Mousikos

Kyriakou Matsi 6, Sotira, 23828833, AMMOCHOSTOS (FAMAGUSTA)
Mon-Sun 19:00-23:00
Food: [rating:4] 4/5
Service: [rating:3.5] 3.5/5
Ambiance: [rating:2.5] 2.5/5
A traditional taverna in Sotira village in an old establishment. The Cypriot stone used to build it, the traditional arcs, the large garden and of course, the fantastic food make Mousikos a must-visit.
One has the option between a mini “meze” (quite standard with a lot of meat and starters), a maxi one (everything that one can imagine including fish and cooked food like “stifado”) or an a-la-carte selection. It is obvious to think that we would happily opt for the maxi, but after we were told what it included we surprisingly chose the mini one with some additions (wild asparagus with eggs and an extra salad). It is definitely worth mentioning that almost all the ingredients are from the owner’s farm, hence very fresh.
The first to arrive were small loaves of warm bread, freshly baked, the salad and the dips. What followed was “halloumi” which came as a whole, home-made, hot, soft and a true perfection (Mousikos is, afterall, famous for it).
The “poulles“, the fresh asparagus with eggs and the tasty “sieftalia” were excellent, and the corn on the cob was very good (although it was a bit out of place as it was the first time I had seen it served as a part of a “meze” selection). Another highlight was the freshly cut fried potatoes with oregano that reminded me of my childhood (probably because they were home-grown and not frozen!). I was surprised when the “souvla” came as it is not always part of a standard “meze” selection, and at the same time extremely happy as it was very tender and tasty. The lamb chops were equally good, and the grilled chicken served last looked tasty but we were too full to even try it!
To finish off we were offerred “mpourekia” with honey (fried pastry with a filling) and fresh fruit.
For a restaurant which is so good it is weird that in all these years I had never visited it before. Moreover, nowadays it is harder to find a taverna which has almost everything: excellent food, very good service (highly responsive and friendly) and good value for money. What is worth mentioning is that they fortunately have a small selection of good Greek wine rather than the few Cypriot ones that tavernas often offer. We paid 25€ each for 2 bottles of Greek wine and meze for 6 people, with an extra salad that we weren’t even charged for. I am very happy to give it two stars as well as a value/money category inclusion as Mousikos is really worth it.