West 70's Casual lunch, moderate prices

[pbjluver]

this Jersey girl is not familiar with the casual dining places on the West Side — 70's / low 80's.

Meeting a friend for Friday lunch, must be moderate and tasty...any ethnicity will be fine.
Are there any tasty places for salads?

[rkaene]

Kefi - greek, great salads

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Kefi
505 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024

[JoanN]

Salumeria Rossi on Amsterdam between 73rd and 74th. It's small plates, nearly all of them excellent and sharable, so you can easily keep the cost down as long as you're not guzzling Prosecco.

http://www.salumeriarosi.com/en_ny/menu/

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Salumeria Rosi
283 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10023

[lildiss73]

Good Enough To Eat, Popover Cafe, Recipe, Freds, Celeste, 5 Napkin Burger... all deelish.

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Good Enough to Eat
483 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

Celeste
502 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

Fred's
476 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

Popover Cafe
551 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

Recipe
452 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10024

Five Napkin Burger
2315 Broadway, New York, NY 10024

[coasts]

i felt totally ripped off at Salumeria Rossi -- like i had been had.

i would suggest either Cotta, a fairly new Italian place with some interesting menu items, or Nice Matin, tried and tested bistro food.

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Nice Matin
201 West 79th Street, New York, NY 10024

Cotta
513 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10024

[JoanN]

Why did you feel ripped off? Everyone I've taken there has loved it--including a party of five late last week. (In fact, one of those five sent me a thank you note for choosing such "a fine, fine place" for us to meet.) I've been nearly a dozen times and have introduced it to nearly a dozen friends and have never heard anyone say anything negative about it--except maybe that it can be difficult to get in without a reservation.

[sgordon]

Second Kefi. Hearty, flavorful, bright - good value for your $$, too.

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Kefi
505 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024

[JoanN]

But noisy as hell. If you want to have a quiet conversation, fugeddaboutit.

[sgordon]

I found the crowds pretty light at lunch. At dinner - definitely agree.

[Simon]

-- maybe Cafe Ronda (though my last meal there on one of their "special menu nights" was awful)...they usually have nice salads and sandwiches at lunch though...

-- i hate Kefi...school-caferia-quality Greek food pretending to be decent...

-- i agree w/ coasts' comment above that Nice Matin is a good place for the OP...pleasant place, nice staff, healthy salads, tartars, etc...i think this might be the best option...

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Kefi
505 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024

Nice Matin
201 West 79th Street, New York, NY 10024

Cafe Ronda
249 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10023