It’s not that I want to be tepid. No-one likes a review that begins A, B and C but also on the other hand D, E and F. So which is it, Mr. Restaurant Reviewer? Is this a recommendation or isn’t it? Should I go, or avoid? Alas, the sad truth is that most restaurants are neither insanely great nor absolutely hideous. In fact, they’re somewhere in between.
Certainly, the Campanario Steak House could never have survived for 12 years, serving meat-based fare from an old house in Larnaca, had it been absolutely hideous. In fact, most people think it’s insanely great, and I knew I had to visit after it had been recommended by three different friends. In the end I was a little disappointed – though again not so much that I’d warn anyone away. Call me Mr. Middle-of-the-Road.
I’d been told about the garden, which is where the action shifts in summer – the house itself looks cosy, behind an imposing doorway with a touch of the castle gate – and it’s certainly tranquil, though probably not in the Pantheon of restaurant gardens. One could write a book on the subject, and this garden is a little too busy, not a single soothing space but a couple of smallish sections divided by a trellis and sunk in a profusion of greenery, a palm tree here and clump of hibiscus there. I also didn’t feel much of a breeze, though that could’ve been just our table.
Campanario is unabashedly meat-minded – there isn’t a single vegetarian option, though you do get a handful of fish dishes – but classier than the usual haunt for carnivores. The napkins have been painstakingly origami’d so they look like candles on a candlestick as you arrive at the table, and each one comes with a paper napkin to stanch the messy business of meat-eating. The menu ranges far and wide, from classic steaks – Fillet, Pepper, T-Bone – to 70s standbys like Beef Wellington and Chicken Kiev, even Quails and a Stuffed Loin of Lamb. The moment you sit down a waiter brings a small dish of crisps and carrot sticks with a cheese-infused Thousand Island dressing, to serve as an amuse-gueule.
The trouble is what happens after that, which in our case was nothing – at least for 40 minutes (!), which is how long it took for someone to take our order. The staff couldn’t be friendlier, but leaving hungry customers to twiddle their thumbs for over half an hour doesn’t exactly start things off on the right foot. My dining companions thought it unacceptable; personally I didn’t mind so much – there are worse things than sitting in a pleasant garden taking it easy – but I’d have liked a glass of wine to sip, at the very least. It’s only good business to try and get your customers guzzling as soon as possible.
The food, when it arrived, was tasty enough, if not quite outstanding. Starter-wise, I liked the crispy Fried Feta Cheese, but Chicken Satay (an odd choice) was glutinous, and so-called Cyprus Salad was just tired lettuce spiced with rocket and tomatoes. The mains were a mixed bunch. Fillet steak was tender but not quite done to order – we’d asked for medium-rare but the meat was cooked through with only a faint tinge of pink (that kind of subtle distinction is important in a steak house). Madagascar Pepper Steak was bland, apart from the peppercorns. My companion’s Steak Diane was the highlight, velvety cream with a zesty sweetness of onions, but a little too similar to my own Beef Stroganoff – even though the latter’s supposed to be a rougher, choppier dish, ideally served with handfuls of parsley.
It’s easy to gripe; yet Campanario is far from unpleasant. We couldn’t help noticing the many tables-for-two around the garden, filled with young couples on a date, and it makes perfect sense when you think about it. A classy place with a dark romantic garden, napkins twirled into candles, food that’s rich and satisfying, maybe an expensive bottle of wine to wash it down (there’s a good list of Greek and Cypriot wines) – perfect for inducing that special mood of sensual well-being. Personally I liked the ambience and Steak Diane, but didn’t think much of the starters and didn’t appreciate the slow service. A, B and C, but on the other hand D, E and F. Don’t mind me, I’m Mr. Tepid…
SPECIALITY Steaks
SEATING 80-100 (summer)
WHERE 10 Nikodimou Mylona, Larnaca
CONTACT 24-626110
BOOKING Advisable
PRICE Around £35 for two, with wine
