Restaurant Review by Alexander McCowan

I Yevsi

Well cooked traditional Cyprus food

I Yevsi, or for the uninformed The Taste, is situated on Armenias Street, which is officially Strovolos but really is turn right opposite the Armenian school on the Limassol road.

“Try some traditional tavernas,” the editor said. Not easy as these are a vanishing species in Nicosia. After all, we are a European capital, full of international establishments. The number of Cypriot restaurateurs could soon be holding meetings in telephone boxes, and have room to spare. Yes, of course, there are lots of little souvla houses, but that is not what I was looking for. I was after the Full Monty taverna, so here we go.

Before selecting this place, I made enquiry of some friends that live in the area; first rate claimed one; go for the mixed grill, stated another. First-rate food apparently.

The restaurant is divided into two sections. What would normally be the garden outside, is now shrouded in a winter tent with viewing panels and interior heaters. There is an inside section with similar covers, but the outside, which is full of living plants, seemed more attractive, even though it contained two televisions showing the same football match.

The furniture is more than functional, it is comfortable, well spaced and nicely dressed. My companion particularly liked the colour of the table-clothes. The lighting is unobtrusive and the whole ambience pleasing. The menu contains about 30 items, with an additional three specialities on the blackboard. These were grilled salmon, pork fillet and tiger prawns.

There is a nicely balanced wine list, nothing extravagant. We selected a Vasilikon, which will never let you down, and gave full attention to the menu. My companion who is a monster for olives and hummus, chose those, and grilled mushrooms. Did I mention that this is a grill? Yes everything is char-grilled, even the salmon. I sampled the starters and ordered the mixed grill. The companion ordered the pork fillet cooked with garlic and parsley. All dishes come with home made chips.

I don’t need to go through the menu, you already know it; no surprises, everything is there. Halloumi, sheftalia, lamb cutlets – you know it they grill it. The difference is they know what they are doing. The mixed grill arrived on a wooden platter; it could feed the crew of a longship, let alone Niels the Viking. What did it contain? Liver, lamb chops, sheftalia, mushrooms, pork souvla, chicken kebab and the chips. The companion’s fillet was cooked to perfection, but again a longship portion. The establishment is obviously terrified that customers may leave the premises still able to walk. The food is excellent, the service first rate, the portions huge and the bill very reasonable. If you want to try something other than Stassicratos or Makarios Ave, then take the family or the girlfriend here. They won’t disappoint you. Coffee and sweets are on the house.

VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALITY traditional Cypriot grills
WHERE 19, Armenias, Strovolos
CONTACT 22 493984
PRICE starters from 50 cents, main courses from £3.50. Wines from £7.50

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.