Restaurant review: Cafe Aman, Larnaca

If the saying ‘never judge a book by its cover’ was a truism for any establishment in the Larnaca region, it would probably have to be Cafe Aman. Situated quite far from the centre of town in the village of Anafotia, the restaurant looks like little more than a small house, but looks can be deceiving.

The claim of offering an ‘authentic’ traditional Cypriot experience is a phrase commonly used by restaurants across the island and choosing the right one can often be difficult among the vast selection, but this particular place kept popping up when discussing traditional Cypriot establishments, and for so many to recommend a place so out of the way meant that it had to be decent.

There is a small inside seating area while the majority prefer to be seated in the small square outside, across the narrow road from the establishment. You are instantly struck by a warm atmosphere as a mix of both locals and tourists gather around very basic wooden tables and plastic chairs.

We are greeted by the owner who is enthusiastic about informing us about the place, its history and its best dishes. They do not have menus here, Andreas simply tells you what is available and you choose on the spot – not a bad way of doing things when you are indecisive like me. Not keen to disagree with the person who was clearly passionate about the food his kitchen produced, we were quickly sold on the idea of a shared meze.

The dips of all varieties – taramasalata, tahini, tzatziki – all came out first along with pitta and olives. As a first impression, the dips did not quite hit the spot, the texture of the tahini was not quite right, and the flavour of the tarama was peculiar.

But thankfully, that was the worst of it. Some on the table were big meat lovers but by the time those dishes had arrived we were already spent. The highlights of the meze were the smaller dishes beforehand – fresh courgettes with egg, haloumi and a wholesome Greek salad. Other things like spinach with eggs and proper chunky chips were excellent.

Even better were the wild mushrooms which were to die for – big, chunky, charcoal-grilled mushrooms which had been picked from the nearby villages brought over in a lemon and olive sauce. Similarly, the asparagus was also homegrown and everything that was prepared had been cooked in fresh olive oil.

As you would imagine with a place without menus, drinks options were quite to the point as well, with KEO beer and a local red wine, plus soft drinks and water being the options.

For a big meze and drinks, the price was excellent with the total coming out to around €20 per head. There is a unique atmosphere in the restaurant’s courtyard, one that you struggle to find these days. If you are nostalgic about the ‘good old days’ of local taverns offering the best food and service as well as a traditional village setting you will not be disappointed when you visit Café Aman in Anafotia.

VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY: Meze
WHERE: Café Aman, Ayias Fotinis, Anafotia, Larnaca
CONTACT: 99 412650
PRICE: €15-20