IMAGES: ZAMBARTAS WINERY; STOCKFOODRebecca’s Viognier (surprisingly austere,
for Viognier) makes a wonderful match for
the sea bass. Walking off our meal, we head
into the resort town of Aiya Napa, where we
admire the imposing cathedral and peer
into the 16th-century Kebir Mosque, its
minaret poking up above the old Turkish
quarter. Wandering down shady alleyways
past charming shops and cafes, we begin to
feel that warm, self-congratulatory glow of
travellers exploring another gastronomic
world. Just as Cabernet Sauvignon made here
doesn’t taste like a Cab from Napa Valley or
Bordeaux, so the fish, meat and vegetables
that land on our plates have the specific
flavours of this place — particularly the fresh
sunny tomatoes, unmarred by refrigeration
or air travel.
In the evening, we drive into the hills
to a village with views over city and sea,
to a wood-lined restaurant. Like almost
everywhere in Limassol, Agios Epiktitos
Tavern offers meze — here, numbering
around 20 different plates: a great way
to explore the menu. But the quantity is
daunting. Instead, we order sparingly:
zucchini and eggs; souvlakia (tasty
skewered meat); and tender beef liver.
A trio of guitar players circulates; the
wine, from Kyperounda Winery, whose
vineyards are just too distant for our visit,
is delicious. Feral cats patrol the wall of the
stone terrace, neon-shiny eyes watching
for the copious leftovers they’re no doubt
accustomed to.Back in town, far from such rusticity,
we find Japanese-Peruvian fusion
cuisine, conjured up by a chef who found
fame in New York. Matsuhisa Limassol
restaurant might seem an odd choice for
a gastronomic exploration of Cyprus, but
arguably chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s elegant
sushi and famous black miso cod — which
went beautifully with the local Xynisteris
and Viogniers and Maratheftikos — were as
much the taste of this island’s complicated
history as hummus or souvlakia.
Matsuhisa made me think of Cyprus’s
ancient conquerors. Not least, the Byzantines
who popularised the use of spices such
as cumin and coriander; the Arabs, who
surely brought hummus with them and may
also have introduced stuffed vine leaves, here
called koupepia; and the Persians, whose
word for ‘frying pan’, ‘tavas’, has come to
name a local dish of slow-roasted beef or
lamb. Louvana, a puree of yellow split peas,
probably came from Greece; even Cyprus’s
tacky egg-and-chips joints owe something to
20th-century holidaymaking colonisers. It
seems, then, that gastronomic authenticity,
like architectural beauty, is sometimes simply
a case of waiting a few hundred years.ELIES TSAKISTES
These green olives, doused in
coriander seeds, garlic, lemon
juice and olive oil, may be hard
to pronounce but they’re easy to
consume — especially with a glass
of local white wine.SKAROS
Parrotfish, which the Cypriots
grill whole, innards and all. It
may sound like an unappetising
proposition, but the slightly bitter
taste is truly delicious.XYNISTERI
Cyprus’s most common white
grape produces a lovely aperitif,
which is an excellent match for
more delicate fish. It can be fresh
and floral or more complex and
textured; when made well, it’s
dangerously drinkable.SHEFTALIES
This popular fast food consists
of meat (usually pork and lamb)
kneaded into meatballs and
wrapped in caul fat. Then it goes
into warm flatbread with diced
tomatoes, yoghurt and herbs.MARATHEFTIKO
Not the easiest grape variety to
pronounce, nor to produce: the
vines ripen in fits and starts. Still,
for winemakers who persevere,
this red variety (found only in
Cyprus and rich in colour)
can be fabulous: full of cherries
and sandalwood.Five food finds
Limassol’s nearest airports include Paphos and
Larnaca, which are typically served from the UK by
airlines including EasyJet. easyjet.com. For the latest
on safe travel and border restrictions, please see
fco.gov.ukWinemaker Marcos Zambartas,
the owner of Zambartas
Wineries, stands among vines48 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel