I meant a step above takeout or fast casual, but not high end (which category Rooh, Ettan, Aurum, etc might fall into).
I think there is still a pervasive expectation that restaurants of some cultures should be cheap – Chinese, Indian, and Thai come to mind.
(A dosa at the totally casual place I go to is $14-17, not much below these folks – except that place has bare minimum service and no decor to speak of. This pricing is in line with what my neighborhood diner charges for… diner food 
)
