I'll Be Frika

With a new baby our ability to be adventurous in finding new restaurants has been limited. Distance to home, stroller accessibility and speed of service have become the new necessities of restaurants I support. Luckily, it helps that I have great friends, with small children of their own, to recommend new places that fit all of my new criteria.

Enter be Frika (Recoleta, Junin esq. French; 4821-0010) a recommendation that came from a recent weekday lunch with friends. I had never been to be Frika, so I didn't know what to expect, but I can honestly say: I had a fever - and the recipe is more mini-burgers.

Jon and I are a bit snobby when it comes to mini burgers, considering that our go-to restaurant in DC was Matchbox, one of the best mini-burger spots around. Not only that, but finding good "American" food in Argentina is a bit of a challenge. All things considered, be Frika is a pretty great spot with fresh food and a comfortable atmosphere.

There are two locations, in Recoleta (corner of Junin and French) and Palermo Hollywood (Humboldt 1726), we visited the Recoleta location, an easy to find lime-green building, and I went back for lunch again a few days later. Their full menu is served on a clipboard and is available in English and (of course) Spanish. There are a few appetizers, mostly the kinds of things you would find on a bar menu, mozzarella sticks and other fried treats, salads and desserts - but their claim to fame is the selection of mini-burgers. They offer two categories of burgers, classic and premium, and three different types of french fries (rustic, waffle and regular). In each burger category there are all sorts of options, between the protein; beef, chicken or veggie, the cheese and the toppings, there is something for everyone. The burgers are available individually, or you can order "the pair" with a side of fries for $30 - $35 pesos (US$7.50 - $8.30). If you are interested in a full lunch, you can order two or three mix and match burgers with fries of your choice and a drink (including beer) for $35 - $39 pesos.

If you're jonesing for some mini-burgers, this is the place to go. The patties are seasoned well and the waffle fries are tasty (although more reminiscent of potato-chips than fries). This is the closest we've found to a US style-burger, even if it takes two to fill you up. For those new moms out there, the dining room is a tight space, but stroller accessible. There are two stories with no elevator, so first floor dining is a must. The service is a bit lax, especially if they have a full dining room, but no worse than any other casual restaurant we've attended.