Fish at its freshest and best

It is rare for me to eat at the same restaurant twice in the space of seven days, but last week this is what happened at Psarou Fish Tavern. Since the restaurant relocated from its much smaller premises of many years to its new location, it is hard to miss on the Paphos coast road with its imposing exterior and car park. Most people have likely noticed the significant number of parked cars lining the road on most evenings and weekends. We were thrilled to visit and see what all the fuss was about, as it is one of the few restaurants in Paphos that serves fresh, locally caught fish.

The new Psarou location is fabulous. It is set back from the busy road, so we were not bothered inside by the noise from the cars. With a ceiling of multiple fans, it was surprisingly cool on a scorching hot day. The design is very modern with blue accents and many tables. There is a spacious interior and an outdoor terrace with views overlooking an orchard. There is no sea view, which is always pleasant whilst enjoying fish, but the thick vegetation provides a lovely backdrop. Parking is conveniently located right outside.

Like most fish restaurants, there are two options: select from the menu or choose your fish by weight from the display fridge. When we dined the first time, our friend, with guidance from a passing fisherman, expertly selected a feast of fish that followed in quick succession. They were all superb, but I have to admit that I didn’t like the sea urchins, which were something I had never eaten before. The strong flavour was too much for me.

Following this gourmet evening feast of fish, I really wanted to return and try the meze. The menu offers a variety of fish, but with a big disclaimer that availability depends on what their fishermen catch on the day. Most of the fish are priced by the kilogram. There are three different kinds of meze available. We opted for the Psarou Meze, which was the most affordable at €32 per person.

To begin the meal, a huge fresh salad arrived, featuring the sweetest of tomatoes and scattered with huge chunks of feta. Then a selection of appetisers with a basket of pitta. The dips were tahini, taramasalata and spicy cheese, all of which were very tasty, served with pickled vegetables, samphire and olives. Fish made its first appearance at the table with a seafood risotto, which was dolloped on the plate. It could have been a whole meal, but we just felt the presentation could have been improved. But it was divine with its creamy texture and rich flavours of the sea.

The next plate was calamari, which was, without question, some of the tastiest and softest I have ever had – you could quite literally slice it with a fork. It was impeccably fresh, tender to the bite, and delicately seasoned, a great example of how simplicity, when done correctly, can be sublime. A plate of fried fish followed, served with a strong garlic dip on the side. Another portion of calamari, fried, served with two king prawns and baby octopus per person. They also served two marida fish.

The standout fish, though, was the seabass, which arrived whole and was a surprisingly generous size, providing chunks of the whitest and quite possibly the tastiest fish I have ever experienced. Served with a small plate of exceptional, fluffy and crispy chips, and flawlessly grilled, this was seabass at its purest and very best.

Throughout the meal, all the food arrived piping hot and cooked to perfection. Both teams, on our separate visits, were very friendly and attentive. The restaurant offers an extensive wine list with an obvious abundance of white wines. Cypriot wines are well represented. We paired our meal with a bottle of Tsangarides Chardonnay. They do have a dessert menu, but to be honest, after such a large and generous meze, it was impossible to partake.

The fish meze at Psarou certainly celebrated the ocean’s bounty with the freshest of ingredients, giving us a truly memorable experience. At least now, when I drive past, I will understand the reason for all the cars.

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALTY Fish

WHERE Psarou Fish Tavern, 67 Chloraka Avenue, Paphos

WHEN Daily 12-10pm

CONTACT 99 470411

HOW MUCH Meze €32 per person, seafood portions of specific fish from €20