With the weather taking a turn for the better at this time of the year, so does the mood of people in Larnaca, especially in the heart of the town where they fill the various bars and restaurants throughout the day.
Now there is a unique dining option situated near the start of the Phinikoudes strip. Far from a lavish establishment which focuses on décor and interior, Falafel Abu Dany is very simple yet effective new eatery that has been growing more and more popular since opening.
When you take a step inside, you get an instant understanding of what this place is about – when it comes to choice of dish, it’s all about quality over quantity. Perhaps you might have already guessed from the name – this is an authentic Lebanese place but without any frills.
Abu Dany focuses on the essentials that Lebanese cuisine has to offer. There are a few places to sit inside but there is also a number of tables and chairs outside – again, very basic.
As is a must with such a cuisine, we ordered a couple of dips and sides to get started. We went for the spicy Hummus rather than the traditional, which has a slight kick but also gives more flavour to the well-known dip we are used to. Then, my personal favourite, Moutabal, which is a dip made up of grilled aubergine with sesame oil.
Vine Leaves filled with rice, a hint of mint, olive oil and lemon juice are also key to a good mini-meze, with their fresh tangy taste being one of the standout choices to complement the rest of the options. Plus, a Tabouleh salad, with parsley, lemon, tomatoes and crushed wheat, which goes with just about everything.
And to top it all off, we each had a Falafel wrap, with all the trimmings.
Many fast-food joints that do falafels take shortcuts, having the stuff readily prepared in frozen form before simply dunking it in some oil. You can taste the difference when some homemade preparation has been put into it.
The great thing about this place is that every dish is reliable and made properly, there is no risk that one day it might be good then another average. The no-frills nature of this place means you can just select the dishes you know you will like, it arrives quickly and safe in the knowledge that the quality is consistent.
There are limited options but the concise menu they have does not disappoint. The place, by nature rather than design, is extremely vegetarian and vegan friendly, something very rare for Larnaca.
Do not expect to be blown away by the superficial elements of this place like the design or the décor, this is a place to grab a bite to eat and represents excellent value for money.
VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALITY Falafel, Tabouleh
WHERE Falafel Abu Dany, Grigori Afxentiou, Larnaca
CONTACT 24 400669
PRICE €8-12 – starter, main and drink
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