Do you miss the REAL CYPRUS? Do you miss the days before the seafronts were hijacked by franchises and soul-less commercialised tourist traps?
To Kazani is located in the heart of Aradippou, just on the northern edge of Larnaca is one of Larnaca’s best kept secret. A family run restaurant, with a wonderful atmosphere, beautiful food and pleasant live music.
Unlike many other places with live music, that seem to be so loud that it is painful, the music is set at a perfect volume, loud enough to dance, loud enough to enjoy, yet subtle enough to allow conversation, for me, loud music is the greatest factor to spoiling my night, I like to enjoy music, not hold my ears in pain and in that regard, this place has the music down to perfection.
The restaurant is run by a family, with all the children taking part, from chef to waitress, to host. They treat customers as friends and invariably, by the time people leave, they are your friends.
The restaurant is a traditional two storey building, with both floors set aside for dining and live music downstairs. The outside has a beautiful terrace with a traditional feel, which is used during the summer months, but during the winter, everything is indoors (apart from the smoking, which this restaurant does enforce strictly, unlike some other places that give in to smokers, albeit illegally)
The food is to a very high standard, traditional and not pretentious and overpriced, local food, for local people at local prices.
We had Meze, which is often the first choice as it turns simple dining in to a slow paced and social occasion. I have been to other places for Meze and found that everything is hurled at you far too quickly, making you feel rushed, pressured and doesn’t help with indigestion. The key to enjoying a Meze is SLOW….very slow, it is supposed to be nibbled as part of the evening, not thrust at you in a hurry and sadly many places are guilty of this, those I would never recommend or return to, but happily that is not the case here. The food arrived at a comfortable steady pace, which was a pleasure.
After our meal, we were brought some fruit and a piece of Paklava for each of us, not just a token small piece but a full sized piece that was actually fresh and perfect.
If you are spending any time in Larnaca, then you would be very well advised to pay this place a visit, but book well in advance, they are very busy and deservedly so.