By Sarah Coyne
You’ve got to feel sorry for a restaurant that puts up a sign one week before lockdown saying ‘Opening Soon’. This was the fate of the new Jimmy’s Killer Prawns, which finally opened in Paphos just over a week ago on the site of a previous fish restaurant. Having been ensconced in our little world in the hills, this was our first trip out, and it was with a slight trepidation that we entered this restaurant.
Is adhering to all the rules? Did that guy just cough? Happily, all the rules are being strictly followed. At the entrance for busy times, they have the stickers on the floor for queuing, sanitiser at the desk, tables set apart, all staff wearing masks and gloves and the liberal use of the disinfectant spray in evidence at all opportunities.
On my last experience of eating out before lockdown, we took everything for granted. The fact that we have emerged into a new world where these things are the new normal seems unreal. Gone are the days of kissing people you know, touching things with gay abandon – now you obsess about the items you come into contact with. No doubt the more we go out these feelings will lessen, but for this first experience, hygiene was paramount.
Jimmy’s Killer Prawns is an international franchise formerly from South Africa with restaurants in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UK and now two in Cyprus, the other is in Limassol. This new restaurant is positioned on the coast road from Paphos to Coral Bay. It has a large outdoor terrace which is lucky to still have open sea views.
While the star of the show on the menu is prawns and fish, they also offer an extensive selection of meat grills including African style chicken, steaks and chops. The variety of dishes is enormous, varying from light meals, salads, combos, platters, signature prawn dishes and of course the ‘World Famous’ killer prawns. The prawns include medium killer prawns, queen prawns, king prawns and tiger prawns, which are available as a platter or tower with different sauces and extras. Other fish dishes include tuna, salmon, calamari and octopus.
Owner Phivos Georgiades is of Cypriot heritage but grew up in Cape Town. He returned to Cyprus five years ago and today runs the restaurant with his son Tyron at the helm. He is a charming and brilliant host. The menus, as per government advice, are paper and single use which also double as a placemat.
The starters, of course, include prawns but also offer other fish options such as a Mussel pot, Octopus and Calamari, Halloumi or Chicken Livers Peri-Peri. After a platter of freshly baked warm rolls served with garlic butter, olive tapenade and tahini we went straight in for the main. My dining partner opted for the signature dish of Jimmy’s Platter for one. I selected from the Light meal menu with a portion of fish and chips and secretly hoped that with the price of €6.10 it wouldn’t be a child’s portion.
A word of caution. The platter dish is very generous with medium killer prawns, a portion of line fish, calamari and mussels all served with chips, rice and their trademark trio of sauces which included creamy garlic, lemon butter and peri-peri. All the fish were cooked to perfection and very hot. My “light meal fish and chips” was surprisingly large and must surely represent the best value for this dish in the whole of Cyprus. Fish can be grilled or fried. I elected for grilled, which was piping hot and moist with a decadent portion of chunky chips on the side. The only criticism of the whole dining experience was that it came with lemon butter sauce and not the advertised tartare sauce, but the lemon butter sauce was delicious over the fish, so why change it. I know it was our first meal out for months, but we absolutely loved it and will return soon.
The restaurant was not too busy when we were there for lunchtime service, but we noticed that two of the other tables were returning guests which is quite an accolade for any restaurant which has only been open for just over a week.
VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY Seafood
WHERE 100, Tomb of the Kings Ave, Diamond Complex, Paphos
CONTACT 26 933966
WHEN Monday to Friday – 12-3pm and 6-10pm, Saturday and Sunday – 12-10pm
HOW MUCH Light meals from €6 up to €57 for a platter for four
