Pyxida Fish Tavern

Address: Menandrou 5, Nicosia

Phone: 22 445636

Reservations are strongly advised.

It is commonly believed that you can only eat good fish near the sea. This can quickly be disproved once you visit the Pyxida Fish Tavern in the heart of the capital.

It is probably the only fish tavern I have ever been where I didn’t leave the place smelling like fried fish myself!

The service was outstanding, the taste and quality of the fish was exceptional, hence, counterbalancing with the price of EUR 23.50 per person for a full fish meze.

The fish meze included the following items:

– A thick, creamy fish soup

– Fish croquettes

– Grilled cuttlefish

– Boiled prawns

– Deep fried shrimps

– Fried whole squid

– Deep fried cod fillets

– Fresh, fried red mullet

– Whole, mini, fried crabs

– Grilled sea bream

Accompanied by the freshest salad, home made fries and the various dips.

Let’s not forget the most important part of all: carefully selected wines that complement and enhance the fish flavour. We had a couple of bottles of Vasilikos white wine that went brilliantly with our meal.

This is a quick review as I was so impressed by the whole eating experience that I had to share it.

Remember: A satisfied customer will bring you 8 new ones, while a dissatisfied one will cost you 13. So if you have had an exceptional experience somewhere, feel free to share.

Sharing is caring, and caring means…cash flow, which means the economy can run smoothly and hopefully get out of this recession sooner.

Don’t be shellfish; share the love,

kitx

FLAOUNO-ART

Modern life is great. BUT, traditional village life is even better! Get ready to be amazed…

The making of flaounes on Holy Tuesday during Easter time is an Art. There are two ways to make them; the easy way and the awesome way. I shall be describing both.

THE EASY WAY

This way was created by busy Nicosia mothers and housewives who want to keep the tradition of flaounes going, but at the same time have no time to do it the old fashioned way. Here is how:

Thy Ingredients.

Buy ready-made pastry (my mum uses Kanakis, but I’m sure others would do just fine) and defrost it naturally. At the same time, finely grind about 2 kg of hard cheese (my mum uses homemade cheese from Pomos village, Paphos, that a friend sends us every year). You will need a packet of raisins, some mint leaves (finely chopped), half a dozen of eggs, one and a half cups of sugar, 5 g of grounded mehlep seeds (apparently made of cherry seeds!), 2 spoons of grounded cinnamon, one and a half cups of semolina, half a packet of yeast and sesame seeds.

Thy procedure.

Now all this should take you no longer than 40 minutes, including the baking!

1. Preheat your oven at 175 degrees Celcius for 15 minutes at Fan forced mode.
2. In a small bowl, mix the yeast with 6 teaspoons of luke-warm water and 3 teaspoons of sugar. Leave for 10 minutes.
3. During those 10 minutes, place the grinded cheese in a large bowl with the eggs and mix with your hands. The mixture should be soft and light.
4. Add the raisins, mehlep seeds, semolina, sugar and mint. Mix with your hands, once again.
5. Add the yeast mixture that was sitting for 10 minutes. It should now have some bubbles and have risen. Mix with the rest of the cheese-dough.
6. Cut the ready-made pastry in squares of about 10 cm by 10 cm.
7. Place a full handful of the cheese pastry in each square.
8. Fold the pastry to cover most of the cheese pastry. Do not press the pastry or it will go flat when it bakes!
9. Beat 2 eggs in a small bowl and using a brush, grease the top of all the flaounes. You may want to omit greasing the cheese part as it may end up dark after it bakes.
10. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of each flaouna.
11. Place on a baking tray and cook for 30 minutes.
12. Voila! The perfect flaouna: perfectly balanced with a savoury-sweet taste. Serve at room temperature.

THE AWESOME WAY

This awesome way is the traditional way flaounes were and are still made in the villages. It is a day well-anticipated by the villagers who gather at someone’s kitchen to prepare their own flaounes and cook them in the same clay oven. Everyone has their own duty to fulfill; whether it is heating the clay oven, chopping the mint leaves, mixing the cheese dough, preparing the pastry, dividing the pastry into smaller circles, filling up the pastries, ‘egging’ the flaounes, spreading the sesame seeds, carrying the flaounes to the oven, watching the flaounes not to burn… it is the best example of team work I have ever seen!

Thy ingredients.

Clay oven with wood from their olive trees, home-made cheese both from goats and cows, hand-picked eggs from their home grown chickens, home-made yeast made from Holy Water and flour for 9 days, home-made flour from their own wheat, fresh mint from their garden, raisins, fine white powder sugar (axni), baking powder, sesame seeds and semolina from the supermarket!

Thy procedure.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I will let them do the talking…

Happy Easter everyone…and happy flaouno-eating!
And don’t forget to share the love…

kitx

Address: Spyrou Kyprianou Avenue, 1065

Tel: (+357) 22 364999

Website: www.hardrock.com

…So you can imagine how excited I was when I heard that Hard Rock Cafe was actually coming to our little island. Wait, wait. That sounds like the end of a story. Rewind…

Once upon a time there was a little (?) girl who decided that collecting things is cool. So instead of collecting stamps and coins and random staff like that, she decided to go around the world and buy a t-shirt from every Hard Rock Cafe that she could lay her groupie hands on.

So today, after nicely tidying up the special shelf in my cupboard, used only for Hard Rock t-shirts from around the world, I decided to wear the Paris version to accompany my ripped jeans and Adidas trainers and drove with ultimate excitement to feed my belly at Hard Rock Cafe in Nicosia. [Yes, you can tell that the ‘little’ girl in the story is me. Hooray!]

The Hard Rock. It’s finally here! Unbe-f******-lievable! Ex-squeeze my French.

Anyhow, I was greeted by a friendly host who politely, yet wittily – my kind of humour, escorted us to our table upstairs. The foreign waitress introduced herself and brought us the famous menus of ‘Eats’.

After a quick and detailed scan we decided to start with the Bruschetta with freshly cut tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar and garlic oil topped with parmesan shavings and grated red Leicester cheese. The price was around EUR 7.45 for this starter. Sounds a lot for a piece of bread with tomatoes on it, but it was actually 5 pieces of baguette. So it’s worth it.

That beauty only lasted for 2 minutes. We quickly moved on to juicy BBQ pork spare ribs with freshly cooked French fries (EUR 16.20) and the Famous chicken fajitas with all the condiments and sides (EUR 15.90). The tender chicken breast – in my opinion, it had to be served sizzling too – was served on a layer of sizzling mixed peppers and onions in a sizzling dish.

The food experience didn’t last long. But the Loco Berry Rita Frozen Margarita served in a sugar-coated martini glass did last. And it was gooood.

One could wonder several things when entering the Hard Rock Cafe in Nicosia:

What on Earth is Paula Abdul’s jacket doing in Hard Rock?

And what about Will.I.Am’s jacket from Black Eyed Peas?

And what are Rihanna’s shorts doing there?!

Not much of ‘hard rock super stars’ but – hey!, it’s marketing. And besides, there are some Smashing Pumpkins and other rock memorabilia in there, but the above three were the ones who got most of my attention.

The staff in the Cafe and Shop were very friendly, with their humour, nice smiles and the service was excellent. Note that I went there during a week day around 7:30 pm, nowhere near the weekend or rush hour.

If you are planning on visiting, which I strongly suggest you do, get there early so you can get a table sorted asap.

And above all, get ready to be rocked off your socks.

Oh and buy a Pink Hard rock t-shirt (EUR 26.95)…it’s PinkTober! Have a heart.

And don’t forget…..Love All – Serve All.

For those about to rock, I salute you.

kitx

The ultimate restaurant review guide list…

Writing articles takes time.
Time is money.
Going out takes time and money.
And, at the moment, I have no money.
But I still need to eat.
Compromising is an art.
Therefore, I decided to create this particular article.
Possibly, the best article yet.

Here is a list with short reviews for each restaurant I have recently visited, in no particular order.
You can find individual reviews on ‘starred’ restaurants by visiting my own blog at: www.fatbellyfatsmile.wordpress.com
OR by visiting my online column at:
http://www2.onthisisland.com/sections/opinions/restaurant-reviews-opinions/

CYPRIOT CUISINE

Pais – Cypriot cuisine in Prevezis street, Nicosia. Family oriented, homemade dishes, good prices. Try the souvla! 22 665 070

**Kazamias – Cypriot cuisine in Akropoli avenue, Nicosia. Simple, casual environment, good food, good prices. Worth trying the Mix Grill Platter! 22 425 212

Gefsi No. 2 – Cypriot cuisine in Platy, Nicosia. The best kebabs I have ever tasted! Definitely recommended! 22 331 260

Xrysocava – A tavern built under the seats of PAEEK Stadium, Strovolos, Nicosia. An unusual selection of dishes in the meze but the service was not that great. 99 446 900

Kyriacos, Pallouriotissa – Very nice kleftiko throughout the year! Try the ribs! 22 432 750

**Kyriacos, Aglandjia – Nice, friendly and cozy environment, good meze and good value for money. Try the kebabs! 22 334 471

**Kyriacos, Strovolos – Nice tavern, family oriented, good meze, good value for money. 22 497 539

**Zannetos – Very traditional tavern in the Old Nicosia on Trikouppis street. Good, large meze. Definitely recommended! 22 765 501

**Prosfigas – Cypriot restaurant in Aglandjia, Nicosia. Specialises on kleftiko during the summer season. Try the ribs! 22 334 891

Hurricane – Traditional cafe at the end of Ledras street, Nicosia. Cheap, nice, traditional pies and cookies. Their homemade warm cheesepie will, indeed, rock you like a hurricane!! 22 463 284

**Byzantino – Traditional cuisine in Casale Panayiotis Inn, in Kalopanayiotis village. Feel the hospitability of the locals and their traditional recipes. Try the grilled halloumi with honey! 22 952 444

GREEK CUISINE

Xronoperpatimata – Greek cuisine near OXI roundabout, Nicosia. Full on Greek meze, ouzeri, with live not-too-loud music (Rembetika). Worth trying! 22 750 009

Bastione – Gourmet Greek cuisine in a recently renovated space in Pyli Ammochostou, short but inclusive menu for all tastes, slightly loud environment but good service. Try the Trachanas Veloute as a starter! 22 730 025

Souksou Mouksou Mandalakia – Gourmet Greek cuisine in Onasagorou street, very interesting menu, relaxing environment and good value for money. Definitely recommended! 22 666 6002

Loxandra – Greek cuisine near Faneromeni’s Church at the end of Onasagorou street. Nice meze, slightly crowded and loud, slightly expensive. Try the homemade fried potatoes with grated halloumi cheese on top! 22 675 757

Oi Serraioi – Greek delicacies at the end of Onasagorou street. Greek Mbougatses (Cream Pies) in the heart of the capital. Mbougatses are available in many flavours: cream, cheese, cheese and spinach, minced meat, nutella etc. Worth trying the Cream Mbougatsa with dusted sugar and cinnamon on top. Why not try them from the comfort of your house? Try the delivery service! Yum! 22 666 686

ITALIAN CUISINE

Il Forno – Italian cuisine in Ledras street, Nicosia, good prices, nice food and casual environment. Try the Garlic bread with cheese as starter and Pasta with prawns and broccoli for mains. Mmmm! 22 456 454

Marzano – Italian ‘gourmet’ cuisine in Themistokli Dervi street, opposite TGI Fridays, Nicosia. Nice relaxing environment, good food, affordable prices. Try the double chocolate fudge cake!!! 22 446 266

Manolito – Italian cuisine on Larnacos avenue in Aglandjia, Nicosia. Small place, cheap food, good quality, good value for money. Delivery recommended. Try the submarines!! 22 448 044

WORLD CUISINE

Silver Pot – Homemade world cuisine in Themistokli Dervi street. Unique recipes, constantly changing menu, affordable prices, full organic and homemade goodness! Try the Saturday brunch between 10am – 3pm for crepes with maple syrup and other interesting combinations. 22 101 722

**Draught – World cuisine near the Old Port in Limassol. Relaxing music, pub-like environment, very nice food, good prices. A lot of dishes are prepared with beers or whisky. Try the double chicken with wedges and their large selection of house-beers! 25 820 470

Domus – World cuisine near the Archiepiskopi, Nicosia. Very nice and stylish environment, perfect for romantic dates, very polite waiters, interesting dishes but expensive. Try the Mozzarelinia for starters! 22 433 722

Cafe La Mode – World cuisine in Makarios avenue (22 447 272), Akropoleos avenue (22 510788), Lemesos avenue (22 871 787) and Latsia (22 467 256). Try their weekend lunch offers for take away and save 20-30% of the price (Akropoleos)! Try their pork chops (Akropoleos)! Try their own crepes in Makarios avenue, Nicosia.

ORIENTAL CUISINE

Yu Shan – Chinese cuisine near American Academy in Larnaca. Modern Chinese restaurant with an elegant touch, affordable prices and excellent service. Do not try the chicken and coriander soup, but try the B&G Rose wine with your food! 24 657 044

**Pagoda – Chinese cuisine. Mont Parnasse branch (22 878 000) much better than the Agios Dometios branch (22 444 740) in service and food. Try the Lemon chicken!

China Spice – Chinese cuisine opposite Puzzle cafe on Pindarou street, Nicosia. Elegant style, good food, affordable prices but slightly loud. Try the tempura banana! 22 875 875

Little Buddha – Oriental cuisine on Spyros Kyprianou avenue, Nicosia. Very Oriental, relaxing and elegant environment, disappointing food and high prices. Do not try the Chicken Curry but do try the Spring rolls as starters! 22 766 000

Masalas – Fine Indian cuisine in Dhekelia road in Larnaca. Not as spicy as ‘original’ Indian food, good service, slightly expensive for what you get, loud environment, but good quality food. 24 644950

**Bonzai – Japanese cuisine in Holiday Inn. The best Japanese restaurant I have been to. Nice food, affordable prices, nice sushi peninsula, chefs cook in front of you, interesting show. Try the Ebi sushi for starters, Teppanyaki chicken for mains and Crepes with fruit for dessert! 22 712 712

Akakiko – Japanese cuisine in Mondo Complex, Makarios Avenue (77 77 80 22), Apollonia hotel in Limassol (77 77 89 99). Fusion dishes, affordable prices. A more modern approach to Japanese cuisine than Bonzai. But I still prefer Bonzai over Akakiko, no matter what people say. I am old school.

Tokyo – Japanese cuisine in Limassol. Eventhough the city of Tokyo is actually pretty amazing, this is a misleading name for the restaurant. No further comments. 25 873 333

Sapporo – Japanese cuisine in Agia Napa. Nice show, good food, slightly expensive, usually crowded and loud. 23 721 505

Nippon – Japanese cuisine in Larnaca. Small, tidy, minimal restaurant with nice sushi. People’s opinion ‘rated as the best Japanese in Cyprus’. 24 822 455

LATIN CUISINE

Aztecas – Dhekelia branch (Dhekelia road, 24 642 002) much better in service, quality and prices than the Nicosia branch (end of Ledras street, 22 680 610). Go to the Dhekelia branch and try the Enchiladas with chicken and pork accompanied by a big jug of Sangria!

Casa Vieja – Spanish cuisine in Old Nicosia. Spanish tapas and Paellas in a low-lighted environment with Spanish music. Try the homemade Sangria!! 22 673 371

Cayena – Latin Fusion cuisine in Agios Dometios. Elegant environment, good value for money during lunch time buffet and nice tapas for dinner. Try their lunch buffet and homemade Sangria! 22 777 787

Chilies – Mexican cuisine in Old Nicosia. Very nice food and good prices. Try the chicken fajitas and the homemade cheesecake! 22 671 647S

El Pueblo – Mexican cuisine in Aglandjia, Nicosia. Nice ‘mexican’ environment, expensive, not fantastic food or service. Try their enchiladas! 22 333 306

FISH CUISINE

**Nordsee – Fish restaurant in Makarios Avenue, Nicosia. Fresh fish in the capital, slow service but very polite waiters, affordable prices. Try the Lobster Pasta for mains and their Chocolate Mousse for dessert! 7777 6011

Mediterranean – Fish cuisine in Makenzi area, Larnaca. Fast and cheap fish food, a bit more ‘gourmet’ than Ocean Basket, but less ‘gourmet’ than Nordsee. 24 627 778

Ocean Basket – Fish cuisine in Themistokli Dervi street, Nicosia. Fast and cheap fish food. I can relate it to the McDonald’s for fish, but slightly more healthy. Try the Princess Platter…for real Princesses! 22 673 777

**Spartiatis – Fish tavern next to Grecian Park in Protaras. One of the best fish taverns on the island. A large fish meze for a very good price of EUR 20 per person. Definitely recommended! 23 831 386

To Latsi – Fish tavern in Agios Andreas. Average fish meze and relatively expensive. 22 780 937

Karas – Fish tavern in Kapparis area in Protaras. Very nice fish, expensive, good service. Try the fresh Vlachos fish, but be prepared to pay EUR 60 per kilo….!! 23 820 565

La Mer –Fish tavern in Limassol. Not the best tavern you can go to. 25 356 095

MIDDLE EAST CUISINE

Emessa – Syrian food in Makedonitissa. Cheap, nice and tasty meze in a quiet environment and cheap shisha for EUR 5. Try their homemade mastiha ice cream and mahalepi! 22 444 544

Syrian and Arab Friendship Club – Syrian food in Agios Dometios. You feel like you are in a traditional restaurant in Syria with nice, affordable food and not many luxuries. 22 776 246

Sawa – Syrian food behind Puzzle cafe. Nice environment, more elegant and their meze is slightly more expensive than the other two restaurants with a shisha garden at the back. I personally prefer this one over the other two. 22 766 777

Fanous – Lebanese food in Old Nicosia. Nice relaxed and casual environment, good and affordable meze with a shisha on the side! 22 666 663

ABO – Fast, cheap Armenian take away food in Onasagorou street. Try the Lahmadjoun and the Halloumopitta! 22 661 172

STEAKHOUSES

FuAmo – A steakhouse in Limassol on Souliou street. One of (if not) the best steakhouse I have been to! Try the vegetable tart for starters, any steak for mains and the fruit tart for dessert! Definitely recommended. Yum! 7000 64 65

Butcher’s Grill – A new steakhouse on Griva Digeni avenue. Very good value for money, good service and nice ‘steakhouse’ environment. Try the Mix Grill and especially the beef kebab in it…the tenderest piece of meat I have ever tasted! 777 77 747

TGI Fridays – American cuisine in The Mall of Cyprus and on Diagorou street, Nicosia. Try the Jack Daniel’s steak! 22 461 333

OTHERS

Peninta-Peninta – New cafe opposite Club Toy, nice food, quick service, affordable prices, nice colourful and relaxing environment, but nothing too special. 22 375 204

Joko – Bar/restaurant behind Little Buddha. Nice environment and music, good cocktails. Do not eat there during Bar times but do try the Frozen Strawberry Margaritas instead! 22 766 740

Platos – Old school pub in the heart of the capital, with a large selection of beers. Try the marinated chicken kebab with a cold pint of Hoegaarden, or, the homemade XL hamburger with a blonde Leffe! The best chicken kebab I have ever had. 22 666 552

COMING SOON…

Vino Cultura

Da Paolo

Zen, Limassol

Koutsonikolias, Kaloxorio

Ta Piatakia, Limassol

To Katwi

French Brasserie

Chateau Status

Pyxida Fish tavern

Avgoustis

Kona Kai 2

Taj Mahal, Limassol

and many more…

Fat is the new skinny of winter.

Don’t be selfish! Share the love…and stay tuned!

kitx

NORDSEE – Nicosia, Cyprus

Something fishy is going on…

Address: Mondo Complex, 9A Arch. Makarios Avenue, Nicosia, 1065, Cyprus
Tel: 7777 6011
Schedule: open daily from 12 noon to midnight
Parking: opposite the restaurant in a parking lot (pay by the hour) or on the side street near Zena Palace Cinema with park-o-meters (usually free after 6pm)
Website: http://www.nordsee.com.cy

Haven’t you heard? Something fishy is going on in the heart of the capital! Actually, to be precise – because accuracy, precision and detail are very important in our busy, high maintenance lives – something very fishy has landed on the ground floor of Mondo Complex on Makarios avenue in Nicosia. It is quite easy to spot; it is the one with the big red fish logo and big blue bold letters of NORDSEE. That’s right. You wouldn’t miss it even if you wanted to.

The famous German seafood restaurant chain, one hundred and fifteen years after its foundation in Bremerhaven in 1896, has finally landed on the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus, of course. Cyprus is now one of the 410+ worldwide restaurants of NORDSEE. A small step for NORDSEE, a huge leap for Cyprus. Who needs electricity in the Stone Age when we have NORDSEE in Cyprus? Seriously now.

There is one, and only one, golden rule to distinguish today’s fish from yesterday’s fish: if it smells like the sea, go for it, if it smells like the fish, change the dish. Simples. I’m sure I’ve heard that saying somewhere else before, but can’t quite put my finger on it yet.

If only I could have another dinner with you…

NORDSEE guarantees the freshest, tastiest and best(est?) ingredients around to be perfectly cooked, carefully laid out on your plate, brought to you by friendly – and handsome! – waiters and offer a mouth watering orgasm every time. Indeed, a lovely combination.

Your fish arrives fresh from the four corners of the world. So go on, try the Cuban spiny lobster, the Thai prawns, the Norwegian salmon, the Atlantic plaice, the Irish mussels (not muscles!), the Icelandic saithe (from the Cod family), the Alaskan Pollack (from the Cod family as well. I reckon they are second cousins) or – and I am sure you have all tried these before – the Mediterranean octopus, squid, smelt, baby crab and sea bass. Travel the world through your taste buds and discover your exotic side through fish. Go wild!

Prices vary from EUR 3.90 up to EUR 39.50, from freshly made seafood salads (served in a tortilla bowl!) and all the way to fish platters for our readers with fat appetites, fatter bellies and the fattest smiles! [Those are my favourite readers.]

Cheap and lame excuses won’t get you out of this one.

‘I would love to have lunch with you but I am in a hurry today and haven’t got enough cash with me, sorry!’
NORDSEE offers instant cold and hot seafood sandwiches from as little as EUR 2.90 to as much (?) as EUR 5.50. Soon, a salad bar will be available as well. I am sure the price will not threaten your wallet or wipe your fat smile off your face.

Diet always starts on the same day. Tomorrow.

‘I would love to have dinner with you but I am on a diet and I don’t really eat at night, sorry!’
NORDSEE is open daily from midday to midnight. Fish is really healthy with lots of fatty oils, such as omega 3 which is good for the eyes, vitamin D and is low on fat, hence low cholesterol levels in the human blood. A friendly note: prawns, octopus, squid and lobster are high in cholesterol, while white fish such as sea bass are low in cholesterol. It also depends whether the fish is fried or grilled. And if it is fried, what type of oil has been used and so on…

SSDD. Same shit (or should I say ‘Scheiße’?). Different day.

NORDSEE offers a variety of fish dishes, creatively cooked and not at all ordinary. Talk about poached cod or salmon fillet in parchment paper oven baked with tomatoes, leeks and onion. Perhaps lobster spaghetti with cocktail aioli sauce would do the trick? How about shrimps in curry dressing with pineapple pieces instead? I am sure you will find something to tickle your fancy.

I would give up chocolate but I am no quitter!

NORDSEE desserts range from warm apple pie to passion fruit meringue cupcake to dark chocolate mousse to ice cream and sorbets and even seasonal fruit platters. A little something for everyone; even for the ones who are on a ‘diet’!

Truth or dare?

I dare you to go with a group of fish-loving friends, get a smoked salmon ‘Flamm’ for starters and a nice salad with shrimps and mozzarella, order the NORDSEE platter (for 3) and wash it all down with a nice bottle of White Zinfandel wine. To sweeten your taste buds try the passion fruit meringue cupcake or even the 100% Belgian dark chocolate mousse. De-li-cious.

On a scale of a Shrimp to the Great White Shark, how much of a daredevil are you?

Don’t be shellfish! Share the love…

kitx

If you feel like dying..eat a black egg!

We have all heard of the story of the ugly ducklin, the metaphore of the black sheep and even the psychological thriller Black Swan. But what you are about to read is a real life story with a scientific, histprical and spiritual twist.

On one side of the active stratovolcano (considered active if it has erupted in the last 1000 years; this volcano last erupted 300 years ago) Mount Fuji, about 100km South West from the capital of Japan, Tokyo, in Owakudani valley something strange is going on…

As my Japanese tourguide, Kyoku, carefully explained with broken English and a manual power point presentation in a wobbly bus the story of the formation of 3776m ‘MataHuji’ or Fuji-san (Mount Fuji), I found myself intrigued. Here goes the simplified/Cypriot story of it…

Once upon a 200,000-years-ago time there were 2 friendly active volcanoes; Ko-Mitake (2,400m) and Ashitakayama (2,300m). I will be calling them Takis and Yiannis, respectively, for short. About 25,000 years ago Takis (he must have been a Sagittarius) wanted to be the highest volcano of the two so to boost his ego and show off to Yiannis he erupted, forming Ko-Fuji (lets call him Kostakis for the sake of this story) volcano (2,700m), destroying part of Yiannis. Then, as the three volcanoes were starting to get to know each other… Kostakis (he must have been a Leo) realised that he was the alpha-volcano and could be a dictator so…Boom! Kostakis erupted about 10,000 years ago, knocking some more of Yiannis out (1,550m) and almost covering Takis. Since then, 1706, the 3 volcanoes settled their quarrels and never erupted again. Poor Yiannis never harmed anyone and yet he was destroyed for nothing (he must have been a Taurus). They still live happily ever after.

Or do they? A small crater of Takis is still visible on the side of Kostakis. But Takis (he must have been a Scorpio in the end) seems peaceful but deep inside a raging flame is still alive…

Literally, sulphurus gases can be seen rising from Takis’ crater, 305 years later. As a result of this, eggs boiled in water high in sulphur turn black! These gases irritate the eyes and may cause nausea if breathed in for more than a few minutes. They attack the nervous system. Anyway, it is slightly impossible to breathe such gases for long, since H2S (excuse the lack of subscripts) gas stinks of rotten eggs combined with sweaty feet and perhaps some..natural gases. Lovely, isn’t it? Marvellous, I know.

It’s all about the chemistry…

Hydrogen sulphide gas, H2S, is soluble in water, producing a weak acid known as hydrosulphuric acid. This is initially a clear solution but turns cloudy over time as the sulphur precipitates out.

After some research, I found that egg whites contain iron but egg shells are mostly made of calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate and magnesium carbonate. When iron reacts with the hydrosulphuric acid it creates the iron (ii) sulphide which is black in colour.

The question remains as: since iron is not found at the shell of the egg but in the egg white instead, how does the egg shell turn black while the egg white remains white?

Fellow scientists, enlighten me!

I must have been a Shintuist/Buddhist in my previous life…

The spiritual side of this bizarre natural phenomenon is that Shintuists and Buddhists believe that if you eat a black egg, you lengthen your life by another 7 years. Lets test your mathematical logic…

If you eat two black eggs? Simple maths: 2×7=14 years. If you eat three black eggs? Simple maths again: 3×7=21 years. If you eat four black eggs? Simple logic: you will probably feel sick. Gotcha!

So if you feel your head turning, if you can’t breathe and if your life is shutting down… Relax! It’s probably some hydrogen sulphide gas. Just eat a couple of black eggs and you’ll be running around like a headless chicken in no time… Possibly producing your own natural hydrogen sulphide gas while at it!

‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’ – Cypriot saying

Don’t be selfish! Share the love.

Kitx

Spartiatis Fish Tavern – Protaras, Cyprus

Address: 79B, Konnou Street, Protaras, Cyprus

Tel: (+357) 23 831 386
Schedule: noon-4pm and 5-10:30pm daily
Parking: Outside the restaurant

Located next to the famous 5 star Grecian Park Hotel in Protaras, this fish tavern probably has the best view of the entire island. It is never packed, has excellent service and awesome food. It is probably – yes, I used this word again in the same paragraph! – the most unbelievable value for money, quality and quantity combination ever. It is also highly recommended by my Fat Belly and my Fat Smile, so it must be added to your ‘To Do’ list this summer.

People, friends and relatives kept replying to my ‘where should I go for fish meze?’ with a unanimous and loud ‘Spartiatis!’ so obviously I had to try it. Which I did, and I am glad, and so is my wallet, which is not as Fat as other parts of me.

An early dinner – or should I say ‘tea’ for my readers from North England? – for a Sunday, sounded quite appropriate. The 21 Euro fish meze sounded very appealing, too.

It all started with a nicely dressed village salad topped with a thick slice of feta cheese. The condiments which followed shortly were tahini, taramosalata (made from fish eggs), octopus in vinegar, fried mixed fish in vinegar as well as marinated olives.

A side remark: A friend of mine, who is not used to eating fish, tried the octopus in vinegar and made the funniest face on Earth. Hilarious.

The main fish meze portions started to arrive. Fried mini shrimp and small fried whole crabs that could go down like chips, started us off well. A nice portion of cooked mussels followed, readily dressed with their olive oil and lemon. Whole fried squid followed as well as some fried mixed fish (including red mullet – my favourite!). It has just occurred to me that I have overused the word ‘fried’ in this paragraph. I bet you’ve stopped reading and went back to count how many times I have used the word ‘fried’. Mind reader, I know.

Another side remark: That friend of mine (yes, the weird one that doesn’t eat fish) said he was full by that point but the waiter overheard him and said ‘Re my friend, we haven’t even started yet!’. Hilarious.

All the grilled fish came next; starting off with the Feline Kings of the Sea – King Tiger Prawns! Heaven on Earth – well, technically, Heaven in Water but anyhow. Grilled whole fresh squid followed…slightly hard to cut with the knife, but once cut, amazing taste. Grilled octopus came next…I was expecting some sort of rubbery texture but instead, soft like a well worked clay. Poor octopus, it must have been beaten well on the rocks and hang out to dry… And last, but not least, the most tasty grilled sea bream finished our fish journey.

An update: After trying the grilled octopus, he said that he liked octopus in the end. Isn’t it weird how the same fish has different taste just by eating it at different temperatures with the only difference being one ingredient? I think I have overused the word ‘different’ this time. Oops, I did it again.

To get rid of the fish’s aftertaste, home made pourekkia were brought to the table as part of the meze deal. Pourekkia, for those who do not know, are fried sweet dough balls filled with either halloumi (white cheese made from milk) or anari (softer crumbly white cheese made from the left overs of the process of halloumi making) and cinnamon, sometimes topped with honey. De-li-cious.

Fat bellies? Yes. Fat wallets? Yes. Fat smiles? Yes. You’ve got three ‘Yes!’. Congratulations. You are through to the next round!

“And I’ve always wondered… does size really matter? No, it’s how you use it. I am referring to quality over quantity, you dirty dirty minds, and this tavern has them both.”

Share the love <3,

kitx

One of your six a day…

Alcohol has been rated more harmful than tobacco and marijuana, however, it still plays a huge role in the Anglo Saxon culture to consume large amounts of alcohol. Alcohol acts as a ‘social lubricant’, as a friend of mine put it the other day when asked why they drink till they can’t feel their faces anymore. Most days end up with a pint of John Smith’s (I have been called ‘an old man’ for drinking this!) on either hand, hence the title, one of your six a day; the other five parts make up the daily suggested amount of fruit intake. We all know which of the six parts we would mark as our favourite.

This is a long article summarising the manipulation of raw materials in chemical processes, usually distillation and fermentation, to produce what is now commonly known as different types of ‘booze’.

I started writing this article last summer and realised it would need a lot of research before it was completed properly. Hence, a year later after some more research from the web, I managed to complete a decent piece of writing. In case any lawyers are reading this looking for an excuse to sue my ass for plagiarism, I am just clarifying that the material below is mainly sourced from the web and this is a mere summary of different websites with added personal touches from moi. Enjoy and…happy drinking!

Vodka (from the Slavic word for water) – fermented grain, rye, wheat, potatoes, rice, or sugar beet molasses, distilled multiple times. A famous cocktail in Russia is Bloody Mary, made with tomato juice, spices and Vodka. It is a base spirit for Sex on the Beach, Screwdriver and Vodka Martini. Some Vodka brands are the famous Absolute, Stolichnaya and the ones Russians drink…the Russian Standard! [35%-50% ABV]

Scotch Malt Whisky – made from malted barley, distilled 2 times, distinctive peat flavour. Some Scotch Malt Whiskies are Loch Lomond, Old Pulteney, Bell & Sons, and William Grant & Sons.

Scotch Blended Whisky – a combination of whiskies from over 40-50 grain and malt distilleries in the ratio 6:4, respectively. Quality and smoothness of flavour depends on the percentage of malt. Time to maturity is about 5 years. Some of the most famous whiskies are Scotch Blended Whiskies, namely, Bell’s, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Famous Grouse, J&B, Johnnie Walker and Grant’s.

American Bourbon – made from corn, distilled 2 times, caramel spice flavour. Some famous Bourbons are Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark.

Tennessee Whisky – type of American Whisky, made from a sour mash of American whisky which is filtered through a thick layer of maple charcoal and then put into casks for aging. The most famous Tennessee Whisky…Jack Daniels, of course!

Irish Single Malt Whisky – made of rye, distilled 3 times. Some Irish Single Malt Whiskies are Tullamore Dew (subtle, smooth taste with charred wood undertones and golden barley natural flavour), Connemara (charred wood, caramel, honey, raisins and peppery spice flavour) and Bushmills Black Bush (aromas of toffee, cotton candy, malt mash and cream highlights, caramel-like taste). [for all Whiskies: 40% – 94.8% ABV]

Sambuca (white/black/red, from the Arabic word ‘Zammut’ which was the name of an anise-flavoured drink which arrived to a port in Lazio, Rome, from the East and means ‘pleasant perfume’, or from the Oxford English Dictionary word ‘sambucus’ meaning elderberry) – made of essential oils obtained from star anise, strong Italian-anise flavour. The Italians serve Sambuca with 3 coffee beans (representing health, prosperity and happiness) dropped in the drink and call it ‘Sambuca with flies’. One chews the coffee beans to increase the taste of anise. Sambuca acts as a sweetener and can replace sugar in coffee. This one is called ‘corrected coffee’. If having it as a shot, light it, wait 2-3 seconds, then down it. This enhances the flavour. There is black, white, blue, gold, red and green sambuca. Some famous Sambuca brands are Galliano, Luxardo, Molinari and Sambuca di Amore. Romana brand uses liquorice instead of anise. Sambuca; possibly, the best liqueur around! [42% ABV]

Liqueurs (also known as Cordials) – distilled from alcohol (Liquors) which are usually made of grain, fruit or vegetable. Liqueurs have a large repertoire of flavours, ranging from almond (Amaretto, Creme d’ Almond), hazelnut (Frangelico and Cacao mit Nuss), orange (Cointreau, Campari, Curacao, Triple Sec and Grand Marnier), butterscotch, coffee (Creme de Cafe, Patron XO Cafe), cocoa (Creme de Cacao), chocolate (Godiva), blackcurrants (Creme de Cassis), cherry (Creme de Cerise and Maraschino), raspberry (Creme de Framboise), mint (Creme de Menthe), banana (Creme de Bananes), ginger (Domaine de Canton), anise (Ouzo, Raki, Sambuca, Absinthe, Herbsaint and Galliano), wine (Dubonnet Rouge/Blanc), melon (Midori and Reishu), vanilla (Navan), lemon (Lemoncello), green tea (O-Cha), lychee, peach (Southern Comfort), peppermint, pumpkin, pineapple (Liqor de Pina), tangerine, cream (Baileys, Sylk Cream), strawberry (Tequila Rose), plums (Sloe Gin), lavender (Loft Lavender Cello), elderflower (St. Germain) and various mixtures of herbs. [15% – 55% ABV]

Beer – brewing and fermentation of cereal grains, malted barley, rice, maize or wheat, flavoured with hops, fruit or herbs. Some famous beers are Carlsberg, KEO, Carling, Peroni, Leffe, Hoegaarden, San Miguel, Guinness, Stella Artois…et al.

Lager (pale/dark, German word lager means ‘storage’ and it is one of the ways ‘beer’ is made) – type of beer, bottom-fermenting yeast at lower temperatures and for less time than those used to brew ales. Some Pale Lagers are Heineken, Grolsch, Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen. Some Dark Lagers are Dunkel and Schwarzbier. [
Cider – made of fruit purées followed by slow fermentation to conserve fruit aromas such as apple (Magners), pear (Bulmers), strawberry and lime (Kopparberg) and ginger (Crabbies). Cranberry, grape, cherry and raspberry are other fruit used. [2-8.5% ABV]

Ale (pale/brown/scotch/mild/burton/old/Belgian, from the Proto-Indo-European base ‘alu’ connected either to the concept of bitterness or intoxication, hallucination, possession, sorcery and magic and hence the Runic word ‘alu’ meaning spell) – type of beer, brewed from malted barley, fermentation of yeast (15 and 24 °C) gives it a sweet and fruity flavour but this balances out with the herbal bitterness of hops and helps in its preservation. Brown ale has a nutty flavour; pale ale has a bitter flavour; Scotch ale has a toffee flavour; Mild ale (Bank’s Original) is the ‘unaged’ ale and can have any colour and strength, consequently taste; Burton ale (Bass no. 1, Fullers Golden Pride) has a strong and sweet flavour and are sometimes compared to Barley wine; Old ale has a strong acetic flavour; Belgian ale (Trappist…brewed by monks! and Abbey) has a neutral flavour but is high in alcoholic content. [3.5-5.5% ABV]

Stout (meaning brave or proud and later on meaning strong) – type of dark beer, strongest beer, made of roasted malt, barley, hops, water and yeast. Interesting facts about stouts: the writer – not the famous pop star – Michael Jackson, wrote about stouts and porters (another type of dark beer) in the 1970s, as well as doctors recommended that athletes and nursing mothers drink stout as it helped in recovery. Some famous Dry or Irish Stouts are Guinness, Murphy’s and Beamish. There is also Milk Stout (sweet flavour, Mackeson), Oatmeal Stout (smooth flavour, Samuel Smith) Chocolate Stout (dark chocolate flavour, Young’s Double Chocolate and Rogue Brewery’s), Coffee Stout (bitter coffee flavour such as Guatemalan Coffee, Espresso and Breakfast Coffee, or sweet coffee flavour such as Coffee & Cream) and Oyster Stout (Porterhouse Brewery’s oyster stout not suitable for vegetarians while Marston’s oyster stout suitable for drinking while eating oysters; a lovely aphrodisiac duo)!! [7%-8% ABV]

Wine (white/rose/red/sake/barley/ginger, from the Proto-Indo-European stem ‘win-o-‘which was later used as the Latin word ‘vinum’ meaning wine, or ‘vine’ meaning grape) – made of fermented grape juice. There are varietal and blended wines. Some varieties of European Wine are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay and Merlot. Some blended wines are found in the area of Bordeaux and Rhone Valley. A vintage wine is one which is made of grapes, mostly grown in a particular year. It is typical for one to save a particular wine bottle for later consumption. The older the wine is, the better it tastes, apparently. Wine was used in Christianity during the Last Supper of Jesus, resembling the ‘blood of the Son of God’ and is still used today in Church (which is actually Kommandaria, a sweet flavoured wine…sorry to break the news!) which resembles the ‘ passing of the holy spirit within your body’ so one believes he is blessed after having it. My personal favourites are Rose wine (Echo Falls White Zinfandel and Matteus) as well as White wine (Pinot Grigio, Argentina). Chardonnay grapes are ‘low maintenance’ vines and adapt well to different climates, resulting in high yields of cheap dry white wine (Chablis)! Pinot Noir is classed as ‘difficult’ grape to grow (most successful area to grow this is Côte d’Or (“Slope of Gold”)), to deal with in the winery and to find great examples of this type of wine. It tends to reach its peak after 5-8 years past the vintage (Castel San Giorgio). Cabernet Sauvignon (most grown grape in the world!) grape is a crossing between Cabernet franc and Sauvignon franc from the 17th century and it’s the most popular due to its ease of cultivation, mainly from France and later on spreading to the rest of the world (Casillero Del Diablo). Merlot (second most grown grape in the world!) grapes are lighter in colour that Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, have thinner skin, have less tannins and are sweeter than Cabernet grapes (Riff Rosso, Valdivieso, Sierra Grande). Gamay grape has tropical flavours which remind one of banana aromas, are light bodied and fruity (Bourgogne Passe Tout Grains). Sake is a Japanese rice wine, made by the process used to brew beer and served at room temperature. There are 9 different types of rice which can be used to produce Sake: Yamada Nishiki (Nadagiku), Omachi (Bizen Sake no Hitosuji), Miyama Nishiki (Sharaku), Gohyagomangoku (Kubota), Oseto (Ayakiku), Hatta Nishiki (Fukucho), Tamazakae (Kimitsukasa), Kame no O (Kame no O), Dewa San San (Fumitoi). Barley wine is Burton Ale (see Ale). Ginger beer is a British carbonated drink usually home brewed (Fentiman’s). [9% – 18% ABV]

Gin (from the French word ‘genièvre’ or Dutch word ‘jenever’ both meaning juniper, while Encyclopaedia Britannica argues it is an abbreviation of the word ‘Geneva’, which is itself derived from the French word for juniper) – a Dutch spirit from juniper berries, which in the 11th century was thought to have medical properties and was sold in pharmacies to treat kidney and stomach diseases, gallstones and gout. A common English name for Gin is ‘mother’s ruin’ and drunks were referred to as ‘gin-soaked’. There are two main categories of Gin: distilled and compound. Distilled Gin is made my redistilling neutral spirits of juniper berries and other botanicals. Compound Gin is made by flavouring the neutral spirit with natural flavourings without redistilling them. London dry gin is the most common distilled gin. Dry gins are distilled in the presence of citrus botanicals (lemon and bitter orange peels) and spice combinations (anise, angelica root and seed, oris root, liquorice root, cinnamon, cubeb, savoury lime peel, grapefruit peel, dragon eye, saffron, baobab, frankincense, coriander, grains of paradise, nutmeg, cassia bark). Water is the only ‘additive’. There are legal classifications of gin due to locations (Plymouth gin, Kraski Brinjevek) and classic styles due to culture (sloe gin, Old Tom gin). It is usually accompanied with Tonic water, making the famous ‘Gin and Tonic’ drink. Combined with dry vermouth, it makes the famous Martini. Some famous Dry Gins are Gordon’s, Beefeater, BOLS Damrak and Bombay Sapphire. [37.5%-40% ABV]

Rum (light, golden and dark…the pirates’ drink!) – made from distilling and fermenting sugar cane by products such as molasses. It is stored in large oak barrels. Ron Viejo (old) and Ron Añejo (aged) are the types of rum. The yeast used to start the fermentation process is the one that determines the rum’s flavour: faster-working yeasts are used for lighter rums while slow-working yeasts are used for darker rums as more esters are produced and accumulated hence more flavour. Made mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Light rum is used in cocktails while golden and dark rum are served ‘straight’ or ‘on the rocks’ and are also used in cooking. Light rum is used as a base for cocktails (Cachaca, Bacardi). Gold rum is aged in wooden barrels (charred oak barrels which are by product of Bourbon Whiskey). Spiced rum is usually flavoured with caramel or spices (cinnamon, rosemary, aniseed, absinthe, pepper). Dark rum is aged longer in heavily charred barrels and has stronger flavour, used in cocktails and commonly in cooking. Flavoured rum is infused with flavours of banana, mango, orange, citrus, coconut or lime, used in tropical cocktails or ‘on the rocks’ and is around 40% ABV. Overproof rum has significantly higher % ABV than most rums. Premium rum is generally consumed ‘straight’ and is usually boutique brand. The most famous cocktails made from rum are Daiquiry and Cuba Libre, Mai Tai and Pina Colada and last but not least, the famous Mojito! Some famous rums are Bacardi, Cachaca and Havana.

Brandy (from Brandywine, derived from the Dutch word ‘brandewijn’ literally meaning ‘burnt wine’…Winston Churchill’s favourite drink!) – the product of distilling wine or made by fermenting fruit. An after-dinner drink. Aged in wooden barrels or flavoured with caramel. Served ‘straight’ or ‘on the rocks’. When added to lemon/orange juice it makes the famous Brandy Sour cocktail! Brandy is usually used to make desserts and enhance their flavour, as well as used as deglazing liquid when cooking steaks. Grape brandy: An interesting fact about grape brandy is to test its purity, small amounts of gunpowder were put at the bottom of the spirit and if the gunpowder caught fire while the spirit was consumed, then the liquor was good. Armenian brandy (Churchill’s favourite!) was legally renamed as ‘cognac’, since in 1900 it received the Grand Prix and it was produced in the area of Cognac, France. Some famous Grape Brandies are Hennessy, Hine and Pisco. Cypriot Brandy differs from others as it is only 32% ABV. Fruit brandy is distilled from fruit other than grapes, such as peaches, apples, apricots, plums, cherries, elderberries, raspberries and blackberries. Usually served chilled or over ice. Some famous Fruit brandies are the American Applejack, German Schnaps, Rakia and Slivovice. Pomance brandy is produced from the fermentation and distillation of grape skins, seeds, stems and grape leftovers and it is not aged. Some famous Pomance brandies are the Greek Tsipouro, the Italian Grappa, the Cretan Tsikoudia, the Spanish Orujo, the Cypriot Zivania and many more… [35% – 60% ABV]

Tequila (from the city of Tequila in Mexico) – made from blue agave plant in the city of Tequila in Guadalaja and in the highlands of Mexico of Jalisco. Blue agaves from Jalisco are larger, sweeter and have a better aroma while plants from Tequila have a more herby aroma and flavour. If you use the word ‘tequila’ without paying for rights to Mexico, you risk being sued! The ‘mixtos’ tequilas use at least 51% of blue agave plant as well as fructose and glucose sugars, while the other type is 100% blue agave plant. Tequila is aged in casks and takes its flavour from the wood while the alcohol’s harshness mellows. Blanco (white) or plata (silver) is unaged tequila and stored immediately in stainless steel. (1800 Select Silver, Jose Cuervo Classico Silver). Joven (young) or oro (gold) tequila is a mixture of blanco and reposado tequila (Jose Cuervo Especial Gold). Reposado tequila is aged between 2 months and less than a year in oak barrels of any size (Don Julio). Añejo tequila is aged between 1 and 3 years in small oak barrels (Jose Cuervo Black Medallion). Extra Añejo tequila is aged for 3 years minimum in oak barrels. A famous misconception tackled: There is no worm at the bottom of each tequila bottle…it started as a marketing trick in the 1940s for the mezcal (another distilled alcoholic drink from another form of agave plant known as maguey. See Embajacor Silver). The famous ‘worm’ is actually the ‘worm’ state before it turns into a moth, which lives on the agave plant! If such ‘worm’ is found on the plant during distillation a lower quality tequila will be produced. The most famous tequila cocktail is Margarita, a perfect combination of lime, Cointreau (orange liqueur) and Tequila ofcourse! The best way to have Tequila is in a shot glass accompanied by salt and a lemon/orange slice, wearing a t-shirt with the logo ‘One tequila, two tequila, three qetuila, floor!’. [35%-55% ABV]

Having a bad liver makes one more prone to getting cancer. Alcohol damages the liver.

We are not responsible for any liver damages. Drink responsibly.

“Don’t drink and drive, you might spill your drink!” funny when said, but seriously, don’t drink and drive. It won’t be funny afterwards.

kitx

Casale Panayiotis, Byzantino Restaurant – Kalopanayiotis, Cyprus

Casale Panayiotis, Byzantino Restaurant – Kalopanayiotis, Cyprus

Address: Markou Drakou 80, 2862, Kalopanayiotis, Cyprus
Telephone: +357 22 952444
Fax: +357 22 952453
Schedule: open 365 days a year, lunch: 12.30-3.30pm and dinner: 7.30-11pm
Parking: outside Agios Ioannis of Lambadistis church
Website: http://www.casalepanayiotis.com
Email: info@casalepanayiotis.com

In case you were wondering, Panayiotis (from Casale Panayiotis) does not refer to a random Cypriot guy who lived in the village of Kalopanayiotis and had a thing for Spanish. No. The name actually, has a deep history. Here goes…

History. Somewhere in the 16th century, lived a Latin man, called Panayiotis. After the nearby villages burned down, all the survivors moved to the next nearby village for salvation and to rebuild their lives. Panayiotis, the gentleman he was, welcomed these people in his house and slowly helped them find their feet. Hence, the village grew and expanded and got the name of Kalopanayiotis, literally meaning, good Panayiotis. Casale, in Latin, means ‘the house of’ Panayiotis. As the guy from ‘My big fat greek wedding’ puts it, ‘So there you go’. And as the meerkat Alexandr Orlov concludes, ‘Simples!’.

Intro. During our warm welcome to this ‘house’ we were told the above story and met the ‘house’ manager, Mr Polis Ikonomou. Originally from Kalopanayiotis himself, the buildings of the complex belonged to his grandmother, which he renovated and turned to a tourist attraction. This attraction consists of 10 luxury village suites, a restaurant and a coffee shop. They overlook the cliff and lie above the river Setrahos and Agios Ioannis o Lambadistis church. Mr Ikonomou also informed us of his future plans to build an indoor and outdoor swimming pool as well as a wine cellar, which will be based into the mountain, and a library which will overlook the cliff as well. Casale Panayiotis is a very relaxing complex in a village which used to be inhabited by 1800 people and is now only inhabited by 88. The whole village mainly depends on Agrotourism. Let’s support this nice little village and keep the original, traditional culture and hospitality of the Cypriots alive. Unfortunately, this hospitality has been diluted within the expansion of the city centres. People barely know the name of their neighbours and rarely say good morning to anyone. As Mr Hetfield from Metallica puts it, ‘Sad but true’.

Anyway, as this is a food review, I should really start commenting on the food of the place.

Lost. We got slightly lost trying to find the actual restaurant as it was not in the actual Casale Panayiotis hotel. The receptionist kindly escorted us to the entrance of the restaurant where we were greeted by friendly waiters who took us to our table.

Food. A freshly made colourful, crunchy village salad, consisting of tri-coloured peppers, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, red onion, topped up with feta cheese and capers, lightly dressed (and yummy!) was waiting on our table as well as small black Cypriot olives, tzatziki and beetroots. Everyone had a (wine) glass full of drinkable tap water, which, surprisingly enough did not stink of chlorine, and was actually really light and refreshing! (You are probably thinking, ‘I just read a whole sentence about tap water. Lovely.’ But seriously, you need to try this water!) The thing that impressed me the most were the plates. Ridiculous, I know. But they were handmade and each plate had a different design on it. Amazing idea!

Traditional koupepia (stuffed vine leaves with pork minced meat with rice and spices), eggplant with eggs, marinated traditional sausages (which my gran tried to politely put away in her handbag with a few tissues) and aubergines in tomato sauce arrived shortly. The best dish of the day was the grilled halloumi…dressed with honey! The huge vegetarian dish consisted of vegetarian koupepia, more stuffed aubergines in tomato sauce, some sort of kritharaki (type of rice) infused with lots of garlic and onions. Lamb kleftiko (slow cooked lamb in olive oil and herbs in a clay oven), chicken souvla (large chicken pieces cooked on the spit with herbs) and oven potatoes followed. Ttavas (potatoes and lots of onions) as well as pastitsio (thick pasta baked in the oven with pork minced meat and beshamel sauce) arrived in a deep small clay pot. To get rid of the meat and onion aftertaste, we ordered galatopourekko as a dessert. This is basically milk, corn flour and sugar (in the proportions of 1:1:1) on a thin puff pastry with a sweet syrup to top it up. Some of us ordered cappuccinos or traditional Cypriot (or Turkish?) coffee.

Traditions. Walking over the wobbly wooden bridge to get to our car which was parked outside the church, we were stopped by the Youth organisation of the village who kindly (or forcefully?) offered us loukoumades (warm dough balls in syrup) and insisted on taking some with us in the car. Typical Cypriots. Or is it? Not anymore. In the villages only. Perhaps.

After stuffing ourselves with the spherical mini-Heavens, we trotted to our cars only to notice a few local teenagers playing traditional Easter games outside the church. And I thought to myself, times like these I wished I lived in a village. People are friendly, they offer you food, they play traditional games and stick to their culture. This is what tourists must experience when visiting Cyprus. Not leave with the hostile thoughts of ‘I was ripped off at that kiosk. That man sold ice cream for a euro and pagoto (which is ice cream in Greek) for half the price! And a small bottle of water was 2 euros.’

Anyway, the point I am desperately trying to make is, Cyprus tradition and culture is not dead – just well hidden. If you want to experience true Easter, you need to go to a village. If you are a tourist reading this, please visit http://www.bookcyprus.com and find the perfect location for your holiday.

‘Shoe from your land, even if it’s torn’ – famous Cypriot quote, obviously, translated badly

‘I don’t know if you have cooked your Xmas tree on the spit, or decorated your Easter bunny, but Happy New Easter’ – famous Cypriot Easter text message, again, translated badly

Share the love,

kitx

Unsicht Bar – Berlin, Germany

UNSICHT BAR AND RESTAURANT

Address: GORMANSTRASSE 14, BERLIN, GERMANY
Nearest U-bahn station: Rosa-Luxembourg (U2, direction Pankow)
24 hour hotline: 0049 30 24 34 25 00
Reservations: Required!
Website: http://www.unsicht-bar.com/
Schedule: Open daily from 6pm

They say, “The eyes are greedier than the stomach”, and I agree a hundred and ten percent. What am I on about? You will find out shortly. Have patience. It is, after all, a virtue that not many of us possess.

Most – if not all – of us, take for granted the ultimate existence of the five human senses: the touch, the taste, the hearing, the smell and, last but not least, the sight. We use all of these senses everyday to help us have a wonderful day, yet, ungrateful and grumpy as we always are, we always complain at the end of each day of what a hard day we have had, how long we were stuck in traffic this morning, how the internet didn’t work and couldn’t do any work and… the list could go on to infinity and beyond…

Eating without my eyes has never been so challenging before.

Imagine that. Eating in complete and utter pitch black, relying only on your remaining four senses to help you eat a plate of food. Sounds simple and dead easy? Believe me, it is not. Really. It is not.

Imagine this. Having a blind waiter ‘driving you’ in his imaginary hand-in-hand train through the restaurant, of which he has created a mind map to remember the routes around the tables, then explaining where each utensil is on the table and, lastly, reassuring you that everything will be ok.

Being so proud of my sensitive taste buds, I bravely ordered the ‘surprise menu’ and let the chef surprise me, of course. Oh and I love surprises!! As I was waiting for my surprise, all I could hear was clicking, whistling, clapping and other similar sounds. At first I wondered ‘What on Earth…?’ but by the end of the night I realised each sound was the trademark signal of each waiter letting all the other waiters know that he was carrying food or was going through a certain part of the restaurant. Amazing!

I felt completely helpless. Honestly. I thought I would never see light ever again. My iris where completely open and tried to absorb any tiny fragments of light possible. I nearly had a headache! But shortly after, the friendly voice of our blind waiter, Loutz (sorry for the wrong spelling), was the light at the end of the tunnel. Ironic, I know. However, the first plate of the surprise menu was in front of me.

Mmmm…crunchy lettuce, soft, possibly chicken breast and a creamy dressing… it must be Caesar salad!! Great, one down, three to identify.

Silky velvety soup, with carrots and parsnips…oh wait! Is that white flaky fish pieces? And what are these? Almonds?! Weird combination but fantastic taste. Two down, two to identify.

Ah yes, that was a hard one. It took me a while to decide on the type of meat, but I ended up choosing roast pork with mashed potatoes covered with melted cheese and some ‘not very nice’ smelling vegetables on the side, with gravy to top it up.

Dessert time! That was easy. Baileys ice cream, caramel chocolate on one side and red berries with squashed peach on the other side. Took the taste of fish and pork away at least! Nothing too surprising there…or so I thought!

Washed everything down with a pint of Kristall Beer and I was ready to see the light again and rate my taste bud ability on its own, without the help of my eyes. Boy, was I in for a nasty surprise…

The salad consisted of slices of smoked goose, lettuce and cranberry sauce. Strrrrike one. The soup consisted of nutmeg pumpkin, oil and seed. Strrrrike two. The main course was Muscovy duck breast with punch juice, creamed cabbage and bread dumplings. Strrrrike three! And as if three strikes were not enough to kick my confidence out the window… The dessert was Jagermeister parfait with wild blueberries and citrus tart.

Now, I am not so sure if I like surprises anymore.

And all these thoughts crawled through my mind all the way home, not keeping me warm. “…but there were fish flakes in that soup…and almond pieces…how could it simply be pumpkin?…and that was pork..with a funny chicken smell, though…but the Baileys turned out to be Jagermeister? Ah, terrible… zero!” This only confirms that I am merely used to English and Cypriot dishes, only resulting in my inaccurate guesses in a German restaurant.

And I know you are thinking something along the lines: ‘How can a person who writes reviews and comments on taste and texture, not being able to tell the difference between goose and chicken, pumpkin and fish, duck and pork and Jagermeister from Baileys!?!’ Well, my dear readers (if any), I urge you to try eating without your eyes before being so eager to judge me.

“Confessed faults are half mended.” – Scottish Proverb

kitx