Back in high school, my friends and I inevitably faced the dilemma of which fine dining establishment to patronize on any given Saturday: TGI Friday’s, The Black-eyed Pea, Village Inn or The International House of Pancakes.

IHOP often won out; it’s cheap, open ’round the clock and we could sit there for hours if we so desired. It got to the point that we even had our own waiter and preferred table at our most frequented IHOP location.

But as amazing as being a known regular at a chain pancake establishment may sound, when I came to Northwestern, I vowed to expand my culinary horizons. In many regards I did diversify, developing a taste for Ethiopian fare, for example.

Still, I couldn’t quite escape the Saturday night groupthink that inevitably led to the threshold of a chain dining establishment, specifically Chilis.

Not that I’m totally against Chilis. It’s like a Volvo station wagon: It’s safe, reliable and it seats a lot of people. But like the Volvo, Chilis doesn’t exactly thrill the soul.

After a meal at Chilis, I experience a vague sense of unease, stemming from 1) the fact that I ate too many non-complimentary chips and salsa, 2) the reoccurring realization that the bigger Bud Light isn’t actually a better deal and 3) the sneaking suspicion that my friends managed to convince me that my meal would be some sort of bargain when in fact it wasn’t.

I don’t condemn Chilis outright. I don’t have a specific vendetta against chains (I actually wish Evanston had a Wal-Mart). But before you commit to another Chilis experience, consider Evanston’s other, often cheaper, more local options.

The first two alternatives that come to my mind are Cozy Noodles & Rice, 1018 Davis St. and Tacos del Lago, 822 Clark St.

Cozy has long been a favorite of mine, for several reasons. One, the atmosphere: decorations composed of Pez dispensers, license plates and colorful tin lunchboxes line the walls. And don’t forget about the Elvis statue. The Cozy atmosphere certainly bests the corporate pub look of Chilis.

Two, the fare is delicious and economically priced-my favorite, a heaping portion of Pad Thai with chicken, beef or tofu for $5.95. You can usually squeeze two meals out of one portion. Oh, and Cozy is BYOB and across the street from Evanston 1st Liquors. Take that, Chilis margaritas. I find that Pilsner Urquell goes great with Thai food, but perhaps that’s just a holdover from a summer spent in Prague, Czech Republic. Bonuses: Cozy does delivery and carry-out and the dining room has recently expanded.

Tacos del Lago is a new addition to Evanston, and it leaves me wondering, where was this place my first three years at NU? It’s cheap, the staff is friendly and its certifiably delicious Mexican food. I recommend the taco platter, $6.00 for three well-endowed tacos plus rice and beans. And, you can mix and match with the fillings; go for one pork, one chicken and one steak, or three of a kind. The pork’s my personal favorite, but take your pick. You can also get ground beef or Chorizo sausage, in addition to the chicken, steak and pork.

Certainly, you might not want to eat ethnically every time you go out, but that doesn’t mean that a chain like Chilis has to necessarily be your default dining option. They’ll be plenty of time later to sample the “Guiltless Grill,” section of the menu, but you’ve only got a few years in Evanston. Bon appetite.

Dining Guide columnist David Kucinskas is a Medill senior. He can be reached at [email protected].