El Cantara

Closed until the Autumn of 2009 because of a fire. El Cantara, deep in the heart of London's raffish Soho, brings together the Spanish and Moroccan elements in a setting that is highly prized for what is regarded as the real McCoy. Neighbourhood restaurants by their very nature are places where an atmosphere of natural enjoyment is high on the agenda, bringing together good food, agreeable company and a high-buzz setting when it comes to good humour.

The list of starters is so vast, underlining the tapas trend, that it is broken down into soups, vegetarian and meat, with harira and cream of vegetable to set the ball rolling. Beetroot and avocado salad is served with a balsamic and olive oil dressing and the piquillo de patatas offers baby peppers stuffed with a potato and carrot purée.

Spinach with olive oil, olives and compote lemon will be better recognised by some as baccoula and a tortilla emerges as a Spanish omelette with potato and onion. Broad beans are a popular vegetable, particularly when served as habas a la Catalana, with mixed herbs, cumin and garlic. All these attractive dishes emphasise the Mediterranean dependence upon vegetarian sources for so much of their ingredients, and perhaps helps explain the longevity of the inhabitants.

However, faced with pan fried spicy sausages served in spicy tomato sauce, grilled chicken wings in a fragrant orange and paprika marinade, oven baked sardines served with a mixed herb crust, crispy buttered squid rings, or mussel shells stuffed with crab and mussel meat the attention of even the most dedicated carnivore might begin to stray.

Couscous, steamed fluffy cracked wheat, is served with a choice of lamb, chicken or Mergeuz, vegetables or Royal. The charcoal grill is a major force when it comes to preparing Mediterranean food, and the mixed grill on one side, the grilled chicken with a lemon, saffron and garlic marinade is in a class of its own.

Lovers of the tagine, that delightful Moroccan stew served in the traditional pot will be cheered by the choices, which include seafood, lamb, vegetable and chicken. The menu of any self-respecting Mediterranean restaurant could not exist without its paella, with seafood and chicken served as a dish for two. A real delicacy is the pollo Basque, chicken served with a sweet pepper, garlic and cream sauce, but possibly the ultimate is the frito mixto Andaluz, an assortment of five different seafoods served on a bed of rice.

Moroccan or Spanish bread lends a whole new meaning to the word artisan in this connection, and small mixed salads add a nice touch to the meal. A tapas menu at £16.95 embraces any four starter dishes, and the 3 course set menu for six people or more is good value, particularly as it includes a jug of sangria. A pre-theatre menu at £19.95 starts with a tapas platter, and a choice from two main courses.

The food is of commendable quality, the surroundings authentic, and with house wines at £13.95 and Chateau Musar from the Lebanon all is well with the world.

Do click on their Website for latest news on menu changes and offers.