There are some restaurants dotted around Larnaca that you won’t stumble across while having a stroll in town, which is more the pity. One such restaurant is Red Pepper; tucked away behind a bank on one of Larnaca’s main roads it has been in operation since 2010.

With friends visiting, we decided to try something different from the norm and headed there. On entering we were greeted by a hostess and guided to our table next to the fireplace where there was a roaring fire, making the restaurant very homely and welcoming.

We were given our menus and I noticed the number 1,854 in the top corner. When I asked what it was, I was informed that the chef adapts the menu every day and since the opening in 2010 this was menu number 1,854. I was very impressed!

The menu wasn’t extensive but everything sounded delicious. Eventually, we all decided on having rib-eye steak as main but then discovered that the chef’s wife is Sicilian! Only a fool would pass up the opportunity to have pasta when under the close inspection of somebody from Sicily. Luckily, the pasta comes in two different sizes, so we ordered a small portion to share as a starter. The chef made an appearance to say hello and make sure we were ok which a pleasant surprise was as it isn’t something one usually experiences in Cyprus. We asked him about the ‘Chefs selection’ on the menu and I was sold when he said ‘baked camembert’.

While waiting for our food we were each brought a small serving of homemade tomato soup with some bread. The soup was very good indeed, it only excited us about what we were about to receive. Shortly after, the food starting coming. The ‘Chef’s selection’ starts consisted of crispy squid, crispy beef salad, beetroot salad, a halloumi dish and of course, the baked camembert! It was all sublime. You could literally hear the ‘mmmms’ around the table as each dish was sampled. The carbonara had also arrived. This ‘small’ portion was enough for four people to have an adequate amount each as a starter. The bacon used was fantastic, not processed slices that you could find at any supermarket, but meaty, smoky flavoured chunks giving the dish great flavour.

Not too long after the table had been cleared of our starters, the main dish arrived accompanied by a plate of chips for us to share. Juicy, tender, succulent rib-eye steak all round. The steak was cooked to perfection. I ordered mine medium to well and the balance of cooked to red meat was perfect, in my opinion, exactly how it should be. There was not one bite that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy.

After dinner as we sat letting our food digest Chef Simmons made another appearance to check on us to see how things were and have a friendly chat. I find this a lovely touch – it doesn’t take much to come out and say hello to the diners at a restaurant but it doesn’t happen enough so it was good to see the chef spending time to give each table some attention.

Just as we decided we couldn’t possibly manage another bite we were asked about dessert. I asked what was on the menu and we were told it is a surprise and they couldn’t tell us, just that it is their own unique dessert. Curiosity got the better of us and we all ordered one. I can honestly say that the high quality we had experienced thus far did not flail. A small, square dessert was brought out with a mini jug of fresh cream. It wasn’t just the flavour that was spot on, the size of the dessert was just right. Not too small but not so large that you’re struggling to finish it.

Considering the amount of food and drink we ordered and its exceptionally high quality, I feel that Red Pepper is definitely reasonably priced. I can, without a doubt tell you that I am definitely going back to Red Pepper. I hear the Sunday lunch is also fantastic!

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALITY International

WHERE Red Pepper, Kritis 1, Larnaca

WHEN Daily from 6pm

CONTACT 24 333484

Nicosia and Larnaca could be left with no public transport next week after two public bus companies have said they will be going on indefinite strike as of Tuesday April 2, due to the fact they have not been paid their March wages yet.

In a statement, the unions representing workers at the Osel (Nicosia) and Zenon (Larnaca) bus companies said the non-payment of wages on time violates collective agreements as well as the code of industrial relations.

“As such… workers have no choice but to take strike action. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to the public because of the strike, for which the workers bear no responsibility,” the statement added.

The island’s four public transport companies, including Limassol’s Emel, and Paphos bus company Osypa have been staging strikes on and off since late last year over non-payment of wages on time, and their demands to have benefits that were cut during the 2013 financial crisis restored.

Transport Minister Vasiliki Anastassiadou said on Friday she would meet with representatives of public transport companies in a bid to avert the strike measures announced for next week, as Limassol’s Emel bus drivers announced they would also go on an indefinite strike following the Nicosia and Larnaca companies.

Emel employees announced on Friday, they would go an indefinite strike on April 2 just as their colleagues working in Nicosia’s Osel and Larnaca’s Zenon.

The employees of Osel and Zenon announced on Thursday they  would go on an indefinite strike from April 2 due to the fact they have not been paid their March wages yet which is a violation of collective agreements as well as the code of industrial relations.

Emel employees said due to the fact that the company told them it could not restore their salaries to pre-crisis levels and that it was difficult to even pay current salaries and other benefits, citing viability problems.

Anastassiadou said on Friday she would have meetings with the companies to find a way to avert the strikes.  “We will deal with the matter,” she said.

The island’s four public transport companies, including Paphos bus company Osypa have been staging strikes on and off since late last year over non-payment of wages on time, and their demands to have benefits that were cut during the 2013 financial crisis restored.

The situation is linked with the decision by the transport ministry last year to claim back money it overpaid in the past to all six public bus companies, cutting the monthly subsidies which the companies in turn use to pay their employees.

Anastassiadou had said at the time the cuts would be made until all the money was recovered. The existing contracts between the companies and the government will expire in July 2020. The money should be returned by the time the contracts end, the minister had said.

The bus companies said after this decision that the slashed subsidy would lead them to the closure of services.

It has been a while since Larnaca municipality decided to pedestrianise part of the main shopping street of Ermou. The result is a lively hub and if you go down on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning, the place is usually heaving with all the trade at the surrounding cafés creating a lively feeling of hustle and bustle.

One place in that area and has been in operation since 1997 is Preserve lounge bar. Coffee shop and chilled café by day and bar by night, Preserve has what you want if you are after a lazy day in town or if you are a bit of a party animal.

If going down to Preserve for a coffee, you’ll be pleased to hear that they serve Illy coffee so there is no wondering whether you will be getting quality or not. Be warned though, you will not be enjoying a quiet coffee in town on a Sunday morning as it is regularly packed. Understandably, the quality of the service drops slightly on days like this while the serving staff rush around trying to tend to each table.

When walking in to Preserve you’ll notice a modern and very clean cut décor. While it looks good, they haven’t rubber stamped the place with their own identity or with any special characteristics. It’s a well put together standardised design package, much like an Ikea flat pack. Looks fine and does the job but anybody else could easily have the same.

However, this does not stop the hundreds of people flocking to Preserve every Saturday night. Either get there early or make a reservation because if you head down there for a night out without being prepared you will have a battle on your hands to get in! Preserve isn’t really a big space so when it fills up on a Saturday night, you could start to feel a little claustrophobic. This feeling may soon disappear though when you start enjoying the variety of Greek and English music they play and order yourself one of their creative signature cocktails from the in house mixologist. Preserve lounge and bar also have live music on a Wednesday and a Sunday with what seems like a handful of local artists on rotation. You can keep tabs on this on their social media if that is also something that might interest you.

Preserve Lounge Bar

Where: Ermou, Larnaca

When: Daily from 9am

Contact: 70000407

I think it’s fair to say that the cuisine in Cyprus has evolved rapidly over the last few years. New ideas, creativity and a variety of different types of restaurants have been injected in to our little island. One fairly new place that fits that description is Edem’s Yard in Larnaca. Located down one of the little side streets that connect Zinonos Kiteos to Phinikoudes, Edem’s yard is a breakfast and brunch yard. The entrance is simple yet classy, two taupe coloured doors with Edem’s yard in shiny silver on a brilliant white backdrop on either side.

This was actually the third time I had attempted to try Edem’s yard. They have a policy of making no reservations and the previous times I had not fancied waiting in what was a very long queue! There was still a queue this time but at least unlike other times, we were able to get in through the door so decided to wait it out. It is a little frustrating when you have been stood waiting and the host comes and announces that a table for two has just been freed up and the people who arrived 10 minutes after you get a table. Despite this, Edem’s yard consistently has a steady flow of people coming back so this is testament to the quality of the food they serve. Luckily, we only waited 15 minutes and when you are in good company, that isn’t a very long time to wait. The host Stefanos, was very friendly and helpful and made sure that we were comfortable.

We were presented with the menu and while it doesn’t seem like there are many options available, there was definitely something for everyone and it all sounded so tempting that it took a while to actually decide! We found ourselves trying to take sneak peeks at food that was coming out of the kitchen to help us make up our minds. It actually didn’t help much because it all looked fantastic! We finally decided. The Croque Madame, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich covered in béchamel sauce and a fried egg for me and the Avocadaise, a creamy avocado puree with scrambled eggs and crispy bacon over rustica bread. We both ordered a coffee and shortly after one was brought out. Expecting to receive the other coffee more or less straight after; we waited for a while and in the end, had to ask for it. Unfortunately, it had been forgotten. The waitress was very apologetic and brought one out very quickly.

As the place was absolutely heaving, we waited quite a while for our food to arrive. While waiting it gave us the opportunity to take in the wonderful surroundings. It is very clear that a lot of thought has gone in to the design and trying to make the place unique. A beautiful stone wall added a lot of character and the many large plants added plenty of lush greenery. Pictures on the wall in large gilded frames that had a lot of intricate detail on them added to the ambience and the spotless chess board like floor as you enter is a nice touch.

Our food arrived and after having seen lots of wonderful dishes previously, I was a little underwhelmed at what my Croque Madam looked like. What it lacked in presentation, it made up for in flavour. The béchamel had a wonderfully creamy flavour without being too rich and over powering. However, it did mask the flavour of the ham a little. I wasn’t left feeling full afterwards, which was a good excuse to start thinking about a dessert! My partner was very pleased with her dish. The bacon was very crispy and the light, flavoursome ‘avocadaise’ was a great accompaniment to the fluffy scrambled eggs.

All bar one of the desserts is either pancake or toasted French brioche based. I was tempted by the chestnut brioche as the chestnut jam intrigued me while my partner opted for the Italove, ricotta stuffed pancakes with maple syrup and honeycomb butter. There wasn’t really enough of a helping of the chestnut jam to make much of a difference but I was still happy with the white chocolate and mastic ice cream that came with it. The Italove was more unique. The flavours perfectly balanced. There was just the right amount of creamy ricotta cheese so that it wasn’t overpowering and allowed you to enjoy all the other flavours.

A bit of a heads up before you venture down there; make sure you take plenty of cash! We discovered when it was time to pay that strangely, they do not accept visa. Luckily, we had enough cash to cover the bill and not have to wait while one of us ventured out to try and find an ATM!

I would definitely go back to Edem’s yard as I want to try other dishes on the menu that I feel like I missed out on.

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALTY Breakfast and brunch

WHERE Edem’s Yard, 8 Karaoli & Dimitriou Street, Larnaca

WHEN Tuesday to Sunday 9.15-5pm, Wednesday closes at 4pm

CONTACT 97 714793

HOW MUCH On average, €7.50 for ‘main’ and €6.50 for dessert

Larnaca municipal secretary, Lefteris Empedocles, 57, was sentenced to five years in prison for corruption on Tuesday in connection with taking money to sort out building code infractions but eventually pocketing the cash.

He was found guilty on March 1 of theft, obtaining money under false pretences, and money laundering, after extorting €35,000 from a businessman.

In September 2015, he took €35,000 from businessman Theodosis Chrysostomou to allow certain code violations at his restaurant in the Mackenzie area in Larnaca, without, however, taking any action.

Empedocles was arrested in 2016 after Chrysostomou reported the case to the police.

Chrysostomou said he had initially met with Larnaca mayor at the time, Andreas Louroudjiatis, who suggested the businessman should pay €15,000 for this purpose.

A few days later, Chrysostomou met Empedocles, who said that as the size of the establishment was quite large, the amount would actually be €35,000.

The businessman agreed and paid up but the money was never officially received by the municipality and no procedures were initiated to rectify the matter.

The problem at the restaurant was that at the time it was acquired, nine years before, it had a steel pergola, which covered the entire front of the building.

The area was used as an extension of the restaurant and Chrysostomou used the pergola as a veranda for the first floor of the building.

According to the existing legislation, all additions to the restaurant were illegal, while Chrysostomou believed the expansion of the restaurant was legal because he was paying an amount to the management committee of the building as rent for the use of public spaces.

The court referred to the seriousness of the offence which decided the penalty.

Offences by public officials are on the rise and it is the duty of the court to dissuade others by sending a message via the penalty.

The ruling also took in consideration Empedocles’ clean criminal record, his age, his personal circumstances and the fact that the offence was an isolated incident.

The defence counsel suggested the court should consider suspending the sentence but the court refused to consider this.

“The court has not neglected the damage and loss the criminal act caused to the victim as well as the fact that the victim was not compensated,” the ruling said.

Of particular importance is not just the amount the accused has stolen, but the fact that he exploited and misused his position as a municipal secretary, the court noted.

“It is inconceivable that persons holding public positions and offices, but also key positions of power, act defiantly towards the institutions they represent and afflict them crucially by abusing their position.”

Larnaca municipality has urged the government to stick to the timetable for moving oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage facilities from Larnaca’s coastline to Vasilikos in the Limassol district.

In a statement, the municipality cited concerns over delays in the agreed timeframe for the relocation.

It reminded the government that it was its responsibility to reach agreements with the communities in Vasilikos to be affected by the relocation.

During last week’s meeting of the steering committee – set up to monitor the relocation of the fuel depots – it was established that some progress was being made, but not enough.

Regarding the petroleum depots, two of the fuel companies will not be constructing their own, new facilities at Vasilikos, opting instead to lease existing facilities owned by other companies there.

The other two companies have secured the relevant building permits, and are expected to begin constructing new depots at Vasilikos soon.

On LPG, a consortium comprising three companies has applied for a building licence in the Vasilikos area. The consortium has already placed orders for equipment and materials. A fourth company is lagging behind in securing the necessary permits.

Larnaca municipality said it is closely monitoring developments, expressing the hope that despite observed delays the planned relocations would occur within the agreed timeframes.

It also said it would be holding separate meetings with the fuel companies concerned to discuss the matter.

In June last year, energy minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis submitted a signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) to the cabinet between the government and six private companies for the removal from Larnaca of the fuel storage facilities.

According to the minister, a timetable had been fixed with a deadline of December 31, 2019 for moving the liquid fuels, and for the creation of LPG facilities by December 31, 2020.

Larnaca municipality itself did not sign the MoU, objecting to a clause that gave any signatory the right to opt out of the deal if they wished to, by giving a month’s written notice.

A fire that could have been set deliberately destroyed the ground floor entrance to an apartment block in Larnaca, the fire service said on Thursday.

No one was injured in the incident.

The fire at the five-storey building on Grivas Dhigenis was noticed just before 12pm by an off-duty firefighter who said he saw thick smoke coming from the ground floor.

Crews who arrived at the scene saw that the flames had engulfed the wooden structure that housed the post boxes, which were full of advertising flyers.

Firefighters using three engines managed to put out the blaze but not before it destroyed the entrance.

The firefighters helped residents leave the building safely.

A fire service officer said from a preliminary examination of the scene he could not rule out foul play since the post boxes were full of flyers but someone must have set them alight.

Experts were investigating the incident.

Dive enthusiasts will on Sunday be decorating the Zenobia wreck, resting 42 metres underwater near the Larnaca coast.

The annual Zenobia wreck Christmas tree decorating will feature a free dive, where non-toxic, insoluble ornaments will decorate the shipwreck, which will then be removed at the end of the event so as to keep the underwater habitat intact. The event will be followed by a Christmas feast and celebration.

The “Queen Zenobia” vessel will depart for the wreck at 10am from Larnaca marina, the owner of the wreck, A.A.K. Larnaca Napa Sea Cruises, announced on Friday.

The MS Zenobia, named one of the top ten wreck diving sites in the world, capsized in the Mediterranean Sea near Larnaca in June 1980 during its maiden voyage, and now rests on her port side 42 metres underwater attracting thousands of divers every year.

Petrolina will relocate all its fuel storage facilities from Larnaca to its new terminal in Vasilikos, Limassol, by the end of the year, the company said on Thursday.

Following a guided tour of its premises in Vasilikos, Petrolina’s operations director Demetris Mavromichalos said that by January 1, 2020 the company will operate exclusively out of Vasilikos.

The company’s terminal would consist of 18 tanks of a total capacity of 113,000 cubic metres – 77,000 cubic metres more than currently stored in Larnaca.

Construction works at Vasilikos were expected to be completed by July, and in November or December the company would carry out a trial run on its new facilities.

Petrolina has purchased some 49,000 cubic metres of land at Vasilikos.

In June last year, energy minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis submitted a signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) to the cabinet between the government and six private companies for the removal from Larnaca of the fuel storage facilities.

According to the minister, a timetable had been fixed with a deadline of December 31, 2019 for moving the liquid fuels, and for the creation of LPG facilities by December 31, 2020.

I’m sure that most people would not like to associate themselves with self-centeredness and disobedience or even a naughty child! Be that as it may, that is what you are unwittingly signing up for when you visit Wagamama as that is the meaning of the name! An international chain, Wagamama was established in the UK in 1992, and has recently expanded to Larnaca and using the philosophy of kaizen (self improvement) we should hopefully expect it to improve over time!

Located on the corner of Grigori Afxentiou and Stylianou Lena it isn’t exactly in the middle of town and parking can prove to be a bit of a challenge!

Walking in to Wagamama’s, everything is near perfect. The tables are all laid identically, each table as shiny as the next. It just looks impeccable.

The restaurant was fairly empty when we arrived so we were able to choose a good table. The waiter picked up a couple of menus on the way to showing us to our table so that he could hand them to us as soon as we sat down. He politely asked if we wanted anything to drink before leaving us to our own devices.

The menu has a very wide variety of dishes. Curry, Ramen, Teppanyaki, sushi and salads, it seems to have it all! Most dishes can be made with a choice of beef, chicken or tofu. I decided to go for the edamame as a starter and a chicken Samla curry, a slightly spicy lemongrass and coconut flavoured dish served with steamed rice. My partner chose crispy ebi maki, without chives, as a starter and a fairly new dish called Kare Burosu which is tofu and mixed mushrooms served on udon noodles with a curried vegetable broth. To add a kick, my partner requested chilies to be added to the dish. When confirming the order, the waiter wrote what we had ordered on the paper place mat in front of us so that whoever brought the food over would know what dish goes where. We were also informed that the food will just come out as and when, so it wouldn’t necessarily be all coming out together.

First to arrive at the table was my steamed edamame. The chunks of salt on the outside of the edamame made them highly addictive. They were just as I had hoped them to be. Perfect. Off to a good start. Not too long after the ebi maki arrived. As requested, it was made with no chives in the actual maki roll. However, the maki was garnished and completely covered with chives, which kind of defeated the purpose of making the initial request. Despite this, the maki was very tasty. The crispy panko prawn was still warm so it had a crisp, crunch. However, it wasn’t packed tightly when made and as a result, it started coming apart when dipped in the soya sauce!

No sooner had we finished the starter the main dishes arrived. My massive bowl of creamy coconut curry looked fabulous. A yellow sauce was brightened up by the bright red tomatoes and plush green coriander. I couldn’t wait to tuck in. It was a little spicy initially but I soon got used to it. Exactly what I had hoped for, I thoroughly enjoyed the dish. The rice that came with the curry looked like a small portion but turned out that it was much more than I even needed! I was assured that the Kare Burosu was also very tasty. However, the chilies that were requested were not actually added to the dish as was hoped for. Instead they brought a little pot of freshly cut up chilies and served it alongside. Not exactly what we had in mind but it turned out to not make that much of a difference in the end.

After we finished we were both absolutely stuffed and couldn’t fit in another mouthful. As a result, we skipped on dessert despite being very tempted by the white chocolate ginger cheesecake.

If you want to experience Wagamama food but aren’t feeling like leaving the house, they also offer a delivery service. It was also good to see that there was ramp access to the restaurant to cater for the disabled. Despite a couple of little things not going as expected, the food was tasty and the staff were friendly so I would definitely go back. Next time I might just be a naughty child and order that cheesecake!

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALY Asian cuisine

WHERE Wagamama, 39 Grigori Afxentiou Avenue, Larnaca

WHEN Daily from noon

HOW MUCH sides from €4.50, mains from €10

CONTACT 24 021005