$5 food finds

Berenjenas gratinadas at La Tasca

The bill: $5.25

The dish: Fresh eggplant baked with cheese, tomato and herbs

The scoop: La Tasca's eggplant is a good comfort dish. We'd gladly eat it on a rainy day, but would avoid it in the summer. The eggplant left us with a bit of an acidy aftertaste that we didn't want staying with us all afternoon and the tomato sauce is less than inspired. But, the crusty cheese baked over the rest of the dish makes it.

Get your money's worth? This is hearty, filling and well proportioned. Do it.—Amanda Krotki