Pralina
Time for a coffee
Whether you want to eat or just drink coffee, Pralina has the atmosphere to match
MONDAY evening in Nicosia is traditionally a day when many of the restaurants take a break and close. But in swanky downtown Stassicratous Street, opposite Toni and Guy and next to any number of over-priced boutiques, Pralina is open for business and rather busy, given it was a wet Monday in March.
Admittedly there are more people drinking coffee than actually eating but that only adds to the atmosphere: less food means more talk. There are not many restaurants in Nicosia that can boast the kind of buzz that comes from lively late night, caffeine-fuelled debate. So, is it a café or is it a restaurant? It is both. The front of the restaurant is almost packed at nine-thirty when we arrive.
The clientele oozing French manicures, expensive highlights and designer outfits, the tables awash with prominently displayed latest model mobile phones and imported cigarette packets; this is a comfort zone for the cappuccino and frappe person, not a retreat for your hasty skettos drinker. Just as well I was advised, well cajoled, into changing out of my usual garb. My preferred attire – rather casual I like to call it – it had been referred to rather unkindly as the ‘garbage collector’ look. Pralina is the kind of place where people look at you; that is the point of going there to watch and be seen.
We decided to sit at the back of the restaurant, less conspicuous although equally atmospheric. The music is not too loud, the lighting not too low, the tastefully arranged dried flowers, glass bowls, glass beads and floating candles are equally conducive to café society talk or a romantic dinner for two. We were sat next to three tables of smart looking people, engaging in lively debate and guess what, drinking coffee. It did not deter us from ordering some food. Possibly because only half the clientele at any one time appeared to be eating, the waiter service was excellent and our very own Freddie Mercury look alike, stylishly attired in all black, with little orange apron, (matching the glass beads), was very attentive.
The menu is not extensive but interesting and a mixture of modern European and Asian fusion cooking, including salads, fish, grill as well as sandwiches, snacks and pasta dishes. There is also a rather interesting category that is called ‘Around the World’. This includes things like ‘samoosa,’ which from the description one assumes is a samosa. It is great for those us of us who don’t speak Greek that the menu is in both Greek and English. We opted to share a salad as a starter, which is just as well as the salads are filling in themselves and whatever you order they bring you fresh crusty rolls with olive, tomato and cream cheese paste before you begin.
The waiter helpfully offered to serve us our Taco Basket salad; it could have been embarrassing being seen trying to negotiate the breaking of the taco basket ourselves. The prawn salad, avocado, tomato salsa, soured cream, flavoured with fresh coriander, as in a piece on top, looked beautiful and the sauce was subtle and light. Shame the prawns were slightly watery and the taco rather too basket-like in texture. Still, half a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau later (a bargain at £12), and our main dishes arrived. The timing was superb; I hate restaurants that bring all the food too quickly.
I have it on good authority from my better dressed, better half that his Fried Prawns and Zucchini Risotto was superb. The sauce was divine even though when he asked the waiter what was in the sauce, the answer was less than enlightening: “prawns”. My Tagliatta of Sirloin Beef, served on a bed of ruccola (rocket to the lay person) and parmesan shavings in balsamic vinegar sauce was equally tasty, although I probably should not have ordered the beef medium to well done, as the consequence was it was tender but slightly dry; nothing that some good old Coleman’s English mustard couldn’t rectify. It was served with a mountain of perfectly cooked potato wedges. There were far too many and I couldn’t finish them, which was a crying shame my partner told me, he had to help me out there.
With nothing left to do but pay the bill, admire the Oficina de Arte canvases adorning the walls and read the advertising brochure, strategically placed on the table I learned that Oficina de Arte are all handmade canvases with certificates of originality: ‘art for hotels, houses, lobbies, offices.’ At just over £50 for the meal, we decided to skip on the art collection and head back home. There were still people coming in for coffee. Amazingly, people really do go out for coffee after 11pm in this town.
By Tracy Phillips
SPECIALITY: salads
SEATING: Over 100
WHERE: 31 Stassicratous St, Nicosia
CONTACT: 22 660491
BOOKING: Not essential
PRICE Dinner for two with wine £50
OPEN: Morning till late
