It's half past noon and you're in the Gold Coast, starving. You've got half a dozen overpriced restaurants or tacky McDonald's as paltry options. Suddenly, you see the storefront of El Souk, a Mediterranean eatery beckoning with its red awning with black-and-white lettering, blaring the promise of falafel, hummus, shawarma and kebob on the window.

Moroccan owners and chefs created a menu of appetizers, soups, salads and plates that, while primarily decent, runs a bit limited in scope. Appetizers run the gamut from hummus ($6) to mankouchie cheese bread ($3.50), with soups like lentil ($2.99), salads such as fattoush ($6) and pita sandwiches along the lines of falafel ($3.99) and shawarma. Combo plates (with choice of three or four meats) top the menu in price at $10.99 and $12.99. A falafel sandwich lands at a modest $3.99.

For the posh neighborhood, these prices are pretty decent. Yet the drab decor (orange walls, shabby brown furniture in a cramped space) demands prices be bargain basement to make up for a less-than-sunny atmosphere. And the fact that the place doesn't have a loo lowers El Souk's score, although it is primarily a takeout and delivery spot.

A $6.50 lunch coupon for soup and a sandwich is definitely a bright spot.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Marla Seidell