Any ideas for restaurants in Boston - friend staying near Boston Common - a range of prices would be ideal ??

Considering we don't know what your friend likes to eat or pay, tell him/her to go to chowhound or opentable or timeout or zagats.

Way too many choices to make a recommendation.

If your friend is going to the MFA or Isabella Stewart Gardner museums, s/he can find good food at both places. When I was there, MFA had 3 different eateries. Only one a ISG but here is what I ate there:

"Bellini ($11) Gruyere and roasted cauliflower quiche, arugula salad with nuts, grapes and faro ($16). 4 or 5 small slices of home-made bread. $28.89 before tip. Excellent quiche. Since the salad occupied more than half of the plate (and I could find only one grape), I’ll rate this meal a B++. A+ service though."

If you want to read my TR for Boston, other places are noted each day. Where I ate depended upon where I was at a given time! Where I attended ballet was close to an Italian resto. It's not too bad a walk from the Commons to Chinatown either so your friend should google that area.

Parish Café & Bar, Legal Seafood

Replace your destination question from Boston to Melbourne and you will see how vague it is and impossible to help

Where is your friend staying? What side of the Common? High end or comfortable for a solo diner?

Agree that the question is vague.

One ask, in addition to budget and taste, is how far they are willing to travel. If you said "they want to be within a 1 mile walk from the Omni Parker House", I'd actually disagree with some of the claims that there are "way too many choices" as many of the choices within that radius kind of suck. If you say, "we are staying at the Taj and willing to take a cab", then the story changes considerably.

"many of the choices within that radius kind of suck."

You assume that the OP's friend is a feinschmecker. Many people are not and are perfectly happy.

I was just asked for some suggestions and as its years since I was in Boston I just thought people might have some favourites - which I could do for Melbourne if someone asked me. Money is no object and the couple like all sorts of food .
Thanks TDudette I'll look at your report .

Perhaps someone has dined in a place that has excellent local lobster etc and could could recommend

I had Boston restaurant questions a few months ago so you can check out my thread if you're interested.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Money is no object and the couple like all sorts of food .

I'm Boston: Clio, Asta, or O Ya for destination dining. Maybe Ostra. I don't recommend L'Espalier. Island Creek Oyster is nice, but it isn't fine dining on that level. For Italian, Erbaluce. Also consider B&G Oyster and Toro for something more casual.

Further afield: Journeyman is worth a trip. I really like Puritan & Co. Also West Bridge, though I wasn't blown away last time.

Thanks Travelgourmet and wtm003 - I'll pass on your recs.