Walking around the North Market is sensory overload. Paninis, peaches, pots and pans. Fresh fish heads peer out from behind flats of ice. Free samples slip into one’s hands almost unwillingly. Bhut jolokia, the world’s hottest chile, available in sample-form, is “not melt-your-face-off heat,” but taste-testers will remember it for at least a half hour.

Bratwursts and burgers for $4; pizza at $3 a slice; sushi plates for $5; a wide range of ethnic selections such as Moroccan chicken over mojadara at Firdous Express Mediterranean and traditional Pho fare via at the Lac Viet Market.

All frugal options.

But Flavors of India might provide the most value for your money. Six dollars buys a mountain of basmati rice and two vegetarian sides, including a creamy palak paneer that nicely counters spicy dal lentils. For a few dollars more, add lamb or chicken curry. Don’t miss the refreshingly unique ginger lemonade for $1.50.

The wide selection of international options ensures that everybody can find something to enjoy. But it’s the less exotic offerings that might provide the most memorable taste experiences. The lemon garlic dill cream soup from The Fish Guys stand offers a taste as complex as its name implies. Loaded with giant chunks of freshly-cooked halibut, this rich and hearty soup is the antithesis to the canned variety that college students have become accustomed to. At $3.50 for an eight-ounce cup, soup is a slightly less cost-conscious option, but even frugal diners need to splurge occasionally.

For dessert, Taste of Belgium pairs waffles and crepes with freshly-ground, individually-prepared coffees. You’ll smell (and hear) the grinding coffee beans and sizzling crepes long before you see your food being made before your eyes. Waffles cost $3.75 and dessert crepes run $5. For the true penny-pincher, stop by and try a free sample of the waffles from the amply-stocked tray.

For those looking for a refreshing treat on a hot summer day, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams a few stalls away offers an awe-inspiring – though somewhat paralyzing – selection of homemade treats (keep reading this column for much more information on Jeni’s in the coming days).

North Market is open daily from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Conventiongoers pressed for time should consider planning an early lunch break as the crowds of local business people and fellow Mennos swell soon after noontime.  Ample seating is available in two locations: streetside patio or second-floor, balcony tables. If you’re lucky, your afternoon snack attack might be accompanied by local musicians playing beat-box infused bluegrass, as ours was.