Restaurant review: Comfort food to warm the soul
I have walked past this restaurant hundreds of times strolling up and down Limassol’s Molos. Its distinctive sign, RED Restobar, always caught my eye but I never went in. I was always either coming from the marina or old port area, or on my way somewhere else.
We finally decided to go this week, amid a rain storm that ended up battering parts of Limassol, even if only for relatively brief spells. One of those spells, it turns out, was during our visit to Red. We were only a few sips into our drinks, fortunately undercover, when it started lashing it down.
Despite being one of the few permanent eateries in the Molos area, Red has a somewhat impermanent structure, just like its competition half a minute away. Having been allowed to operate around the mid-2010s, after the promenade was redeveloped, these structures are relatively contained in terms of size, but they have ample exterior or quasi-exterior space. We sat on the restaurant’s perimeter, facing the sea to the south, and had wall-high glass and a roof protecting us from the elements. The glass doesn’t quite meet the roof and the restaurant offered to reseat us further inside but no rain came in so we stayed put.
We opted for local red wine and what could be designated as comfort food. The wine (€6 per glass) was a maratheftiko from Ktima Gerolemo in Omodos, and excellent value for two. For mains we both decided to go carb-heavy, with the Spaghetti Bolognese (€14.50) and the Rump Steak Risotto (€22). However, after perusing the starters, nothing quite drew our attention. So, this being an Italian restaurant that is quite confident about its pizzas, we decided to order one to share instead.
The pizza was half margherita (my go-to choice for determining if a restaurant has the basics nailed), and half pepperoni. The restaurant was happy to accommodate this request but pointed out we would be charged for the more expensive half. The pizza was delicious, with the crust striking a solid balance between crunchy and fluffy, while the tomato base and cheese were both excellent.
I can’t expound too much on the bolognese except acknowledging that it was bang on the money. Al dente pasta, well-made ragu, good quality beef. A very solid dish, especially on a cold October night. I’d argue, however, that the risotto was even more of a comfort dish, as the combination of (again) al dente rice, a rich, complex sauce, which included Grana Padano cheese and white wine, blended beautifully with the rump steak. Be warned, however, that although the dishes are not massive they are quite filling, even for a voracious eater such as myself. You really cannot go wrong with any of these three dishes.
For dessert, we decided to share the Nutella Crepes. Yes, plural. Instead of getting a massive crepe to carve through, you are given several smaller ones. They were all perfectly made; light, soft and puffy. They were drizzled with nutella, garnished with a few blueberries, and served with a ball of vanilla ice cream, itself nestled on a small mound of crushed biscuit. Again, I would highly recommend this dish.
All in all, a great restaurant in an excellent location, especially during the day, when the Limassol coastline is in full view with polite and professional staff.
VITAL STATISTICS
SPECIALTY: Italian cuisine
WHERE: RED Restobar, Christodoulou Hadjipavlou, Limassol (Molos)
WHEN: Sunday-Thursday 10am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-11:30pm
CONTACT: 99 888441
HOW MUCH: starters €9-22, grilled items €14.50-€39, pasta €14.50-€24, pizza €14.50-€21