Restaurant review: Stou Nikola

Usually visitors from abroad will ask where the best places are to go. I’m happy to help but always worry whether or not they will like it. However, this time round, I was asked out to dinner but not asked to recommend where to go. My relatives had driven past a restaurant, decided they liked the look of it and wanted to give it a go. I was happy with that!

We drove to Kiti and pulled up outside what looked like a relatively new restaurant called Stou Nikola. Bright spotlights lit the huge blue letters spelling out the name of the restaurant, and we could see from outside that the inside was really well lit up! There was a theme of blue and white and the walls were decorated with old school wickerwork and plates however, the place still has a modern vibe.

The menu was not overly extensive but included more than enough to find something they like. The menu has two different types of meze, a Cypriot one and a Greek one. The menu actually lists all the different dishes that come in the meze and there didn’t seem to be much difference so we ordered the Cypriot meze, while others opted to order off the menu. Baby kalamari and a pork chop, to be precise.

Whilst waiting for the dishes to start coming out, we saw a couple of people setting up a speaker and microphone. It turns out that we were in for a treat as there was live music too!

The dips and pittas arrived at the table, and although there weren’t that many dips that’s not such a bad thing as there’s less chance of filling up on bread. Not long after something that resembled a rectangular golden bar was brought out – fried feta with sesame and honey! I was so intrigued I HAD to try it. The moment it passed my lips I couldn’t help but think yum! It was so good. I love feta and I love honey so this was always going to be a hit! The next round of food came out and so did the kalamari and the pork chop. When we saw the size of each portion, we couldn’t help but widen our eyes! The pork chop was huge and the kalamari was piled up on the plate; more like a platter than an individual dish! I was assured that both were of high quality and cooked exceptionally well.

Some lightly fried vegetables came out as part of the meze but the standout of the night award had to go to the mushrooms cooked in garlic butter! We were joking about the meze being a vegetarian meze as it had been predominantly vegetables but those comments were soon laid to rest when the pork and chicken souvlakia came out, followed by pork belly, then chicken wings, sieftalies and village sausage! Everything was cooked so well; the sieftalies and village sausage were seasoned perfectly and the chicken was tender and moist. Turns out it was a good job that we were given the veg and nothing too heavy because it allowed us to fully enjoy the main part of the meze.

The table was clear and tummies were full but someone remembered seeing on the menu that meze comes with a dessert! Pitta tis satzis – a flat bread that has been cooked in a pan and served up with honey and cinnamon – soon appeared and suddenly our appetites opened up again. It’s not the fanciest dessert but satisfied the sweet tooth without being rich or heavy.

We all really enjoyed the atmosphere, food, hospitality and music at Stou Nikola, and the prices are really reasonable considering the quality and quantity of the food. Turned out that my relatives had picked out a gem.

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALTY Mediterranean

WHERE Stou Nikola, Archbishop Makarios 67, Kiti, Larnaca

WHEN: Tuesday-Saturday 12.00-22.00. Sunday 12.00-18.00

CONTACT: 24 021484

HOW MUCH: €18.50 for meze, €13.50 for jumbo pork chop, €13