Culinary delights highlight Cyprus charm

Manama : Talal looked admiringly at the plate of grilled octopus that the waitress in the Cypriot restaurant had just placed in front of him.
The young man from Bahrain loved seafood and regularly indulged himself in its delicacies. But this plate was truly tantalizing and he was already anticipating the chewy taste in his mouth. 
To him, one of the most significant ways to get under the skin of a culture was to try the local food, especially in a Mediterranean country where cooking is an art and eating is a feast.
Sitting at the Charmers Restaurant by the newly renovated promenade in Larnaka, Talal was delighted the soft Mediterranean breeze added to the charm of the moment in the Cypriot city.
The street was enchantingly inviting. The road by the sea has been transformed into a picturesque path for people heading for a swim, jogging, cycling or simply taking a stroll under the clement sun.
The restaurant offered one of the most delicious fish meze on the island, served with contagious smiles and cordial friendliness.
The octopus was definitely a gourmet signature dish that he was happy to eat alongside the other tasty components of the fish meze welcoming him to the charming island, a short time after he left the pampering extended on board of the Gulf Air plane that flew him direct from Bahrain.
He was happy that his expectations for Cyprus were exceeded every time he visited the country.
He fell in love with the island when he came the first time. The Gulf Air communications manager had been to several countries, but Cyprus promptly held a special significance in his heart. And the palatable meze he was able to enjoy was one of the several reasons he wanted to revisit as often as he could. 
Talal loved meze as they reflected the true spirit of sharing food in a convivial atmosphere, like the Ramadan spirit among Muslims, Thanksgiving among Americans and Christmas among Christians.
But for Cypriots, it is celebrations throughout the year since their meze are always celebrated as a social event, and not just a plain lunch or dinner.
Meze as an integral part of the Cypriot culture are much more than portions or types of food that you consume. They are a strong bond that brings people together, be it at home or in restaurants.
Families and restaurants have perfected the art of preparing meze which can be meat or fish, and are often preceded by a heaping healthy salad.
Talal who has been through the culinary experience in Cyprus knew that he should take it easy on the salad in anticipation of the tasty seafood that will be rolled out.
However, there was no way he would skip halloumi, the great star of the pre-meze show.
Traditionally made from goat and sheep milk, the brined, slightly springy white cheese was grilled and served out.
Talal decided to accentuate the taste by squeezing some fresh lemon juice. 
He had meze on several occasions in Bahrain and elsewhere, but he never had a seafood meze. The halloumi he had in other countries was made mainly of cow milk, and paled in comparison with the one he was delightfully chewing at the restaurant.
Later wherever he went on the island, he insisted on eating grilled halloumi, taking advantage of the special taste that he could savour.
At one time, and thanks to the diligent planning of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, he had the chance of participating in making the traditional halloumi bread in a home located in a beautiful village. The experience was exhilarating and the bread was superb.
When at the Charmers Restaurant he was served a whole grilled fish, the main star of the meze, Talal thought he had enough and was full.
However, the fresh pièce de résistance was so attractive and so tempting despite all the bones purposefully left inside that he decided to go for it.
Although he was only a few hours into his four-day trip to the island of Aphrodite, Talal was certain that some of the best memories that he would recall with fondness later would be the Cypriot food cooked with great passion, served with gracious generosity and consumed with elated smiles.