Home cooking at its best

It has been quite a while since I have had the opportunity to review a relatively new restaurant in Paphos. Eda Family Café in Koukila is not so new; it opened last year at the height of the summer. It was recommended to me by some restaurant-owning friends who visited on their days off and extolled the virtues of the place. Despite their frequency of dining there, they could not remember the name, so on a rainy day, we drove to Kouklia to find it. We did not realise how lucky we were that it was raining as evidently you really must prebook to get into this place.

The charming small interior with a limited number of tables was full of very glamorous women congregating for lunch, so despite the bad weather, we found ourselves nicely protected by an umbrella sitting outside. The direct view of the square with the beautiful church and blue shutters on the traditional buildings was a wonderful setting. The menus were presented and we were delighted that in a world of ever-increasing prices, this was a menu we could work our way through without being prohibited by cost.

Eda was started by a Ukrainian family who relocated due to the troubles in their own country. They had previously worked in catering and, finding themselves in Paphos, decided to open a restaurant offering authentic Ukrainian home cooking. The menu offers a great selection of breakfast options, and I liked how they offer it all day for, as they say on the menu, ‘we don’t know what time you get up.’ The menu is then divided into appetisers, a large section for vegetarians, meat dishes, fish, salads and soups with a difference including Borscht and Okroshka. They have specials on Saturdays and Sundays, including Chicken Kyiv and Ribs with Cherry Sauce.

The first sign of the high standards at Eda appeared with the arrival of our soft drinks. Five-star hotels could learn a thing or two here. We had ordered cranberry juice, which arrived with ice cubes scattered with cranberries and mint. We started our meal with Eggplant Rolls coated with sesame seeds with a delicious filling of garlic, cottage cheese, walnuts, mayonnaise and dill. As with all the dishes at Eda, the portion size was very generous. It was a great starter with the complimentary breadboard of two types of bread topped with fresh herbs and a chutney on the side.

Choosing from the main menu with so many options was not easy. The traditional dish of Kruchenyky sounded tempting, consisting of chicken rolls with the filling of the day. Ultimately, we shared Kartoplya Zharena and a more familiar Chicken Schnitzel. Kartoplya was a pan of chopped-up smoked sausages with homemade fried potatoes, onions and mushrooms. The Chicken Schnitzel was two pieces of breaded chicken with fried potatoes and a superb salad on the side. Both were piping hot! The ethos of Eda is very much home cooking at its best, and it was.

Desserts and cakes are a large part of Eda, and inside, there is a considerable display of cookies, cakes and sweet things to take home. This all looked promising for our dessert. We selected Crepes with stewed apple and yoghurt sprinkled with pomegranate and mint. The two light crepes with the apple were a winning combination.

We loved everything about Eda and were certainly not the only ones. With a full house in the restaurant, we were also amazed at how many people went in and out for their takeaways. But remember to call and book; otherwise, you will not get in. Whether the meal is breakfast, brunch, lunch, or an early supper (they close at 7pm), Eda offers home-cooked food with a cultural flair, making it a perfect option for the current winter season.

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALTY Ukrainian

WHERE Kouklia by the Church.

WHEN Open 9am-7pm Wednesday to Sunday

CONTACT 97 737874 – booking essential

HOW MUCH Soups from €5, Appetisers from €7, Meat dishes from €8, Weekend Specials €15, Salads from €6, Fish from €10.50, Vegetarian from €6.50, Desserts from €5