By Andreas Vou
Since its opening back in 1987, Diva has held a fantastic reputation in Protaras for its unique flambé meals prepared in front of customers. Folio restaurant, first opened back in 2009 in the Kapparis area in Paralimni, has now merged with the aforementioned establishment to provide a fine dining experience.
It had been a while since I visited Protaras and had heard great things about the place so I thought I would give it a try, even though, in my mind, the town had little to offer in comparison to years gone by where it was a booming tourist spot.
To my pleasant surprise, I found a town still very much upbeat and a restaurant which stood out from most others in the Ayia Napa/Protaras area with its wonderful open space at the front and modern interior.
Upon entry, in the Folio part of the establishment, there is a very modern, lavish feel to it which hits you right away. There are slick leather arm chairs surrounding expansive round marble tables and large mirrors on the walls.
We are immediately greeted by a smiling waitress keen to get the evening started by asking for any drinks we may require, as well as dropping off a few of their lengthy menus. The decision-making process already become complicated with the vast choice of starters – a wide selection of cold and hot appetizers are available, ranging from simple salads to more indulgent seafood options.
Eventually, we settle on a Taste of Cyprus mini-platter containing an assortment of homemade dips from the island; tzatziki, tahini, taramosalata and sun dried tomatoes, along with green salad and traditional pitta bread. Nothing too fancy; a reliable combination, just enough to get the taste-buds going without filling up too much before the main course.
For the main dishes, Diva Folio really goes all out – there is a wide range of flambé dishes to choose from, as well as a number of variations on chicken, seafood and beef dishes. For vegetarians there is also one page dedicated to non-meat meals.
Eventually, the final choice was the steamed salmon fillet (€15.50) in a creamy garlic sauce which came accompanied by fresh vegetables and Cypriot potatoes. The fillet steak diane (€23.50) of my guest was also made to perfection – a boneless tenderloin beef which came with mushrooms and onions, flamed with local brandy and cooked in a homemade sauce.
The speed of the service was very good on what was a rather busy night and, most important of all, the food tasted great. Generally, I would hear excellent recommendations about this place from expats, tourists and locals and you could understand why. It struck me as a place that one would have to visit a handful of times just to try some of the different meals they had. Despite its modern appearance, there was a page dedicated solely to Cypriot specialties which included Klefitko, Stifado – a kind of beef casserole – and homemade Mousakka ranging between €11.75 and €15.
The theme of having a wide selection of main dishes continued through to the desserts with a choice ranging from Tiramisu to fresh strawberries and from crepes to ice-cream. Instead I opted for the Banana Flambe – fresh bananas cooked in caramel sauce with orange juice flamed with banana liqueur and served with vanilla ice cream, which tasted as good as it sounds.
Diva Folio is by no means cheap, with a three course meal costing around €40 per head, but for the quality and size of meal, and the general fine dining experience, it is just about right.
VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY: Seafood and flambé dishes
WHERE: Diva Folio, Protaras road (round the corner from Fig Tree bay)
CONTACT: 23 831950
PRICE: Three course meal – €30-40
