I eat out six, sometimes seven, nights a week, and I certainly partake in more than my fair share of fine dining. While researching this issue, I enjoyed meals at The French Laundry, Gary Danko, Manresa, Silks, and La Folie in a period of less than two months – wonderful, yes, but every now and then, I crave a night at home with some bad reality TV and a bowl of Grape-Nuts. Like everyone else, I have guilty pleasures that only my closest friends are privy to, and I found out recently that my fellow food writers here at Northside San Francisco have a few secrets of their own, too.

Wine and food pairing and events editor, Jeannine Sano, has one of the most discerning palates I’ve ever come across, but she also likes Big Macs and bologna. Catherine Nash is well-versed in all things fresh from the farm, but she still sneaks the occasional Krispy Kreme doughnut and Johnny Rockets’ cheeseburger. I’ve known Bill “the Kitchenless Cook” Knutson to forget firing up the grill and instead indulge in a carnitas burrito from the taco truck or a few microwaveable pork rinds (yes, they stay crunchy). Our very own Goddess of Scoop, Marcia Gagliardi, confesses cravings for Zante’s Indian pizza, and a double cheeseburger and a Bud for lunch at Red’s Java House (but notes that the guilty pleasure of a drunken food writer is Burger King at 2 a.m.).

My guilty pleasures consist mostly of mall food, hangover cures, and chain restaurant delights that I crave from my gastronomically wayward youth in the Valley of the Olive Garden:

Tuna salad sandwiches from gas station convenience stores
It comes in a triangular plastic container (the same shape as the sandwich) and there are only three ingredients – tuna, mayo, and white pepper. After the first bite, I realized that white pepper had changed my entire way of thinking about this often overly junked-up sandwich – who knew white pepper could make such a difference? The folks creating gas station convenience store sandwiches, apparently. I like my tuna salad simple – no onions, no celery, no strange fruit – and this is about as simple as it gets.

Bean and cheese burrito, fresh from the 7-Eleven microwave oven at 3 a.m.
Don’t “tsk tsk” me – you know you’ve watched that burrito go ‘round and ‘round, your mouth watering in anticipation of the perfectly balanced man-made cheese goo and mashed-up pinto beans in a soft, steaming hot tortilla.

DJ’s rice
My friend DJ was the backstage manager at the Fillmore and Warfield theaters and in the wee hours of the morning after a Brian Setzer New Year’s Eve show he said, “Want some fried rice with an egg and some cheese?” I scrunched my nose at him just like you’re doing as you read this, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it – leftover egg fried rice, an over-easy egg, and a palm full of shredded Parmesan is heaven in a bowl after a long night on the town.

BLT on white toast with French fries at the Lucky Penny
2670 Geary Blvd. (at Masonic) next to Trader Joe’s, 415-921-0836
When you go to a diner, don’t order the prime rib, the pot roast, or the fried catfish – be sensible and stick to the basics: breakfast items and sandwiches. If you do this at the Lucky Penny, I promise you won’t be disappointed. When we have a tough deadline and I’m driving home at 6 a.m. in the rain, I stop in for one of the best BLTs in town with thick-cut fries that are steamy soft inside and crisp and golden outside. You can’t beat the price either – most of the sandwiches are under $7 and the portions are huge. The Lucky Penny is open 24/7, 364 days a year (they’re closed Labor Day) and it’s a great “locals only” kind of joint filled with cops, bus drivers, and drunken college kids. Let all the harried shoppers pile up outside of Trader Joe’s ill-conceived parking lot – pull right into the Lucky Penny, march up to the Formica counter, and order a BLT.

Potato Buds for breakfast
Hey, I have a highly developed palate – not just any instant mashed potatoes will do. Potato Buds are one of Betty Crocker’s finest creations – 100 percent real Idaho potatoes dried into little flakes (with a dash of mono and diglycerides to improve texture and a pinch of sodium bisulfite and BHT to protect freshness). I make some of the best mashed potatoes on earth – a blend of russet and Yukon gold, milk, salt, and pepper whipped into a creamy dollop – but who has time for that at 9 in the morning?

Orange chicken from Panda Express
In a mall near you, as well as at 1480 Fillmore St. (at O’Farrell), 415-292-9993, www.pandaexpress.com
You can’t beat the crunchy coating, sticky sweet-with-some-heat sauce and tender all-white meat chicken – and Panda Express has such a steady stream of customers that the little gooey nuggets are nearly always fresh from the wok. (If they’re down to the bottom of the steam tray, wait about two minutes and the cooks will come out and replenish the supply.)

Lobster and white truffle mac ’n cheese at Circa
2001 Chestnut St. (at Fillmore), 415-351-0175, www.circasf.com
I know it sounds like too much, but trust me, it’s just right. In Executive Chef Erik Hopfinger’s capable hands, this is my new favorite of the oh-so-prevalent “adult mac ’n cheese” entries popping up on small plates menus everywhere. Pasta shells in a surprisingly light, but still gooey, cheese sauce tossed with Maine lobster and just a hint of earthy white truffle. What’s not to like?

Crab angel hair lasagna at the Crab House
203 C, Pier 39 (at Powell), 415-434-2722, crabhouse39.com
My Sicilian grandfather is rolling in his grave at the sight of two crustacean, pasta, and cheese dishes in a row on this list, but I just can’t help it. I’ve been addicted to the crab angel hair lasagna for about four years now. Big squares of baked angel hair, Dungeness crab, and rich béchamel sauce topped with brown, bubbly Parmesan cheese – when I get a craving, I have to head down to Pier 39, or I’ll dream about it for days.