What's On Cyprus

I was delighted to be invited to 'Play 4 All' to catch up with owner Lucas Polycarpou and I have to say, I had no idea just how much they do here, with 6 Full Size Bowling Alleys, a Children's Play Room, called 'The Jungle' and a fully fitted club style party room called 'La Mour' for up to 150 of your friends.  There's also a restaurant with a top chef presenting a full a' la carte menu and that's just for starters, excuse the pun … oh and, a few big screen TV's so you can just pop in for a drink to watch all the live sports and the footie! … So it really is a fun place for kids, and grown ups!

Naturally I had to ask why Mambo’s, I joked, nothing to do with Nando’s?, he smiled and said "maybe" … explaining “if anything, we wanted to bring a new concept to the area, with a hint of a Mediterranean fusion with South America” … But I love the name, the décor very cool, the little touches here and there tells you know they mean business.  There’s a lovely long terrace on the sunny mornings side of the road, and indoors spacious for your parties … or those chilli winter nights …

... the kitchen serves a Full English Breakfast or just Scrambled Eggs on Toast, Homemade Burgers, Homemade Pizzas, Pukka Pies, Fluffy Omelettes, Salads, Grills with delicious Chicken breast, Huge Pork Chops and even your favourite Toasties.  There's something for everyone including a separate Children's Menu ... and if you like to share try one of their delicious Meat Platters for two ...

Out front a comfortable covered terrace, high tables, and stools, and over on the benches a big cuddly teddy bear with an Amarilino Yellow kit on.  Just inside, more high stools around a high table, visually supported by an old baker's bicycle, and three high chairs looking into the window bar.  Inside its modern, quirky little areas, sofas, Alice in Wonderland style highbacked chairs, and a cool selfie mirror adorned with greenery and flowers and on the back wall, 'Amarilino Makes Me Smile', it made me smile!

I just love the facade and the interior decor is sort of warehouse-like, classy with industrial tones and extra trimmings, pallets hanging from the ceiling, newspaper collages on the pillars, cool lighting and an awesome looking bar with more bottles than you can count ... 11 years later, the massive repeat custom says it all ... and I can't recommend The Malthouse highly enough!

I've been eating at Ropas since my first season here, the year they opened in 1991 … It's one of my favourite places to go if I fancy truly authentic Cypriot Meze.  Costas and his wife Nikki have of course become very good friends and I have to say this guy oozes traditional Cypriot hospitality.  So too, Nikki and son Stelios out front and daughter Flora helping Nikki in the kitchen, tbh this family team is really hard to beat!

Over a gorgeous cappuccino I asked Vaida, why she created 'The Loop'? … She explained; "I'm originally from Lithuania, but lived in Holland for many many years and fell in love and married Nicos a Cypriot and finally moved to Cyprus just 8 years ago" … Vaida continued, "I noticed there was a distinct lack of places to get good fresh food, not just vegetarian and vegan but specialising in healthy eats and healthy diets".

An evening of Live Salsa Music, ... to, Eat Drink and dance your hearts out !

The first impressions were the different design, open-fronted, industrial with minimalist tones, steel pillars, raw concrete and polished wood, high ceilings, really cool lighting, comfy seating, designer signs and the menu, 'different' to say the least but let's just say it's more of a diner than a cafe and highly recommended ...

I met with Alexandra in Cafe Central, and over a delicious cappuccino I asked her to tell me more, starting with why my cappuccino was so good?  She smiled and said, "We selected Robusta coffee beans, from southern and central Africa, because it's an international multi-award winning coffee, with a woody, spicy, slightly bitter taste, that we preferred over Arabica" ... oh and just wait til you see the menu ...