Restaurant review: La Casa Brunch & Tapas, Peyia
It cannot be easy for any new restaurant when the roads around it are affected by roadworks and, at times, access is entirely blocked. Sadly, this has been the case for La Casa for many months as Peyia municipality rebuilt the main road. It was third time lucky for me to get there. The first time we arrived at La Casa, with great expectations and excitement, we found a cement lorry emptying its contents right outside! The second attempt we chose the one day of the week they are closed (Monday), which was my fault for not checking.
However, thankfully, fresh tarmac and attractive paving have returned to the roads of Peyia, and now is the time for La Casa to bloom. I have driven past a couple of times, and the place had been absolutely packed, so we were happy to arrive and get a table. An enormous terrace has been added to a traditional building, making the most of some magnificent sea views. The terrace offers large conformable tables and chairs, and more dining space is inside with an attractive bar area. The whole space has a vintage designer vibe.
La Casa is very much a restaurant of two stories and is cleverly branded as an all-day project. During the day, there is an extensive brunch menu with every conceivable dish you can think of. At 5.30, the menu completely changes to serve tapas with a menu divided into modern tapas and small plates some with Greek influences.
As we were visiting mid-afternoon, we decided to select from the different sections of the menu. The brunch offers all breakfast varieties, including Eggs Benedict, Londoner’s Breakfast, Village Brunch Basket, French Toast, Avo Bowl or Toast, Pancakes and Shakshuka. All the dishes offer a slight La Casa twist to them.
Our first dish from the brunch menu was the traditional Eggs Benedict, a personal favourite. La Casa’s version consisted of two poached eggs, crispy bacon, a toasted muffin topped with hollandaise, and a huge green salad. It was excellent, with the perfect hollandaise. They also make Eggs Royale with the addition of smoked salmon.
The second dish from the brunch menu was fried chicken and pancakes. The plate arrived with a tower of pancakes, buttermilk fried chicken, crispy bacon, and maple syrup, all topped with a fried egg. Declared one of the best breakfasts of all time.
The most ravenous diner at our table chose the Ultimate Steak Sandwich. Again, another hit with a baguette filled with quality pieces of Black Angus beef, caramelised onions, cheddar cheese, garlic mayo with a side salad and homemade chips. The meat inside the baguette was succulent and generous.
From a small selection of desserts we chose a Caramel Cheesecake and Tartufo. You know a dessert is supreme when the original idea of sharing and asking for extra spoons turns into dirty looks when you ask for a bite and declarations of “there isn’t much left.” The unusual Tartufo version was a chocolate outer layer with a white and milk chocolate mousse inside. A dessert lover’s dream! The cheesecake was distinctive, with a hot caramel sauce.
Another bonus at La Casa is the excellent selection of drinks to accompany your meal, including cocktails, more unusual wines, and the well-known Cypriot ones – all at reasonable prices. With a friendly staff who thoughtfully brought water for our little dog, Peyia is very lucky to have La Casa in its midst. We are already planning a return visit to try the tapas!
VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY Brunch and Tapas
WHERE Michalaki Kyprianou 30, Peyia, Paphos
WHEN Tuesday to Saturday 9-11.30am, Sunday 9am-6pm
CONTACT 96 723131 – Booking recommended
HOW MUCH Brunch from €11, Bagels & Burgers from €13, Salads from €12.50, Desserts from €7. Tapas menu upwards of €4.50