Upscale food at low prices
By Melanie Chambers • Bankrate.com

Canadians are dining out more than ever. According to a Statistics Canada survey, Canadian households spent about $1,487 at restaurants in 2003, a 27 percent increase from 1997.

But you could spend that amount on one nice dinner at a fine restaurant. So, how can a fledgling foodie get a good deal? We've asked the experts to suggest a few tips on how to save money the next time you want to treat yourself to dinner at a top-rated restaurant.

Early birds get the deals
In winter, when restaurant managers try their hardest to fill their tables, many offer an early-bird special. Chefs will prepare ready-to-go meals so customers can eat and be on their way within 45 minutes.

Many restaurants in entertainment and theatre districts do the same thing with pre-show specials. For instance, Vancouver, B.C., theatre-goers can duck in and out of the popular restaurant West between 5:30 pm and 6 pm -- time enough to eat before the show -- for a $49 fixed menu. In Halifax, N.S., many restaurants around the Neptune Theatre offer similar deals, as do establishments within walking distance of the world-renowned Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Eat like a bird
The easiest way to eat cheaply is to order an appetizer, then share your entrée with your guest. However, some restaurants will charge a few dollars for the extra plate while others downright forbid it. So, it's best to call ahead and find out about a particular restaurant's policy before counting on sharing entrées.

You should also look for restaurants that offer half entrées. At the Old Winery Restaurant, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, diners can order a half entrée for half the price. For small eaters, this means you don't feel guilty about wasting food or money.

Along the same lines, you can often order from a bar or café menu that is less extensive but much cheaper than the full dinner menu. This works well for pricey spots such as the Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar, in Toronto, where you can enjoy the chef's famous flavours for less money.

Culinary colleges
Every well-known chef has to start somewhere, and usually, that's a culinary college, where they practice their skills in a restaurant that's open to the public. The food student chefs serve is just as stellar as you'll find in most top restaurants.

At the Niagara Culinary Institute, for instance, students do all the work, including planning menus, waiting tables and preparing meals. They even make their own wine, all at a fraction of the cost of a fine dining restaurant.

To find out if there's a student-run restaurant in your area, visit the Chef2Chef Web site and search for Canadian culinary colleges.