Want to extend the holiday splendor while keeping that New Year’s resolution to go easier on the wallet? Having champagne tastes on a beer budget is easy — if you know where and when to look.
It all comes down to planning, whether grocery shopping or heading to a restaurant during specific hours or days of the week. Here are some of the latest decadent deals around town that will give you sticker shock, but in a good way.

Duck three ways at Peking Garden
In some Asian cultures, duck is considered a special treat. When traveling in Beijing some 20 years ago, among the most popular spots we found were places where you can order a whole Peking duck prepared multiple ways. I still remember trying duck soup for the first time, as well as sliced crispy duck and other dishes that followed.
Locally, the long-running Peking Garden, now located in the former Mai Village in St. Paul, satisfies that craving. In addition to a la carte options, you can order a “3 Taste” special. Here, a whole duck is served three ways: a duck broth soup with greens, a stir-fry with a side of rice, and crispy duck with a side of Asian pancakes and accompaniments, in which you smear a pancake with hoisin sauce before piling it with cucumbers, scallions and sliced crispy duck before rolling it up.
With each savory and sweet bite, it brought back memories of that last special evening in Beijing, gathered around a table with friends. And at $60 for this family-style spread that feeds four, it’s a great way to spoil oneself at $15 a pop. Oh, and an order of anything comes with complimentary tea, so it truly is easy to stick to the budget without add-ons. Available daily.
394 University Av. W., St. Paul, pekinggardenmn.com

Snow crab legs at Coastal Seafoods
Every Wednesday, the Twin Cities' premier fish and seafood market has a special in which all crab is 20% off. The best deal of the bunch is the snow crab legs, which come in 5-pound boxes available in the freezer section ($56, regular price $70). We can attest that the ones we tried are a great balance of mild sweetness and brininess. A box feeds four or more (if you’re adhering to the 1 to 1 ½ pounds per person rule), so it’s a great excuse to get cracking on that special dinner party you’ve been thinking about hosting.
2007 E. 24th St., Mpls., and 286 Snelling Av. S., St. Paul, coastalseafoods.com