Kleftiko and Stifado

by Timo

First things first: Schnitzelcoma is probably called Kleftiko-coma here! 😉

Right on Finikoudes Beach there is a very traditional tavern, with a correspondingly manageable menu, where food is cooked like at home with mom. It is amazing and really nice to find something like this right on the tourist promenade. We have been there for lunch twice now and have had to order Kleftiko each time. This is a popular Cypriot dish of Greek origin with a long history.

The Klefts were freedom fighters during the time of Ottoman rule. They preferentially stole cattle from their opponents and cooked the meat in pits to avoid drawing attention with rising smoke. Today the dish is prepared in the traditional white clay ovens, which can be found everywhere here. The tavern has two of these massive ovens.

On each of our visits, there were surprisingly many locals, which is a good sign as everyone knows. The first time we ordered a big salad and a portion of Kleftiko to share, which was a good idea. When it was served, we were surprised by the simplicity. There was a big piece of meat and a few large potatoes on the plate. That's it! No decoration, hardly any sauce. The taste was wonderful and something like this is probably only achieved through hours of cooking. The meat could be easily cut with a spoon and the potatoes were cooked in the meat juice. Add the salad and some bread, delightful! After the first visit, I was a little comatose, which may have been due to the over 30°C and the large beer.

The taste had convinced us so much that we recently went there a second time and made the mistake of ordering two main courses plus Pilaf (a rice or bulgur side dish). The second dish was a Stifado, a type of stew or goulash, so again a lot of meat, but this time with sauce and plenty of onions. It was also delicious, slightly sour and with a wonderfully seasoned cinnamon note.

After this tavern excursion, I was completely comatose for the rest of the day. I think we skipped dinner. Next time, there will be a lighter dish for lunch.