Garufa

104 Highbury Park, N5 2XE

First lunch out of the New Year. If there's one thing I like for lunch, it's a decent burger. Garufa is part of a small chain of Argentinian restaurants, also comprising Santa Maria del Sur in Battersea and Buen Ayre in Hackney. Despite being only a short walk from home, we hadn't been here before. Time to change all that ...

We turned up without a booking, which at a busy lunchtime is not to be advised, but the staff managed to squeeze us in. The restaurant seemed to be very popular with young, middle-class locals - it seemed family friendly, which I guess is a blessing or a curse depending on your viewpoint.

The Menu:
The breakfast and lunch menu boasts a range of traditional Argentinian dishes, but there are some vegetarian options for those not so keen on beef in various guises. I guess it's a little pricey and it is possible to eat much cheaper in the area. But does the quality justify the cost?

Our Meal:
We were tempted by the breakfast, but in the end I opted for the beef burger and Mr PP ordered the breaded rump steak with chips. I wasn't asked how I wanted my burger cooked, although this was a minor niggle. Much less of a problem than asking (medium-rare) and then delivering well-done - amazing how often that happens!

The food arrived in good time, and while good it didn't blow us away. We therefore decided not to order any of the rather lovely looking desserts, in case they too failed to excite. The menu did have several different coffees - I had a Babyccino (I know I'm not a child, but they are lovely) and Mr PP had a latté.

In the end we decided the food needed to be better to justify the bill. Our meal, one beer each, coffee and service pushed the bill up to very nearly £40.

What we liked:
Very friendly waiting staff, who were helpful and efficient. Relaxed surroundings, and comfortable seating - despite it being busy, we didn't feel squashed in or intruded on by surrounding tables.

What we didn't like:
Mainly the price. Knock 25% off the bill and we'd have been a lot happier.

Will we go back?:
Unlikely.