Returning to a place after 15 years can be a strange experience. You constantly compare and contrast, trying to work out what’s changed and if it really is different or it’s just nostalgia playing tricks on you. Visiting Molly Malone’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in Limassol on a breezy July evening felt like a cross between a sequel and a remix.
The place was near empty, its ample seating space both inside and outside highlighting the negligible number of patrons. The last time I’d been there was during the 2005 Champions League Final, Liverpool’s infamous Miracle of Istanbul night, with the place packed. Back in the present, the combination of it being a weeknight in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak, which has led to the shuttering of the many beach hotels that surround the restaurant, the situation is somewhat quieter.
I was curious to see if and how the food had changed, both in terms of what was on the menu and the quality of what was on offer. The menu had been streamlined considerably, something I deem a positive trait.
Although the items on the menu depart from traditional pub classics. You can still get a burger and some chicken wings, but there are items like Peruvian Grilled Chicken and Marinated Lamb Skewers now.
The manager was polite, sociable, welcoming and more than happy to talk to us in English. He informed us of the day’s specials, both main dishes and starters. We went with two of the three daily specials.
The tempura fried halloumi strips coated with sesame and served with cold watermelon were an exquisite play on the traditional Cypriot dish, genuinely something that I’d go back for, even just as a drink accompaniment.
The teriyaki salmon was moist and well-cooked, combining a savoury flavour with undertones of sweetness and smokiness. It was served with vegetables and rice, and presented in a manner I was not expecting in a pub. Meanwhile, the more traditional grilled pork chop was juicy and adequately charred. Most noticeably, it was not overcooked, something which many Cypriot establishments stumble into unfortunately.
Dessert was another highlight, a cheesecake so well-balanced in terms of sweetness and the mild tartness of the cheese mixture that it made me even more careless with my aversion to lactose-rich offerings. It’s homemade on site, something which the manager was keen to stress. I wholeheartedly recommend you try this if you’re there and it’s available.
My expectations were modest but they were well and truly met. It’s a shame it was so meagerly patronised although it may be busier during the weekend. For now, I consider this a little gem which can go toe-to-toe with any place in Limassol at its price range, and may even give places twice as expensive a run for their money.
VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY pub food and grilled items
WHERE Molly Malone’s, Pareklisia, close to Amara Hotel
WHEN daily 10am to 12am
HOW MUCH €10-16 for a main dish, €4-6 for dessert and starters
CONTACT: 25 821082, https://www.facebook.com/MollyMalonesLimassol
