Oriental Cuisine - Taste From Asia, Ayia Napa

Tried & Tested: Oriental Cuisine – Taste From Asia

The name won't win any awards - but the food may

Ten years ago I packed up a bag and travelled to the Far East to explore and having worked our way through Malaysia and the islands of Thailand, my boyfriend contracted a deadly mosquito virus and lay hospitalised in Bangkok. The upside was that for a fortnight the hospital chefs served up the tastiest, freshest, authentic Thai curries that I’ve ever eaten.

That was until last month when I set foot into the brand new restaurant from the owner of Ayia Napa’s Japanese restaurants, Hokkaido and Sapporo, and the Italian, De Medici. Amongst my party of six were fervent Chinese food critics (including me – I usually loathe the GMS-loaded food and gloopy, heavy sauces) and a mixture of spice lovers and those who find Thai food too hot to handle. We were set to be a tough bunch to please.

Luckily the well edited menu offers a procession of dishes to suit all tastes and you can request dishes to be mild or hot depending on your taste buds. We plumped for the ‘Oriental Mixed Platter’ (€16,50) to share, meze style, and everything arrived fresh and hot and was eaten as the chefs intended.

Exquisite morsels of succulent, juicy prawn made into deluxe canapés, a to-die-for satay sauce served with a tasty chicken skewer – the crunchy yet smooth peanut loaded sauce made by the chefs (who, infact, make every single sauce and marinade fresh each day – they have come to Cyprus directly from the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Bangkok afterall, so their repertoire is 5-star all the way). Later there’s a palate cleansing salad with prawns and melon, squid, a gorgeous duck and pomelo salad with ho-sin sauce that vanishes in seconds, mussels in a clear, spicy broth, a light tempura vegetable medley and the most succulent, velvety jasmine tea smoked spare ribs – none of which go spare.

When it comes to main dishes outstanding food moments arrive one after the other. The table erupts with discussion over which dish is the best and after heated debate we are forced to settle on three. The lemon chicken (€9,50); the fresh taste and aroma of pure lemons but with a burst of sweetness which brings the dish expertly together, the sweet and sour pork with pomegranate (€10,50); we all agree on this being in a world class of its own and perfectly balanced and finally the duck thai curry (€11,50) with pineapple, grapes and cherry tomatoes. This dish is phenomenally good with every flavour pronounced yet singing pitch perfect together with the right kick of chilli to neither offend or under-deliver. Perfection in a bowl and not a hospital in sight.

At dessert time I’m advised to try the chocolate soufflé which we order with 6 spoons. It’s dark and innocent looking from the outside but with pressure from a spoon a pool of sexy chocolate goo oozes from the centre. Devine. Wine throughout the night was moreish and beautifully balanced – the 2005 Hadjimichalis red being my personal favourite (€28).

Service and décor both hit the spot – the former being impeccable; attentive, courteous and friendly, and the décor, I’m informed, includes the hand-illustrated wall art by an up and coming artist who is living in Cyprus at the moment. Think Geisha art, oriental palaces, jasmine flowers and cherry blossom in metallic gold. Tasteful, different, modern. Just like the food. The name won't win any awards but I'm sure that the food will. We’ve all been back for more.

Oriental Cuisine - Taste From Asia

Yianni Ritsou Str

23721568

Article by Niki Proctor, which appeared in the Cyprus Weekly newspaper.