DC FIELD GUIDE: Top Tips for foodies looking to save some cash during the holidays

One of the most terrifying and frankly hilarious times of year for me is usually in December, when the different banks I have credit cards with send a "yearly summary" of how much I've spent and in what categories. Needless to say, the major group that I spend most of my discretionary income is - and you will be shocked - food and drinks. 

That being said, the end of the year is a pretty tough time for most of us, when the additional costs of the holiday period start to rack up, in additional to regular day-to-day expenditures. From tempting Black Friday deals to presents for family and friends to additional holiday parties and get togethers, it gets much harder to stay on top of everything from a financial perspective. Here are a couple of tips that will hopefully help some fellow food-conscious readers to save a bit of cash without sacrificing the need for some decent grub.

MAXIMIZING YOUR HAPPY HOUR AND BRUNCH STRATEGY

As I've written about before, finding the right happy hour deal can often mean being able to order enough food and drinks at a reasonable price that it basically replaces any need for dinner. The same strategy applies for brunch, which, as we all know, is DC's favorite weekend past time. I can't recall the last time I actually needed to eat dinner after a bottomless brunch (finding a place that offers both bottomless drinks and food is the way to go). 

​Here are a few of my top bottomless brunch choices in DC which offer the biggest bang(er, with eggs) for your buck:

• Bombay Club (815 Connecticut Ave NW) - $32 per person for an unlimited Indian buffet selection and champagne (non-boozy option is $22 but that's no fun). Nothing like washing down the excellent chicken korma with some bubbly. The decor is uber classy as well - excellent choice for visiting parents or family.
• Agora (1527 17th St NW) - the clientele is a bit....fratty (I guess it is Dupont Circle) and service can be kind of iffy but do you really care when you're paying $34.99 a person for unlimited breakfast cocktails and all-you-can eat dishes off the Turkish small plates brunch menu? My favorites are the sujuklu pide flatbread and the excellent baba ghajouj.
• Zengo (781 Seventh Street NW) - the mothership of all things bottomless brunch. Zengo is another one of Richard Sandoval's massive restaurants but it's worth braving the zoo on the weekends because for $39 a person, you get bottomless brunch cocktails (ranging from the highly dangerous sake sangria to mimosas in various flavors) as well as completely unlimited to the huge menu of Asian fusion small plates. After several visits, I think I can safely say I've tried everything on the menu now and it's all pretty tasty - especially when washed down with plentiful cocktails brought by the exuberant staff. 

More tips on how to stay on top of that cash after the jump.

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