By Sarah Coyne

The name, The Mansion of Stavroula, certainly creates high expectations of a grand property. However, this restaurant in Konia doesn’t quite live up to its name regarding bricks and mortar. It is a lovely traditional stone building with a series of rooms for dining. You could undoubtedly drive past and miss it, as the only indication is a small, tasteful sign in Greek. On the night we visited with a friend who had recommended it, I thought we had walked into someone’s home. The first area had easy chairs and coffee tables and looked like a typical front room but keep going through, and the central dining location is at the back.

The good news is that the roadworks that have been going on forever in Konia are complete, so now there is easy access to this restaurant from the back and front. There are various areas to choose from for dining or a drink. Evidently, the owner of The Mansion, who named it in honour of his grandmother, owns a wood company, which explains the tasteful use of wood throughout. In addition, there is a unique cava inside, with a vast selection of drinks to enjoy.

rest2While the restaurant, which opens every day at 9am, has an all-day menu starting with a traditional Cypriot breakfast, it is best known for its meze. This is why our friend had brought us here, as he said, they make the kind of dishes his late mother used to make. Dishes that he had not tasted for years. The other factor that sets it apart is that they use very, very seasonal ingredients. In addition, you can select precisely what you want from the meze menu. So often, you are presented with dishes you are not that mad about and have no choice. Here you choose from a menu varying in price from €2 to €6 per dish and just select the ones you fancy.

Of course, the usual Cypriot dishes are on the menu, but even they had a different slant. The exceptional spicy fava dip and the feta cheese dip were cases in point. We accompanied these to start with a Greek salad and toasted garlic pittas. This was followed by halloumi, which was disappointing as it was incredibly hard. Thankfully, this was the only criticism of the night.

Moving through the menu, it really depends on which vegetables are in season. We were lucky enough to experience a superb dish of wild mushrooms, but they also offer wild silene vulgaris, strouthkia, asparagus, spinach and artichoke. Two other standout dishes were the grilled aubergine and the Greek strapatsada, consisting of eggs, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. We also enjoyed succulent lamb chops, cooked to perfection, and chicken souvlaki.

Another delight of The Mansion was reconnecting with Yiannis Ioannou, whose own meze restaurant I reviewed many years ago. It was an outstanding place, to which we returned many times but sadly it had to close to make room for one of the new universities currently being built in Paphos. All restaurant owners should have a Yiannis in their business. As the charming manager, he is the central figure of all operations here. He is not in the kitchen, but he is passionate about Cypriot cuisine and very influential when it comes to the menu. He has now transferred his love of traditional seasonal food from his restaurant in central Paphos to Konia.

The Mansion is a taste of the real Cyprus in a casual environment. Dancing, to the accompaniment of an impromptu bouzouki player, concluded a perfect evening. The meze was excellent, but the restaurant also has a lovely additional menu with sandwiches, snacks, salads and sharing dishes. We will certainly return and look forward to bringing visiting guests throughout 2023.

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALTY Traditional Cypriot

WHERE Georgiou Griva Digeni 45, Konia, Paphos

WHEN Open 7 days a week 9am to midnight

CONTACT 26 960686

HOW MUCH Meze dishes €2-6