AMEK Kapsalou (Makarios)

Agias Fylaxeos, 25382744, LEMESOS (LIMASSOL)
Mon-Sat 19:00-23:00
Food: [rating:3.5] 3.5/5
Service: [rating:3] 3/5
Ambiance: [rating:2] 2/5
White plastic or traditional wooden chairs, florescent lighting and red or green checked table clothes on tables placed on the sidewalk are only a glimpse of what a traditional Cypriot tavern looks like. Although there might be some “modernised” ones we have fortunately managed to keep alive a few of the good taverns that remind us of what Cyprus used to be like before food chains, and sushi restaurants.
AMEK Kapsalou, yet another “somatio” (a club representing a district, a village, or a team), also known as the tavern of Makarios, is definitely a Cypriot and Proud tavern representing our tradition. It is a family run place that has been going strong for a long time. The fact that they have put tables in every corner of their space including a back yard that has become a closed space, and the sidewalk at the front an a patio on the side, is a sign that its clientele keeps increasing. Don’t expect candles and roses but a more simple yet buzzy ambiance.
What I liked about the food apart from the good quality is the large variety. Apart from the freshly made salad and the usual dips (tahini, tzatziki and/or yoghurt), the artichokes with eggs, the fresh and not at all bitter rocket with eggs and the fresh tomato with eggs were all equally tasty and full of flavour. Looking back, these starters were also one of the highlights of our meal. In fact they were so good we had to re-order a couple of them. The fried mushrooms with parsely were also quite good although a bit oily. We skipped a few of the usual suspects (Cypriot sausage and “pastourma” and halloumi cheese) as we all had had too much of them over the August barbecues and went straight to the pork kebab with “sieftalia” (traditional minced meat with spices that looks like a  sausage). I liked that the kebab were large juicy cubes while the also larger than usual and a little bit burnt “sieftalia” did not manage to capture my attention. Mr Proud Cypriot and his friend said the pigeon cooked on the grill (something that the two of them never miss an opportunity to enjoy since it is a delicacy we don’t find often) was quite good, and so was the fried pork liver. It is worth noting that for the ones that like a little bit of extra “meze”, meaning enjoying other part of each animal apart from their meat, a lot of things are on offer at Makarios!
I also liked the fact that our meal ended with a plate of “anari” cheese (traditional cheese that tastes like ricotta) with honey, and a bill of less than 20€ per person that included a complete meal, 2 large beers and a glass of wine. This meant that the overall experience led to AMEK Kapsalou (aka Makarios) making its way on our “short- list” of Limassol must-visit taverns.