Attracting Nicosia’s boulevardiers
Pixida (The Compass)
This establishment is situated just off Themistocles Dervis, an area of central Nicosia that is swiftly becoming a centre for the boulevardiers, containing Starbucks at one end and Wagamama at the other; Pixida is located behind the latter. I visited at 3.20pm on a Monday afternoon to book a reservation for the same evening and witnessed a number of tables occupied by well fed businessmen quietly enjoying an awfully long lunch and conducting their affairs in sepulchral tones. Arriving at 8.30pm, the place is packed and humming, every table taken, parties of jolly Russians, more businessmen, families, couples, but thankfully no children.
My companion and I are shown to a small, well-clad table in the corner of the smoking section with good quality cutlery and condiments, then immediately set on by the waiting staff; menus produced, unordered water poured, and then marched to the fish cabinet to view the fresh fish of the day; no chance of relaxation here, everything is hurry-up. The menu clearly indicates whether the dish is fresh or frozen, but on showing an interest in one of my favourites, fresh Grouper, and there were some fine specimens in the cabinet, all bright eyed and bushy-tailed, I am told I must order the whole fish, which I estimate to weigh about a kilo, and on being told I can’t have a slice, I decline, as my companion shows no interest. The cabinet also contains all the usual suspects: mullet, snapper, bream, lobsters, king prawns and crawfish; all coming in at over €50 a kilo, which seems very pricy.
First up, the starters: I order the fish soup, always an indication of the chef’s ability; roasted olives, a nice side dish; fried crabs with crusty salt, and whitebait, I was disappointed that the sand smelt were off as they are much smaller and truly approximate real whitebait, which is the fry of the common herring; and cuttlefish for my main course. The companion orders a simple salad, as she is determined to share my dishes, and settles for a main dish of fried shrimps that appear fresh and unfarmed and look so attractive in the cabinet, but according to the menu are frozen, alas. As usual, I give full attention to the wine list, which contains a reasonable selection of local and Greek wine as well as a good smattering of new and old world varieties and settle for the good old reliable Vasilikon from Kathikas, priced at €13.65; the rest of the list is reasonably priced and will not distress the wallet.
The place is buzzing, customers that obviously failed to book are turned away, not a chair to spare. Our corner is warming up as the Russians are now on the shots; enter the soup waiter carrying a bowl of steaming soup; two ladles are dispensed, ‘and would you like a little more?’ I certainly would. My dish not quite runneth over. ‘He splashed that on your jacket,’ observed the companion and she was right; I was so pleased to be offered more, that I failed to notice that I was wearing a little of it. Naturally, the companion wanted to try it; ‘too much MSG’ she observed, she misses nothing, and again she was right.
We are served a basket of bread and the roasted olives, but there is no butter on the table or any dressing. I like the olives. The salad did not impress, particularly when she detected it included dried crushed mint. Next up, the crispy crabs and they are just right, most of the carapace is removed, you grab them by the legs and bite off the body; very satisfactory. Then, my dish of ‘whitebait’, which is really marida, and can sometimes be too big for comfort, but these have been carefully selected and no trouble to the palate.
Our main courses arrive accompanied by a platter containing undercooked cauliflower, overcooked broccoli and the pernicious sliced carrots but all is forgiven in the vegetable department when a plate of crunchy potato wedges dressed in mint arrives; these are very good, and go extremely well with the prawns, which have been peeled and fried in a light batter. Every dish served was very hot; some establishments fail in this important region. My cuttlefish have been thinly sliced and are quite acceptable but very bland; no amount of lemon or olive oil makes much impression, but we really liked the prawns.
‘Shall we have a sweet?’ asks the companion, however I fail to attract the attention of the highly focused waiters, and seek a solution in the reception area; ‘fruit and Cyprus dishes’ is the peremptory response. We leave. The service in this establishment requires tweaking, it may be that the staff are not native speakers or that the management want everybody to keep moving, but we didn’t feel comfortable. The fare on offer is satisfactory, but nothing special, I don’t see what the fuss is about; it must be the location. However; if you avoid the fish by the kilo it is quite reasonable.
VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALITY: Fish
WHERE: 5, Menandros Street, Nicosia
CONTACT: 22 445636
PRICE: €60 with wine
BOOKING: definitely. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner
