O Pyrkos- Vasa Kilaniou

Vasa Kilaniou, 25942655, LIMASSOL DISTRICT
Mon-Sun 12:00-15:00-19:00-23:00
Food: [rating:3.5] 3.5/5
Service: [rating:3] 3/5
Ambiance: [rating:3] 3/5
The tour in the mountains of Cyprus continues (although I have started running out of recommendations so please feel free to shout if you have any ideas!), this time at one of my favourite villages, Vasa Kilaniou. The first time I visited it was to go to Ariadni, and I was, in fact, impressed with the character and vibe of the village. The old stone, the narrow alleys and the cute “kafenes” make Vasa a special village.
The proud Cypriot father recommended Pyrkos as one of the well-known tavernas around the area saying it would be a safe choice. The restaurant was just that: somewhere with a quite good ambiance and quite good food, a place that did not disappoint but did not have a “wow” factor. None of us saw anything bad in that, afterall we do need reliable restaurants where we won’t “risk” having a less than satisfying meal.
The taverna is at a very good location on the high end of the village. Unfortunately the weather did not permit us to sit outside and enjoy the lovely view from the restaurant patio but I do plan to return for that scenery. The space inside was pretty with a look that spelled “tradition”. The local ornaments that decorated the place coupled with the worn-out blue colour of the walls themselves made a real difference. My problem with the main restaurant room was that it was way too crowded and noisy with large groups and families. Fortunately there was a much quieter foyer with only 4-5 tables right before the entrance, a perfect place for us to enjoy our Sunday lunch.
The “meze” that was recommended to us from the owner was quite standard with salad and dips, “koupepia” (stuffed vineleaves), fried meatballs with the rest of the “second” courses, and “souvla” to finish. The highlights of our meal were: the dip that came with the “tahini” that tasted like houmous but it was pink with a lot of dill, and a more lemony and aromatic flavour . Also, the “halloumi” which was extra hot, extremely soft and perfectly salty and the greens with eggs which were very tasty and freshly fried were both delicious. The traditional “afelia” (marinated pork cooked with wine and coriander), were my personal favourite as the meat was very tender and flavoursome with a light taste of wine, a little bit of fat, just right to make it more juicy. The “pasticcio” (oven cooked macaroni with bechamel), was also above average but I would not describe it as a highlight. The “souvla” that was accompanied with tasty roasted potatoes at the end was quite good although by that time we were too full to eat all of it. It was juicy and tender with a crispy exterior, probably because of the layer of fat (a guilty pleasure that I can’t get over)! The fact that all of the dishes came extra hot was a major advantage of “Pyrkos”, mostly because the proud Cypriot mother and father with whom we visited the restaurant, have a serious issues with food being served cold or even just not “hot” at a restaurant.
For dessert we were kindly offered Lebanese “mahalepi”, a good gesture but in my opinion, an inappropriate choice. I would have preferred a fresh “bourekki” or “baklava” to go with the home-made meal. Nevertheless it was a minor issue which we chose to ignore. For 20€ each including house wine (that wasn’t even that bad), and two soft drinks we left fulfilled and satisfied. I wouldn’t recommend it as a “once in a lifetime experience” but I would happily return for a very good, traditional meal in a pleasant environment (probably in the summer to get the opportunity to sit in their lovely patio).