The weekly Chronicle feature “Second Helpings” offers readers the opportunity to sample tasty, bite-sized restaurant listings compiled from new and previous reviews, guides, and poll results. This week’s entries were compiled by Chronicle writer Greg Beets. When you need quick, reliable information about Austin eateries, check here.

Babe’s

208 E. Sixth, 473-2262

Daily 11am-Late

In addition to a full slate of live music, Babe’s has been serving hamburgers well into the night for 10 years. The ground beef patties are well-seasoned and the toppings are extra-generous, making for a mushy yet filling repast. The French fries are standard-issue, but they get the job done. Babe’s also has a full bar with frequent drink specials.

Fresh Choice

9761 Great Hills Trail, 795-9200

Daily 11am-9pm

This all-you-can-eat salad, soup, pasta, and potato emporium does bang-up lunch business among Arboretum shoppers and Silicon Hills cube dwellers. Specialty salads and soups rotate every month, but you can always get mainstays like Caesar salad, Chinese chicken salad, and chicken noodle soup. Fresh Choice also makes a fine blueberry muffin. The regular lunch price is a bit steep ($6.29), but $4.99 coupons abound in the Sunday papers and online at www.ecoupons.com.

Ma Ferguson’s

6000 Middle Fiskville Rd., 206-3030

Mon-Fri 6:30am-11pm, Sat-Sun 7am-11pm

Although eating in chain hotels often means paying too much for mediocre food, Ma Ferguson’s bucks the trend with affordable prices and food worth writing home about. Alberta’s Oven Done Chicken is pecan-smoked, slathered with tangy barbecue sauce and served with garlic mashed potatoes. A pricier standout dish is Ruby’s Red Tequila Shrimp, featuring marinated grilled shrimp with ruby red grapefruit sections in a subtly tart, creamy tequila-lime sauce arranged around a serving of pecan wild rice.

Souper Salad

6700 Middle Fiskville Rd., 453-7687

Mon-Sat, 10:30am-10pm; Sun, 11am-8:30pm

2438 W. Anderson, 451-9320

Mon-Sat, 10:30am-10pm; Sun, 11am-9pm

10710 Research, 343-0807

Mon-Sat, 10:30am-10pm; Sun, 11am-8pm

4211 S. Lamar, 441-6958

Mon-Sat, 10:30am-10pm; Sun, 11am-8pm

11066 Pecan Park, 336-0782

Mon-Sat, 10:30am-10pm; Sun, 10:30am-8:30pm

2601 S. I-35, Round Rock, 238-6942

Mon-Sat, 10:30am-10pm; Sun, 11am-8:30pm

At one time, Souper Salad dominated the all-you-can-eat salad and soup scene with an iron fist. Then outfits like Fresh Choice stole some of their thunder by adding potatoes, pasta, and pizza for one price. Recently, Souper Salad lowered their price to $4.79 for the soup, salad, and potato bar. This price is good all day, which gives them an edge over Fresh Choice for dinner. And you still can’t beat Souper Salad’s cornbread and gingerbread.

TGI Friday’s

10000 Research (at the Arboretum), 345-6410

Daily, 11am-2am (kitchen open until 1am)

111 E. Cesar Chavez (at the Radisson), 478-2991

Daily, 6:30am-2am

TGI Friday’s is a good place to take a large group of clients from out of town if your expense account can’t handle Steak and Ale. Their extensive menu reads like War and Peace, so everyone should find something to their liking. Half-pound burgers, chicken, pasta, steaks, fajitas, wraps, and seafood are just a few of the items that could arrive at your table, adequately prepared with no surprises whatsoever.

This article appears in July 14 • 2000.

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