If your finances have left you feeling light in the wallet but you aren't ready to settle for dollar menu fare, a trip to the Pepper Mill may be right on the money.

On Sundays the spot offers $5 single-topping regular-sized pizzas. Munch appetizers Monday through Wednesdays from 5-7 p.m. for the same price. The menu also features three varieties of half-pound New York strip steaks for $10 each and an 8-ounce filet mignon for $14.99.

The value of Pepper Mill's victuals isn't limited to prices. Nearly everything on the menu is house-made, from the avocado & chicken rolls ($9.99) to the multi-grain pizza crust. You can also find all of Alaska Brewing Company's suds on tap ($3.99 a pint or $15.99 a pitcher.)

Andy Kriner, general manager of both Pepper Mill and Sea Galley, said he decided to reinvent the Pepper Mill a couple of years ago and reworked the menu. He grew up with a love of cooking and said his mother owns Sal's Klondike Diner in Soldotna.

I brought my boyfriend and his son to dinner on a Friday night. The bar was packed when we arrived at 8 p.m., but there were plenty of open tables in the dining room. Images of Alaska and flat-screen TVs hang on the walls. The sound was turned down on the TVs, so it felt more like a family-friendly restaurant than a loud sports bar. Our server was attentive and friendly.

The blue York steak was a steal at $10. Savory blue-cheese butter shone across the top of the New York Strip. It was grilled to a precise medium, though it would have been easy to overcook the somewhat thin steak. Plenty of hot crispy fries came on the side.

I was intrigued by the menu's promise of Thanksgiving flavor in the fresh roasted turkey sandwich ($9.95). The restaurant roasts a bird every day and then serves it sandwiched between enormous slices of white or multi-grain bread.

The round loaves are baked in coffee cans by Europa Bakery from a Kriner family recipe. The "Alaskan-sized" sandwich was lightly buttered and grilled to delectable golden crispness and topped with melted American cheese, mayonnaise, shredded lettuce and sliced tomato.

The meat took comfort food to a grand level with a freshly roasted and hand-pulled flavor.

I chose jojo potatoes and house-made ranch dip as my side. The seasoned wedges were slightly crispy on the outside and soft inside. The ranch was chunky and complemented the jojos well. I ordered the half sandwich and regretted skimping after the 10-year-old hockey player at the table set his sights on it. You know it has to be a great sandwich if it can get a kid to pass on pizza.

We also ordered a regular-size Pepper Mill combo pizza and chose the butter crust over the multi-grain ($13.99). The crust was soft and covered in marinara sauce, garlic oil, pepperoni, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, hamburger, mushrooms, green peppers, red onions, tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, and Parmesan cheese. The dense toppings packed a punch and made a hefty pie. The flavor was unique, with the scrumptious blend of cheeses.

I returned with a friend for a weekday lunch a few days later. I was impressed with the iceberg wedge salad's ($4.99) flavor and freshness. The handcrafted blue cheese dressing was tasty and topped with a superb mix of diced tomatoes, sunflower seeds, bacon and seasonings.

The Pepper Mill burger was 8 ounces of ground beef with two slices of American cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato and mayo ($9.99).

The Mill uses the same bread for burgers and sandwiches so the bun had the girth of a coffee can.

The burger was well flavored, but the bread was a little large for the patty. I tore the crust off to get a better bread-to-beef ratio.

Fans of the Travel Channel's "Man v. Food" can get a taste of Adam Richman's I-bet-I-can-eat-that mission by taking on Fat Andy's Pizza Challenge.

If two people devour a 12-pound pie topped with two meats, cheddar and mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce in one hour or less they win $500 and get their photo on Fat Andy's Wall of Pain. Currently Fat Andy remains undefeated, taking out about 50 competitors over the past two years. Five slices stood between victory and the challenger who was closest so far. The mammoth pizza costs $49.99, is equal to four large pies and takes about 30 minutes to bake.

The Pepper Mill recently fielded a phone call from "Man v. Food," and an Alaska episode may be in the works. Even without the extra publicity, Kriner said the restaurant's business is steadily increasing.

If you look at Pepper Mill's menu and want more than the steaks, salads, pizzas, burgers and sandwiches ($4.99-$23.99) featured, you can also order from the Sea Galley housed in the same building. Just don't go looking for the Mill's house-made fares anywhere else.