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Having had a number of verbal reports of good times staying and eating at this well established Pissouri location, we asked Francis Geldart to write a review.
The Sofocleous family opened the Hill View in 1991. George Sofocleous, the owner/manager, trained as a chef in Paphos. Today he is ably supported by his wife Lisa, his brother Nicos, and his father who is “shopper in chief”. Together they make up a most professional team catering for the needs of residents and visitors. I have eaten from time to time at the Hill View, at functions, en famille and just a deux with my wife. My most recent experience is that of Sunday lunch, which Hill View promotes as “sumptuous”, and it is not too big a word.
For €19.65 a head, the Sunday buffet offers choice of soup, the salad bar, the Carvery and desserts. Go hungry, because not only is it good but it is plentiful. The soups are homemade, really tasty and hot. The salad bar consisting of 18 dishes is absolutely fresh with both favourites and some interesting novelties – plenty of prawns, great mayonnaise and particularly good mushroom salad.
The Carvery is exceptional: beef, pink, tender and juicy; pork with superb crackling; leg of lamb and roast chicken. The vegetables are clearly all fresh and correctly cooked (so rare to find even in pricey restaurants). There are three desserts to choose from, apple crumble (again top notch, homemade), Pavlova and, when we went Christmas pudding oozing Christmas spirit.
George not only listens attentively to any small criticisms or suggestions but acts on them, at nonce – I queried the lack of Parmesan cheese with the Minestrone and it was soon forthcoming.
The à la Carte dinner menu offers international and local dishes with some interesting ideas. Among the 16 starters, you may try Warm Bacon and Avocado Salad (€9.65), Smoked Salmon Millefeuille (€10.25) Mushrooms with Fetta Cheese (€7.60) or George’s soup of the day €5.90 .
Among main courses there are five steak dishes, seven meat or poultry and seven fish/seafood. George offers home-made Kleftiko, Stifado and Moussaka, as well as Vegetarian Spring Rolls (€13.25) and Vegetable Moussaka (€13.25). Creative cooking is here, too… try the Sea Bream on a bed of herby Risotto, for example (€16.20).
The Hill View has always been, and remains extremely popular with both local residents and those who come from Limassol, Paphos and the neighbouring villages. I asked George how he and his team have maintained their reputation over the years for being one of the best eateries in the region:
“Emphasis on quality ingredients,” he said, “the beef is all top grade U.S.A., the lamb is New Zealand, and fish, where possible, fresh from a local source. The vegetables come from our family garden or are carefully selected with the help of father's experienced eye”.
George, who is an excellent chef, listens carefully to the needs of his clientele, but changes to the menu are nowadays rare. All the dishes are "Hill View favourites".
Now, the Sofocleous family is coping with the recession capably and with imagination, having launched the Hill View Club that offers members special deals and discounts. And then, of course, there is comfortable well equipped accommodation with ten studios and one-bedroom apartments. In 2008 all the accommodation was completely refurbished under the tasteful direction of George's wife Lisa. With flat-screen TVs, the latest equipment, and sleek modern furnishing, the Hill View now provides some of the finest self-catering accommodation on the island.
So, all in all, a good place to chill out, relax and eat well. Full information is on the Hill View website, with various offers among them a god-value weekend package which offers bed and breakfast accommodation for two nights (Friday and Saturday), buffet dinner on Friday and the Sumptuous Sunday Lunch Buffet, for €80.00 a person.
Hill View Restaurant and Apartments, Stadium Street, Pissouri, 4607 Limassol.
Tel: 2522 1972. Email [email protected] , www.hillview.ws . Restaurant open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, from 7 p.m. Lunch on Sunday only. Closed Mondays. Three-course meal for two with wine from €70.00 up.
