Friend's wife is away so he and his two young daughters are coming for dinner. Any ideas on what I can make?

the Panko crusted fish sticks with lime and tarragon aioli that Jenny featured recently looked really delicious! add a kid-friendly veggie side or two- maybe sweet potato oven chips and steamed broccoli with a little butter on top. Or The creamy cucumber side that won a year or so ago would be a nice addition

Tacos with Spanish rice. Kids may only eat meat and cheese in theirs but can be encouraged to try other toppings.

Make your own pizza, make the crusts individual sized, and have ready a variety of toppings. Let the girls choose what they want on their own pizza.
My own 4 kids were, most of the time, good eaters and ate a wide variety of foods. My grandchildren are the picky ones. I have just about given up on trying to make them happy -- no one is starving.
Not only are they (kids) all different, but their preferences shift, and sometimes you will be pleasantly surprised.

I always start with the assumption that kids are picky eaters. So spaghetti anything. Tuna noodle casserole with a potato chip crust. I was raised on stuff like that.

Chicken Piccata. Parmesean or Francese with pasta or flamk steak with chimichurri sauce and roasted potatoes