Cantaloupe

Booked a table for Sunday night. Was told that the restaurant was closed but would set up a table in the bar for nine of us. Went along and told there was no table and the chef had gone home - no attempt at an apology.
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Justin
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, November 14, 2007

I've been going to Cantaloupe for 3 years and always enjoy the laid back atmosphere, especially early on the week, where you can spend the whole evening just chilling out on their comfy sofas eating a good selection of tapas. The staff is always nice and friendly to me and my friends. I usually eat at the bar but would it's worth trying the Moqueca in their restaurant, delicious!
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Camila
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Went here on a Saturday night and it had a nice buzzy feel. Food was slightly better than average. The paella was very big but not as flavoursome as would have hoped. Had the 7-9pm sitting and was told to hurry with dessert so that we finished before 9. Still better than expected given the reviews.
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kath74 - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, March 21, 2006

During the Shoreditch revival Cantaloupe was at its hub, it was bustling and vibrant full of interesting people and local characters, now it has more the feel of an All-Bar-One, with an ‘after-work’ crowd on weekday evenings and a town-centre busyness on the weekend.

Having read the other reviews, my comments for the restaurant seem to reflect a common theme. We visited the restaurant for an end-of-the-week works lunch. After trying to attract the waitress’ attention we were told that it was not her ‘section’ and were left in bemused confusion as there were no other waiters / waitresses.

After reluctantly being served, the food was of a no better than average, the menu is mainly limited to gastro burgers and chips and was overpriced. An hour after retiring to the settee area we were told that the table was reserved and asked to move despite the restaurant area being completely empty except for us. The surly attitude of the staff and the refusal of the manageress to recognise our complaint were on a par with the infamous service at Wong Kee’s in Wardour Street but without the novelty factor.
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ocean pie
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Thursday, December 01, 2005

The ambience is great : respectably dim lighting, big wooden bench seating and nooks and crannies full of leather settees, with low-key and unobtrusive music burbling away in the background. Mainly a vast bar with a restaurant tucked away in the back.

On the Monday we visited it was virtually deserted, and we headed straight for the restaurant section as we were famished. Immediately put off by the waitress' off-hand manner and the fact that although there were only 3 couple dining, she opted to sit all of us bunched up on "doubles" rather than spreading us around in the lovely banquet boothes. (I would understand if they were expecting a rush, but when we left 2 hours later no other diners had presented themselves.) We felt so uncomfortable that we decided to move to the spacious front bar and eat there.

We ordered a hot tapas platter to share, which comprised skewered kitchen and lamb, abondigos, and various other meat savouries along with flatbread and dips. Well prepared but not remarkable. The portions were good (two of us were quite full afterwards) but it was a little overpriced at £18. The Weissbeer on tap was fresh and well kept, although the other tap beers offered were uninspirational, there was a decent selection of bottled beers from around the world. The staff and service at the bar were far more welcoming than in the restaurant. I would absolutely recommend it for a quiet drink or a bite early in the week, but I'm sure it's a completely different planet on Friday or Saturday, when all the bars and restaurants in Shoreditch and Hoxton are rammed and noisey.
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Savage Pink - View all reviews by this user
Tuesday, October 18, 2005