Tourers and entry level crossers! Try a bunch out--that's what I did. Off the top of my head:
Novara Randonee
Cross Check
Long Haul trucker
Kona Jake
Jamis Aurora
Fuji Touring
Bianchi Volpe
...and I'm sure many more.
If you want something more road oriented, the Jamis Quest is a great steel roadie for the price, and you may want to take a look at the Specialized Sequoia.
At this price range you're looking at mostly Tiagra/Deore components of course, which may be upgraded eventually, but should give you plenty of miles with no problems. While it sucks to have your budget reduced, you still have a lot of great bikes to choose from.
