It has been rumoured for some time that there is an outstanding lunch-time venue lost among the roadworks and traffic jungle around the area once dominated by the old Milano. The directions were quite simple: coming from town turn right at the Harley-Davidson lights and Il Bacaro is on the corner of the next turning on the left, opposite Hellenic bank.
We arrive early on a wet Wednesday and secure the only table for two that doesn’t have a reserved sign on it. The furnishing is solid and simple; my Italian companion who believes that design has never improved beyond the city limits of Milan is quite impressed by the ambience: she informs that the colour scheme is crushed cardinal and reminds me that she once decorated our house in Surrey with it.
Maria, our waitress, delivers the wine list, unsurprisingly an all Italian job, where I notice that the establishment serves wine by the glass, which is a very sensible idea for lunchtime diners, and from which the companion selects a Pinot Grigio while contemplating the menu that is displayed on a blackboard behind the bar. My research reveals that this restaurant is the domain of a mother and daughter hailing from the area around Venice and has been in existence for less than a year. Mother, Paola, runs the kitchen and daughter, the stately Manuela, manages front of house and bar.
There are three items on the Primi section and four on the Secondi. The starters, mostly pasta, are the same size as the main courses and you will only eat these in conjunction with the Secondi if you have an afternoon off. The companion is translating for me because Paola makes no concessions to the ignorant: the four dishes on offer are quails with spinach and new roast potatoes; the Italian equivalent of pork snitzel, with mushrooms and salad; salt cod, specialty of Paola, and a mozzarella salad with pesto. The companion selects the pork cooked Milanese style and I order the quails.
Brilliant choice. By now the ten bar stools are occupied and even though the weather might be described as inclement, there are couples sitting outside, albeit under awnings.
Service and presentation is very good and my quails arrive at the same time as the Milanese and a basket of home baked bread. Everything about this place is classy and I can understand why some of my friends were unhappy that it might receive the oxygen of publicity which might result in visitations from the Hoi Poloi, but I think their fears are groundless as mama Paola doesn’t know how to spell souvla let alone cook it.
The quails are perfect and the best I have eaten since visiting Verona in the 70s; the pork is first rate, moist, firm, and still bound to the batter. There are three sweets on offer from which the companion selects a pastry that is so light it is in danger of levitating and can only be held down by the raspberry sauce. Coffees to follow, but we manage to resist the Mocca con Grappa.
If Il Bacaro can seat more than 60 customers, inside and out, I shall be surprised, yet there is no feeling of overcrowding, everything seems very relaxed. Manuela informs me that lunches are served from Tuesday till Saturday (booking essential) and she opens in the evening from Wednesday to Saturday, but only serves finger food. The venue is perfect for a business lunch or an intimate assignment; one may only sit with a bottle of wine or a coffee if desired. Now that the ghastly roadworks have finished, which could have destroyed many establishments, I expect never to see an empty seat at Il Bacaro; they certainly deserve it. Brava Paola con Manuela.
Vital Statistics
SPECIALTY Italian regional cooking
WHERE 131, Prodromou Avenue, Nicosia
CONTACT 22 676969, 99 143980
PRICE Very reasonable
