Restaurant review: Kantara restaurant, Oroklini, Larnaca

The ideal location for a restaurant in the Larnaca area has moved about over the course of time. Today all eyes are focused on Makenzy, home to a number of beachfront establishments while the Phinikoudes have remained the go-to place for many throughout the years.

Then of course, there is the Dhekelia road which was booming before the turn of the century only to lose its popularity to the aforementioned areas.

However, while the nearby villages have largely been overlooked, many are seeing a mini revival with a number of small restaurants proving that they can compete with the main town, as long as the service and quality is right.

One of those restaurants which has stood firm against the lure of the city is Kantara, a small local tavern based in the village of Oroklini. It may not be the biggest or the most flash of places, but those who go there frequently go there for a reason.

First to greet you upon entry will be Theodoros, the chirpy and upbeat owner who also prepares most of the food. Throughout the night, he will be talking with his customers and sharing stories and you can tell that he does so out of a genuine passion for the business rather than mere PR.

The first of which is about the restaurant’s name, which comes from Kantara castle in the Kyrenia mountains. Standing almost a kilometre above sea-level, with a panoramic view of the city, the knights could control the roads of the Karpasia peninsula and the Mesaoria plains. It was also a place of refuge for Cypriot king Isaac Comnenus who escaped when the British king Richard the Lion Heart defeated him in a battle outside Limassol.

After the interesting and unexpected history lesson, the big decisions of the evening came along. There was a meze menu, but instead, due to the vast options on the menu, we thought we would pick and choose.

You would imagine a traditional Cypriot restaurant to have just a list of the common dishes but I was really impressed with the unique and original variations they had. So much so that I wanted to just try a variety of starters, salads and other Cypriot dishes.

First up, there were Cretan tacos with fresh tomato, feta and oregano – instead of the typical taco which is plundered beneath piles of cheese, you could really appreciate the flavour of each ingredient, and the products were all fresh. The balance of the salty cheese with the tomato and the texture of the Cretan taco was an excellent combination.

Then came the stuffed mushrooms which were filled with feta and a type of garlicy mayo dip. It had a rich flavour but not to the point that it was sickly thanks to the fullness of the mushrooms.

On the side, we ordered a rocket salad with dry nuts and sundried tomatoes, so as to cancel out the richness of the cheese-based dishes.

Impressively, the sundried tomatoes were completely made from scratch rather than ready-made, which made all the difference when it came to the flavour.

We thought we would order the Cypriot ravioli with basil pesto sauce as well as the farfalle with smoked salmon. The first lacked the flavour I was expecting, and perhaps the portion could have been bigger, though, as was the case with all of the dishes, the contents were evidently fresh.

The latter was an excellent dish, in a sauce made with vodka which gave it a nice kick. The salmon was generous and cooked until tender while lightly cooked halves of cherry tomatoes added to a refreshing dish.

Ultimately, the service was excellent, with all staff upbeat and attentive. However, although the food was of high quality and interesting flavours, it was slightly on the expensive side. The two starters were around €7 each, the salad was €10 while the two pasta mains were in the region of €13.

The wide open space of the restaurant makes it slightly less cozy than a local tavern could be, but is so due to the fact that it hosts big events and functions. The interior is classic, large round mirrors are dotted around the whole establishment and there is a nice, calm colour code.

VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY: Unique starters (€7-€9)
WHERE: Salaminos, 2, Oroklini, Larnaca
CONTACT: 24 647000
PRICE: €20-€30 (starter and main)