like summer deep fried and coated in Mexican flavors - I like it. Oh, and who needs the drive-thru anymore when you can get their new Street Tacos for 99 cents each, with your choice of chicken, pork, ground beef or steak? Wash it all down with one of their new margarita flavors, like the Icy Spicy Margarita, made with habenero and chipotle flavors. Only catch: you have to be 21 or older (or accompanied by an adult) if you want to enjoy these specials, and you must dine-in.

Yet again, the recession works in us foodies’ favors. Saffron Bistro, another upscale spot in downtown Nashua, is now offering a less expensive bar menu from 4 p.m. to close. With items like the Black Angus Burger served with fries to the Lobster Mac & Cheese to the Baked Stuffed Top Neck Clams, prices range from a mere $5 to $16. The bar & lounge area is open Tuesday through Saturday, and this new, more approachable menu is a great way to enjoy one of the most under-mentioned (in my opinion) downtown restaurants. As for the how the bar food tastes…that’s up to your trusted taste buds. Has anyone given it a go yet?