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As the credit crunch bites, we are going to be looking for value… and, value is going to be my watchword for 2009. I promise that in reviews of wines and restaurants, tavernas or take-outs, at a prominent point you will see the letters “VFM” = Value for Money. This will be followed by a mark out of 10. I have to say that far too many shops and catering establishments have not been doing their best to provide good VFM. Willy-nilly they source their menus from all over the world, and it’s not cheap! For example: restaurants are paying as much as €60.00 a kilo for imported (frozen) beef fillet. The world is literally their oyster for buying ingredients. I am afraid that they will find customers ordering less expensive items on their menus, or going elsewhere.
So, where is value to be found?
I’ll tell you…
Local pork. As good as any in the world. Substitute a grilled or griddled slice of pork fillet for beef fillet. This is seriously good cooking meat.
Eat out at places that aren’t meat intensive. I expect eateries like Wagamama to do even better in 2009. Oh, Wagamama, when are you coming to Limassol?
At our wineries. They make a good half day or a day’s outing, especially if you have lunch at a taverna and you’ll come back with a case of wine, well fed, for far less than you’d pay at a city restaurant. The best bargain in our wines is to be found at the charming village of Pera Pedi in the Limassol district on the road that branches off from the Limassol to Troodos road at Saittas (see below). There’s good value at most others, too, and you can follow our recommendations in the Listings in Cyprus Gourmet Magazine with confidence.
Good Value wine with food.
Pizza Express rightly won an award for best-value wine list and have maintained this, as well as taking it into the associated venture at the Columbia Plaza, La Boca. A favourite in-the-Limassol-hills taverna at Vasa, Ariadne’s offers a small selection of good local wines at excellent prices – the hard-to-find Gold Award Argyrides “St Timon” reserve, for example, at €14.00. Back in Limassol town, Roddy Damalis at Ta Piatakia barely doubles retail price for a goodly selection of wines, giving the lie to the “fact” that restaurants can only make a profit by marking up wine at three or four times retail price.
I want to give publicity to more people like this… So…
YOU tell me!
Dear Reader
Please nominate your recommendations for GOOD VALUE. Each month there will be some good prizes for reader contributions. Put my Email address into your computer’s address list and help the cause of good food, good wine, good service and good value in Cyprus, by sending in your votes!
Who gives good value in…:
FINE DINING
ETHNIC RESTAURANT
FAMILY RESTAURANT
TAVERNA
FAST FOOD
TAKE-AWAY
WINE WITH FOOD
SUPERMARKET
FRUITARIA
OTHER NOMINATION….
Email your votes to: [email protected], giving your name and contact phone number.
