Sawa Larnaca

21 Kimonos Street, Larnaca

24400420

Sawa is one of the few places you can visit for specifically Syrian cuisine. Yet, instead of taking advantage of the little competition it has on the island, I believe Sawa still holds room for improvement.

Living in a country where it’s warm, or should I say scorching most months of the year, a standard Cypriot meze is just too heavy, especially on an evening out. But Syrian food is an enticing alternative with lots of refreshing dips and salads, grilled meats and less carbs.

Undoubtedly, the location of Sawa is fantastic. Whether you are seated outdoors in the garden or inside the beautifully restored house with its high wooden beams and antique windows, the ambience is apt for a special night out. 

At 17 euros, their set meze is a tasty introduction to Syrian food with a variety of dips and salads to start with, including baba ganoush, fatoush salad, muhammarah (delish red pepper and walnut dip native to Syrian cuisine only) and taboulleh. The falafel could be better – a bit on the stodgy side – but on the whole the various snacks and appetizers on offer are pretty good. The selection on offer, the fresh ingredients and the generous variety will build up your expectations for the meat dishes….

Once the grilled meat comes out, others have agreed with me that it’s a bit of a let-down. Given that there are no other hot dishes accompanying the meat like potatoes, rice or possibly stews, one would expect a substantial amount of meat, especially after the impressive spread of dips and salads at the beginning. The meat platter is pretty meager in comparison and when in a group, you end up carefully dividing the meat so that no one is left with an empty plate.

At the same time though, the meat does taste good. Their lamb kofte and chicken kebab are flavoursome and succulent and if you order chicken liver in pomegranate sauce as an extra, you will not be disappointed. Similarly, their desserts will entice you to visit again – there is the traditional mouhallabieh as well as their signature ice cream, flavoured with mastic and pistachios, with a toffee-like consistency that keeps you scooping for more. I still visit Sawa from time to time but I hope they’ll add a few more skewers in future. 

-    - If you have visited ‘Sawa’, tell us YOUR opinion by posting a comment below.