Offering an enticing mix of Spanish and Moroccan cuisine, El Cantara offers a quintessential package holiday in the heart of Soho.

The Venue
El Cantara has bagged an enviable spot on Soho's Frith Street alongside the big names of Ronnie Scott's, Bruno's and Dell'Ugo's. This little taverna-style restaurant is a hybrid of Spanish and Moroccan cuisines and is quite noticeably the antithesis of the stark modern bars which are scattered throughout Soho. Inside, the restaurant is split over two levels with downstairs looking more typically Spanish. The colourful scatter cushions, heavy Mosaic-ed tables and colourful, albeit a bit tatty, art on the whitewashed walls feels very cosy and quite Moroccan. Upstairs is a more airy and colourful dining room with beautiful large windows overlooking the busy street below. There is yet another floor beyond this which can be hired out for parties.

The Atmosphere
Although the whole of London seems to be partying on Frith Street on warm summer evenings, downstairs at El Cantara seems a little subdued. Tables are filled with a mix of out-of-towners in for a pre/post-theatre nosh, students squabbling over a jug of sangria and the odd dish of tapas and the more senior couples in from the suburbs for a taste of Soho on a Friday night. Upstairs feels a bit more lively, with a large party or two. The highlight has to be the cheerful, yet barely encouraged belly dancer who arrives to the beat of a drum and proceeds to wiggle her way around the uncomfortable diners. Staff are friendly enough, but service is slow and uninformed about the menu.

The Food
The menu offers authentic Spanish and Moroccan favourites including tagines and paella as well as a varied and interesting tapas menu. Although, the main and set menus are decidedly overpriced at £24.95, the lunch menu (£7.95) offers much better value for money.

For starters there is a large choice of tapas dishes. The charmoula sardines seemed to be missing its brothers as on a recent occasion only one arrived in a small, terracotta dish. At £5.25 this makes for a costly and, due to an abundance of prickly bones, disappointing starter. The vegetarian zaalouk is more of a hit; smoked aubergine with spices, lemon and garlic that has a fresh, tangy flavour which is perfectly set off by the delicious home baked Moroccan bread.

For the main course, the Meshwi (charcoal-grilled) chicken (£15.50) arrives as two skewers of over-cooked chicken, and sadly the promised hint of lemon, saffron and garlic marinade doesn’t surface. The chicken is tough and dry, although it perks up slightly with a squeeze of fresh lemon. The accompanying basic salad with oil and vinegar dressing and oddly rubbery rice are okay, but not up to the standards of an authentic independent restaurant in the heart of London. The Frito Mixto Andaluz is described as five different types of fish served on a bed of rice. At £18.95 there’s a high expectation of this dish but sadly a plate of overcooked fish in a tepid, limp batter, squid rings and prawns arrives, again with the basic rice and salad.

In the dessert category, the chocolate fondant (£4.95) seemed more like an undercooked fairy cake than soft, melting chocolate pudding - flavourless and springy. The baklava (£4.95) however, is very impressive. A plate of five small squares of indulgently sweet pastries sweetened with honey and scattered with nuts is delicious and more than enough to share.

The Drink
The wine list is short and manageable with a deliciously crisp (but surprisingly French) house white wine quite a steal at £13.95 a bottle, especially for Soho. There is a good selection of authentic beers including the very kitsch (but wholly refreshing) Casablanca Beer from Morocco. Sangria also features and seems very popular with student customers. After the meal, mint tea arrives in a quirky silver teapot, but is unnecessarily sweetened leaving a sticky, Polo mint aftertaste.

The Last Word
Despite having so much potential, the food at El Cantara is just not up to the standards of the prices they’re charging, which is a real shame as such a place could be a really positive addition to Soho.

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