Sunday, January 13/2018

With Jane and Bill to Kofinou, the village a little south of Larnaca that specialises in kleftiko. As Jane points out, we’re the only non-Cypriots in our restaurant, always a good sign. And Bill says the old lady (yes, possibly younger than we are, but to be distinguished from the young, fluently bilingual women also working there and undoubtedly family) always remembers us and welcomes us. And does a pretty creditable job of figuring out what we want. Which is always lamb kleftiko. Lamb or goat, that is. Had eaten it here for some time before actually seeing a menu, which did refer to goat, but that’s not conclusive and the taste is similar. Always slow cooked to butter softness in the beehive shaped outdoor oven.The bits that come before it are standard here but you could make a meal of them - a salad including caper stems (thorns thoughtfully removed), bulgur pilaf (pourgouri), green olives with garlic, village bread, a pot of thick Greek yoghurt, and a plate of lemons and onions. Only the question of beer or wine to be settled.