I'm relying on my fellow Fodorites for suggestions. I want to take a friend out for a nice but casual dinner . She really likes Boulud Sud, but since she was just there, I want to take her somewhere else.

What she likes are the diversity of the menu -- good meat and vegetarian options for each courses (she doesn't eat seafood) and the casual but elegant atmosphere.

I'd like to keep it in the $100 for 2 range (not counting drinks) and the UWS location is convenient but not the most important factor.

Below are the Michelin star restaurants in New York.

http://www.michelintravel.com/method...d-restaurants/

Your friend wants high end, these are high end restaurants.

I forgot the part about the price.

Cafe Boulud offers prix fixe during the week for $105 per person.

In New York, not much is high end and cheap.

I don't think you can recreate that experience by going on the cheap.

Boulud Sud's menu is within the price range.I've been there. I'm looking for better than neighborhood restaurant, not Michelin starred "high end"

Could you switch to lunch instead of dinner? If so, then Jean Georges is not far from Boulud Sud (Trump building near Columbus Circle) and offers a $38 lunch special for two courses or at the adjacent Nougatine at Jean George it's $32 for three courses.

We had lunch there once and dinner once and liked the food better than at Boulud's namesake restaurant Daniel.

Union Square Cafe
Nougatine

Maybe more expensive:
Gotham
Park Avenue Spring

Also check out the Italian restaurants in Greenwich Village for a fun time and good food. Will see if I can dig out a couple names. Suggest you get a copy of Zagat's and check other good rating sources, Michelin as suggested, etc.

Gayot is also a good source for resturants, as is Chowhound.

Look at Marseille, which is within your price range and has a similar cuisine (southern French/Moroccan-influenced). It's an especially great place to go in the summer.

Dovetail and Telepan both on the upper west side.

We've eaten at Dovetail -- it was very good, not that I remember what we ate good, but very enjoyable. Tables aren't too close together either.

Thanks for the suggestions. Lunch is not an option this time, but I will consider for another time.

Telepan's menu isn't really compatible with her tastes. I will look into Marseille, Dovetail and others mentioned here.

I'm familiar with all the usual restaurant guides, review sites etc, but they aren;t as useful in finding restaurants that are similar to other places in menu and atmosphere.

Although I'd be reaching to tell you that it bears much resemblance to Boulud Sud, you might want to take a look at ABC Kitchen. Casually elegant, great vegetable offerings as well as good pasta and terrific suckling pig (and fish). We've eaten here quite a bit and the totals fork two have been pretty close to the $100 mark with tax and a glass of wine each. Just steps from the subway at Union Square, so easy to reach from most of the city. But hard to get a table unless you can book far ahead, or are willing to eat early.

I like Dovetail but think it is quite pricey.

Agree that few people here care much about Michelin rankings; they are not nearly as important here as in other cities.

I must disagree with Doug about Marseille. I was only there once but it was a disappointment. Food was just mediocre -- and that included my entree and my dining companion's.

The service was nice, however.

If I don't enjoy a place the first time, I usually don't return, so I can't say whether or not it was an "off night".

>>

I agree - we were there on a Sunday night when they have a special menu/price, and it still was up there (definitely more than $100 for two).

Another suggestion is La Promenade des Anglais down on 23rd and 10th ave, had a lovely mean there and you can keep it around $100 for two.

Yes, Promenade des Anglais might be good; their slant is Cote de Azur and Provence.
I believe the chef is from Nice, so similarities there with Boulud Sud. And easy to get there from UWS. I think seafood is their strong suit. But lots of other dishes not he menu, too.


I'm getting hungry!

Let us know where you decide to take your friend!