Mas Q Menos Soho

Mas Q menos pe jab mai gya tha to yaha bhot hi acha mahoual bana hua tha jisse fir mera jaane ka mann nahi kia par mujhe jana pada kyuki mai late ho rha tha

Last month Mas Q Menos opened its doors at a new location right bang in the middle of Soho. Mas Q Menos is a Jamon and Wine bar but offers so much more than that, offering patisserie breakfasts, lunches, cocktails to a whole selection of tapas and an extensive wine list. The family run restaurant focuses on the quality and authenticity of the ingredients to bring Spain to you. When I was in Barcelona this year, where they also have restaurants, I was addicted to Iberica ham so I couldn’t wait to try them out. Danny and I escaped the busy Soho and popped into Mas Q Menos for a well-earned relaxing lunch.

Mas Q Menos, Wardour Street – Homage to me drinking cava again, I have to start with this!

I do feel I deserved this glass of cava after refraining from alcohol for 11 months. For a good cause, of course (my first born) and I never regretted it. Plus, a double celebration, it was the husband's birthday. I definitely need to drink to that.

I felt very honoured to be invited to review Mas Q Menos, a Jamon and Wine Bar in Soho, situated nearer to the end of Shaftsbury Avenue.

Mas Q Menos is a family-run restaurant that builds its strength in the quality and authenticity of its food. And, they are not boasting about serving quality cold cut meat because they really are of superior quality! The three integral elements of the restaurant are the jamons, cheeses and breads that build up the variety of tapas, toasted coca and the toasted sandwiches (toasties to me). It is indeed very carb laden. But, as an alternative to not having too much carbohydrate, there are fresh salads and quiches to choose from. Mas Q Menos also caters for walk-in or pre-ordered takeaways.

Inside, the dining area is split into two floors. The same style of decoration is carried throughout both floors – hanging chunks of jamon, black walls, intimate lighting, leather type one seater sofas (like those in a hotel), smart, trendy and swanky, to capture the after office hours crowd, theatre goers and late evening munchies. The music could have been more mellow, a tone complimenting to its stylish decoration but seemed to be tuned to only simulate like a shoddy bar. However, one thing that I associate with Mas Q Menos is the Museo del Jamon in Madrid. It was probably the hanging jamon.

On the wine list, personally I thought that the choices of wine were on the safe side. It is a shame, because from the taste of a single type of grape to a complex blend of grapes, Spain invokes in me memories of some very distinctive wines, something that Mas Q Menos didn't quite deliver. This goes for their other alcoholic beverages; the usual big name brands that almost every restaurant or bar uses. The assistant manager explained that they are still trying to find the balance to attract the crowd. For non-alcoholic drinks there are smoothies, fresh juices and hot drinks. I did feel that with smoothies and hot drinks make it feel less like a bar,  more like a cafe.

I would recommend, from a tasting and simplicity point, to go for the platter style; cheese, meat or fish. From there, depending on your appetite accompany the platter with some salad, or love for a specific meat/fish/cheese, an additional tapa or toasted coca or toasted sandwich.

Service was very friendly and attentive. You might think that it was dubious as they know that they are being judged but the kind of sincerity is hardly faked. In their freshly ironed uniforms, there is always a warming smile on a face. A far cry from the Manuel or Mr Fawlty of Fawlty Towers himself.

Mas Q Menos is a comfortable venue to meet up with friends for drinks and a little snack. Larger groups are a little tricky with their bulky seats around the smallish coffee tables but that is why one can slouch into the seat and still look good. Oh, I think I just said that the furniture makes the person sitting in it look good. Is that what I am imagining or is furniture starting to have power to emulate that sort of impression?

There are lots of restaurants in soho that they are up against and I'd like to see that Mas Q Menos could standout, especially with their wine/cocktail list. I am looking forward to seeing some more local Spanish drinks.  

This is an invited review.

The food:
1. superior Iberian chorizo on coca bread £4.90 – the coca is very different from the coca I know having lived in Mallorca for a while. At Mas Q Menos, it was crunchy, a cross of Inca biscuits and a baguette bread; crunchy but cushy in the middle. Sounds odd I know, but it was suprisingly pleasant. I'm glad I tried the cooked version here with a good quality chorizo because I'd certainly prefer them as in the primordial form.

2. superior Iberian summer sausages (salchichon Iberico) £4.90

3. superior Iberian jamon with artisan bread, dressed in tomatoes £14.90

4. spanish omelette £4.80 – this was a little disappointing. The consistency was not bad, taste was normal but I generally like my tortilla with more height to it. The 'pa amb oli' served was very superb. You need to use a special variety of tomato, known as ramallet, otherwise it would not taste quite the same. It is a bad habit of mine but I tend to sprinkle more salt that I usually would on this.

5. white anchovies in vinegar £4.90 – also known as 'boquerones'. The balance of acidity was adequate.

6. beef carpaccio with parmesan cheese £7.90 – a classic combination that excels on the quality of ingredients. No dressing is needed. Paired with the wine it was a hit!

7. gazpacho £4.90 – one of the best that I have ever had. Highly recommended! In the first sip, I thought I tasted a hint of chilli but it didn't seem to have after a few sips. Chilled to the right temperature. I'll have this summer drink in winter!

8. assorted Iberian specialities of smoked salmon, smoked cod, anchovies, white anchovies with vinegar, tuna belly, green olives and piquillo peppers £14.90 – I ordered this only because I was intrigued by their fish platter and that they named it their speciality. I did not know that Spain was known for its preserved fish except for 'boquerones' and I have never had good smoked salmon in Spain. Unless you pay a ridiculous price and that they are normally imported. The smoked salmon and cod were fairly normal stuff and the tuna belly tasted like normal tuna chunks. It was an overall a mediocre platter.

9. cava £6.00 per glass - I generally prefer a drier drink but this cava is both sweet and dry, which I thought was something special. A very good balance of flavour.

Good tapas