June 10 (Bloomberg) -- The Prada store in Manhattan's chic SoHo district isn't getting any less expensive as the dollar continues to weaken, but at least you can eat well and cheap in these parts -- sort of.

Two ambitious American restaurants, Hundred Acres and Elizabeth, both serve dishes that rarely rise above $20 apiece. Of course, this is fashion central, so some things still cost more than they should. A tasty burger with fries is $19 at Elizabeth, $17 at Hundred Acres.

Pasture-raised cows, reared on a diet of mostly grass, provide the raw material at Marc Meyer and Vicki Freeman's Hundred Acres on MacDougal.

You first see the stark white cheddar. It's intensely sharp. Then there's the black, salty char. Cut the burger in half -- perfectly medium rare. Take a bite. It's a hefty, densely packed, chewy affair. The natural beef has a clean, assertive funk, reminiscent of a dry-aged steak.

Hundred Acres, just a few weeks old, replaces Provence, which Meyer took over about a year ago to mixed critical reaction. This is the guy who brought us high-end farmhouse fare at Cookshop, but at Hundred Acres he takes the haute out of barnyard and gives us simpler homestead eats.

``Those smell great,'' a dog-nosed diner said of my fried asparagus, which didn't smell like anything. The spears were too thick and undercooked.

Things can get dark: I saw a waiter hold up a candle to a wine bottle so patrons could read the label. Things can get loud: A two-piece brass band showed up outside and played New Orleans- style jazz for a few minutes.

Fried Rabbit

Steamed clams are so tender and briny they taste butter- poached. Chili-flecked broth gives the shellfish a kick of heat. A heady slice of garlic bread lies on top, for dunking.

I'm told people love the fried rabbit; an earlier version included a gristly, bland, pancetta-wrapped bunny.

Try the roast chicken. Rarely have I tasted such a juicy breast. I just wish it came with a juicy thigh. No matter. It was covered in a salty, crunchy skin and surrounded by sweet peas. Pot-pie gravy rounded things out. Pair it with a crisp sauvignon blanc from Long Island. Avoid the unbalanced cocktails.

Finish with a sour, flaky rhubarb tart.

Hundred Acres is at 38 MacDougal St., near Prince; +1-212-475-7500; http://www.hundredacresnyc.com.

Better Beef

Doug Psaltis, the consulting chef at Elizabeth, used to serve $100-plus tasting menus at Country. Now he gives us nothing over $20.

Let's start with that burger. The patty is loosely packed. Salty char? Check. Medium rare? Check. Juicy? More, it's extra juicy. The bonus: A slab of pan-crisped cheddar cheese adds an extra layer of texture.

This bliss costs $14 alone, or $19 with way-too-thick fries. This greasy goodness isn't what you'd expect in a sleek SoHo space with so many skinny little things prancing around.

There are three rooms. No. 1: the bar room -- where things can get crowded. No. 2: the lounge room, a bit darker. No. 3: the garden, where you want to sit. Leafy greens shade you from apartment lights above.

The food shows promise. Beef tartare is already one of the city's best. This dish can taste like baby food -- not here. Giant chunks of creamy, tangy, caper-studded tenderloin provide reason to skip Balthazar for brunch.

My scallops were undercooked but looked gorgeous at a neighboring table. Pork tenderloin was medium rare, a tad dry, with a subtly smoky char. Head-on shrimp were serious business, with a pure ocean aroma and tangy tomatoes. Twelve dollars got us three al dente ravioli paired with a whole plate of perfectly salted zucchini, favas and fiddlehead ferns.

Calamari is rolled up and made to look like an octopus tentacle. Tender but creepy.

Skip the overwrought coconut panna cotta for dessert. Instead, try the he-man sized foie gras parfait starter. Actually comes with cherries on top. It's the best deal you'll get on duck liver for $14.

Elizabeth is at 265 Elizabeth St., near Houston; +1-212-334-2426; http://www.elizabethny.com.

(Ryan Sutton writes about New York City restaurants for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer of this review: Ryan Sutton in New York at rsutton1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: June 10, 2008 00:01 EDT