As people become increasingly excited by different wines and don’t want to spend a fortune on eating out, places like Pix Soho do a great job of offering an alternative to the usual eateries and bars.

The Venue
Pix Soho is one of two in the capital - the original one in Notting Hill has closed down leaving Pix on Neal Street along with this new one. The frontage is a deep black colour that really makes its mark on the street with an equally bold black and white sign protruding from the side. And you can’t fail to miss the red outdoor seating for those looking for a few alfresco nibbles when the weather is sunny. Inside, they haven’t gone too mad with the Mediterranean touches, with just a flavour of the Spanish theme courtesy of the warm red and orange colour scheme and borderline-cosy lighting. High stools and more traditional dining options make up the seating and the main focus of the room is on the serving area filled with exciting tapas on long sticks.

The Atmosphere
The best thing about Pix Soho is you’re not at the mercy of a slow waiter if you’re in a hurry. Instead it’s self-service, similar to a buffet, and this immediately creates an upbeat atmosphere as people eat whatever they fancy without that awkward surprise when you order off a menu and the food doesn’t look like you expected. The clientele are mainly young and reflect the typical Soho collection of trendies, tourists and office workers looking for sustenance - and a drink.

The Food
The premise of the food menu is simple. Tapas on sticks on a counter. Short sticks cost £1.95. Long sticks cost £2.65. Job done. And the collection of nibbles is exciting, beautifully presented on the whole, and tasty. Highly recommended are the cute little glasses filled with gazpacho martini, which basically taste like alcoholic cold tomato soup. It’s peppery and well seasoned and is a pleasant choice. The chickpea and cashew fritter is also good with a nice crunchy texture and plenty of flavour despite lacking meat - there’s a distinct creamy aftertaste that works well with the other dishes. The honey and rosemary calamari is definitely worth a shot as the squid is perfectly cooked, veering away from chewiness, and the unusual honey and herb inclusion adds an exciting flavour dimension to the dish, while the patatas bravas is a good example of the Spanish favourite. It’s really difficult to get it wrong but you do have to be wary of choosing too much and forgetting that it does all have a price that soon racks up.

The Drink
There’s a definite skew towards Spanish wines on the menu with a particularly good choice of cava, ranging from £18.50 to £39 and tasting, in many cases, better than its far more expensive champagne counterpart. In terms of the wines, the good choice of red and white bottles is mainly Spanish in origin with prices starting at just £17.75, and almost all of the bottles are available by the glass, which is a nice touch. They also do a good choice of cocktails, although they’re not the cheapest at £7.50-£9.50, given they only cover the classics and don't really really push the boundaries on mixology innovation.

The Last Word
Pix Soho is an ideal drinking spot if you’re not too hungry and just want to sample a few Spanish-style nibbles and tapas dishes. It’s an exciting premise for a bar and one that is sure to catch on.

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