Cypriot cooking at its best in mountain getaway

August is always the month when the idea of relocating to live above the humidity line has great appeal. Living at sea level with the humidity means summers are long and arduous, so mountain locations, even just for dining, are desirable. Having heard from a friend that there was a rather special new restaurant in Pano Panayia, one of my favourite escape villages, our expectations were high.

Mēnsa is the vision of Yiannakis Agapiou, who left his home in Pano Panayia at the age of 14 and has now returned after 40 years in the catering industry. The restaurant has only very recently opened. Usually, with a new restaurant, I would not rush in quite so quickly to review it, but with the reputation of Yiannakis and the attraction of Pano Panayia, we were quickly up that road. From the airport road in Paphos, it only took 30 minutes.

The restaurant is slightly hidden, but thankfully, there are bright orange signs which will direct you. A narrow walkway leads into a beautiful space which has been expertly designed. There is a large terrace to the front and an interior combining traditional decorations with modern elements. All rather stylish. We sat on the terrace where the low temperature was evident because none of the fans were in use.

The central ethos at Mēnsa is to offer the diner the opportunity to create their own menu. While the traditional meze is great, I am becoming more of a fan of choosing small dishes to have exactly what you want, not just in terms of taste but also quantity. At Mēnsa, they want you to take your time and travel through the menu slowly, enjoying every dish you select. It is divided into salads, dips, hot small dishes, meat mains and sides. The menu is seasonal and offers Mēnsa’s modern take on traditional Cypriot recipes.

As we arrived, it was immediately apparent that the service team were excellent. Throughout the meal, they offered 6-star service and provided the best hospitality I have encountered in a long time. They were a good-looking bunch and would not look out of place in a group photo on the cover of Vogue, but most importantly, they knew the meaning of professional service.

To commence, we were served some delicious homemade white and wholemeal warm sesame loaves of bread. We started with two salads, each very good in its own way. The first was with sheep yoghurt cream with rye rusks, capers, and tomatoes. The second was a mixed leaf salad with a nice portion of anari cheese together with fresh peach slices, beluga lentils and a jam dressing – a lovely and healthy start.

Moving through to the dips, again they offered something different with the lemon tahini being very unusual, and a hummus with the stronger flavours of harissa coming through topped with caramelised onions. A favourite on our table was the courgette flowers, which were stuffed with Kefalotyri feta and anari cheese. With the addition of basil oil and tomatoes, this made a great start to our hot small dishes. The grilled halloumi had a robust, favourable flavour which reflected the quality of the cheese. Together with a tangy tomato marmalade on the side, this exemplified Cypriot cooking at its best. We also enjoyed aubergines cooked in a rich and flavourful sauce, topped with fried almonds. The only divisive dish on our table was the roasted caramelised carrots served on a fresh bean mash.

Up until the main courses, the menu is very suited to vegetarians who would enjoy the variety and freshness of the ingredients throughout. After our procession of starters, we ordered pork and chicken to share. The tender pork pieces came with a very rich Commandaria sauce, which worked very well with the meat. The chicken was beautifully cooked with a subtle taste of lemon, and we also had a side of excellent, huge fried potatoes.

The meal concluded with one dark chocolate mousse to share. As it was placed on the table, the waiter poured extra virgin olive oil all over the dessert, which most of us found unusual but it enhanced the richness of the dessert. Together with a roasted nut crumble on the side, this course was decadent in the extreme.

We loved Mēnsa. Yiannakis and his team offer an authentic culinary journey of Cypriot cuisine in this lovely village. At the beginning of the meal, he said he aimed to provide a very memorable experience, and by the end, we concluded that he had succeeded.

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALTY Cypriot

WHERE Mēnsa, Chrysorroyiatissis 12, Pano Panayia, Paphos

WHEN Currently Friday and Saturday 6-11 pm, Sunday 12-4pm. Booking Essential.

CONTACT 99 632737

HOW MUCH Salads from €9, Dips from €5, Small Dishes from €9, Mains from €17 and Desserts from €8