Tavernas Worthy of a Visit

It’s a no-frills environment with basic tables draped with oil-cloths (that have seen better days), flickering t-lights in old drinking glasses and plastic garden chairs with thin, but adequate cushions. This is anything but glamorous, but nonetheless we’d been attracted to the place because it always had customers and seemed very "laid-back". It had a strange feel to it – almost like we were embarking on a family barbeque. The waitress single-handedly manoeuvred her way around the tables assuring everyone of her undivided attention. There’s no sense of urgency, but the background music of 60’s ballads played out through subtly placed speakers and the vines, providing only the merest glimpse of the clear Cypriot sky kept us interested.

"Proper" locally baked bread was placed in front of us and our chosen starters of Saganaki and village salad seemed like good choices. We divided them up between and savoured the crispy fried cheese, the beautiful salad dressing and the best olives that I’ve ever tasted. We soon polished it off with a couple of ice-cold bottles of the local beer.

For my main courses I opted for a Mediterranean grill platter made up of lamb chops, sheftalia, souvlakia, various other kebabs and, of course, chips. There was no attempt to be pretentious with the presentation of the meal – it was just straightforward honest home cooking. There was loads of it and the meat was incredibly tender. I could not handle a pudding but managed to have a "small" tasting of my wife’s coffee special ice cream. It was laced with liqueur with lashings of cream on chocolate and vanilla ices – tasty but I think it would have been a little too substantial for me. Not that I was given the option as despite numerous hints I was just told how delightful it was. I contented myself with another beer!

The dining area is flanked with cacti and palms and the sweet smell of Rosemary infuses the area – so easy to forget the main road, which was only a few metres away from the edge of the taverna.

Business at the Akava was steady but not frenetic and overall the place had a rustic charm and a pleasant calm and relaxed ambiance. There’s only a total of 12 tables and although there is no need to book it might be advisable if you’re thinking of eating after 9.00. Diners seem to make a night of it and, there’s no pressure to move, service is unhurried and the night "just seems to go." If you’re a vegetarian you might struggle for choice here, but that goes for many Tavernas. We had a great meal and the Akava, in my view, is worth a try.

It felt like we were being welcomed into the family as we were guided into the taverna and when we returned, some days later, it seemed as if we were family members. Panicos makes it his business to ensure that you are happy and settled into his restaurant and although he’s not overbearing he’ll chat on if you want to engage with him. This is the first restaurant that I’ve been "clocked" for my IgoUgo notebook, and Panicos was intrigued to know why I was scribbling notes at the dinner table. I explained and his face lit up as he asked for the web address. He went on to tell me that he’d been in the restaurant business for 35 years. As a boy he had to stand on a coca-cola box to reach the sink and do the washing up. His wife has been cooking for Piatsa Greka for 12 years – "trained by me" said Panicos with a smile. However, the business stops at this generation as his children are studying law and teaching and do not intend to give up their careers for the taverna. Panicos take great pride in his taverna and it shows through in terms of service and food quality

My wife had the Greek hors d’oeuvre – four tasty dips with warm pitta bread – whilst I opted for a Greek green salad. Mine was dripping in tasty olive oil and I soaked that up with some of the bread that had been freshly baked on the premises. What an assault on the taste buds! We had a total of four main courses at Piasta Greka. The Kleftiko was beautifully flavoured and the meat just dropped off the bone; I’ve never tasted such a fine Mousaka with clear but intense flavours with a high "well preserved" topping; the Dolmades were extremely tasty with a delicate, subtle blend of herbs; and the Suckling pig, well I never did get to try it, but by wife left not a single morsel. All main course are served with fresh vegetables (not frozen!) a roast/jacket potato (a positive delight) and rice. Portions are substantial but not offensively large and the apple pudding (we spilt one between us) was a reminder of French cuisine. Presentation isn’t their strong point but the flavours are phenomenal.

The place is nothing to look at from the outside and I reckon would benefit from some TLC, but look beyond that and look at the contented faces and body postures of the diners. We did and thoroughly enjoyed our meals here.

We sat towards the edge of the gardened restaurant in comfortable padded armchairs alongside a round table with a crisp linen table cloth draped to the ground. On arrival, a beaming owner lit a candle in a small wicker container. She made a reasonable attempt at small talk, but her English was extremely limited. Whilst we considered the menu, we ordered a couple of large beers, but only one was brought to the table. She explained to us that she wanted us to enjoy the beer well chilled and so the second one would be brought to us when the first one had been consumed. I couldn’t fault her logic.

Deep-fried mushrooms were my chosen starter, and they were piping hot. Hot and delicious. My wife opted for what was becoming her favourite starter, Greek hors d’oeuvre, and although she claimed that it was not the best she’d eaten, the plates were soon polished clean, with the remains of the warm pita bread. I opted for the main course of beef stifado, which turned out to be worthy of any higher-priced restaurant. The meat was extremely tender and was superbly subtly flavoured with a delicate blend of herbs, giving it a mild curry tang.

The apple pie and ice cream was our chosen dessert, and although I’ve tasted better pastry, there was loads of it and it was nicely laced with cinnamon. I was just thinking what good value it was (three courses for £7.75) when a plate of watermelon was placed before us. Presumably this was to clear the palate, but there was more than enough and we only just managed to clear the plate!

We rested a while and enjoyed the full moon that was glistening through the trellising before signalling for the bill. Within seconds, a couple of complimentary brandies were placed on the table. It was brandy of reasonable quality (not usually the case when they’re giving it away), and so we settled down for more chat and savoured the full flavours of the cognac.

Artemis is a no-hassle, no-nonsense taverna offering good, honest basic food of a high quality. My mother always used to say that clean plates are an indication of a meal well prepared and enjoyed by the diner. We didn’t leave a morsel! For cheap quality food, Artemis is well worth a visit.

We followed the man with the sales pitch and sat down on rustic wicker chairs with homemade cushions (the kind that "granny might have made") alongside tables decked out with red-and-white tablecloths and a single red rose (silk) in a porcelain vase. A single tea light flickered in front of us, almost pulsating to the sounds of the exhilarating rhythm of the Greek dance music that played continuously (and repeatedly) throughout the evening. A central ceiling fan made efforts to keep the temperature acceptable, but really only succeeded in gently massaging the leaves of the many plants hanging in the centre of the room.

This place was busy and had a chaotic feel to it. It was "kinda organised" and the rush of the waitresses and anxious looks of the restaurant tout introduced an element of theatrical farce to the taverna.

Having secured our order for two large Keos (the local beer), we asked to see the special menu. A Spartan ration of uninspiring bread was placed on the table and we waited for our starters. My garlic mushrooms on a crisp toasted slice of bread, with a small garnish of cucumber and tomato, were particularly heavy on the garlic. Just as well; I’m a garlic fan! My wife had opted for spare ribs in a sweet-and-sour sauce – the meat just fell off the bone, and I was impressed that she managed to devour it without introducing the sauce to the tablecloth. All in all, these were good starters.

I chose Koupepia (stuffed vine leaves) as my main course. They had a terrifically herby taste and were accompanied by piping-hot french fries, fresh carrots, a vegetable I couldn’t identify, and a beautiful, rich, and colourful sauce. There was plenty of it, and a side dish of fried onion rings finished the main course off. My wife positively raved over the mousaka served in an earthenware bowl (described as "glay pot" on the menu) which kept hot throughout the meal. This was described as truly delicious and a great blend of minced lamb, aubergines, and potatoes topped with bechamile sauce. I had to help her finish off her french fries – the sacrifices a man must make!

My chocolate pudding was not ambitious but was plentiful, light, rich, and tasty. My wife’s pancake was extremely well done, stuffed with loads of vanilla ice cream and hanging over the edge of the dessert plate.

This was a substantial meal, and the visiting cats did not get the chance of scraps off our plates!

We sat outside under parasols with an uninspiring view of the timber-framed awning and nearby road. It was not the best of settings, but soon we were joined by others and bizarrely the area took on a buzz. The chairs were certainly very comfortable – padded dining chairs that were complemented by smart pedestal tables with navy blue and white tablecloths.

But what about the meal, I hear you say. Well, it was a mixed affair, and in its appraisal, I have to remind myself that the cost was low for a "resort restaurant" near the centre of Kato-Pafos. The Halloumi sat on a bed of lettuce (a single leaf!) and looked fairly forlorn. It wasn’t the best I’ve tasted, and the accompanying bread was lacking both in body and taste. The main courses looked unappetizing, but my alfreda was a fine blend of pork slowly cooked in spices, resulting in a succulent dish. It was extremely tasty, but the accompanying french fries and vegetables should have come muttering apologies at me. Elaine’s pork meatballs (five of them), although lightly seasoned with parsley, were otherwise lacking in flavour. Her verdict was that a sauce would have been beneficial (I don’t think she meant H.P., but she did quip that even that would have been an improvement). The accompanying jacket potato had obviously been standing for some sometime and was a sorry affair.

The choice of pudding was limited to ice cream or fresh fruit. We both opted for ice cream – pink and vivid green balls were placed before us and we tentatively tasted the strange textured and perfumed-tasting ice. Flavours? I’m not sure, but I don’t think I want to repeat the experience.

The beer was only served in small bottles (not that I’m an alcoholic, but in these temperatures, one swig and it was gone), so we opted for a pint of Carlsburg (I’m not really into lager, but you can only get "proper" beer in the many "English pubs" on the strip.).It was okay – cold and damp!

Service was casual but friendly – there was no attempt to be pretentious here, but somehow it really didn’t have a taverna feel to it. A lone tea light had flickered throughout the meal and a strange combination of traditional Greek music and hip-hop was played throughout the meal. This dining experience was nothing great - but it was a cheap, filling meal.