Palia Ilektriki (Old Powerhouse) - Nicosia

Let's face it. No good story starts with a salad. So this one starts (and ends) with cocktails. In fact I think I found my new favorite place for a drink in Nicosia.

Allons-y!

Palia Ilektriki has recently changed owners, so they are still sorting some things out, but God, the yard was beautiful.

'old powerhouse', remember?

Concerning our drinks, we didn't even order from the menu; we just told the waiter what we like, and the barman would improvise and make us something to suit our taste:

Something along the lines of gin and tonic (ginger, honey, passion fruit, extra dry martini):

Something with a healthy dose of vodka (raspberry liquer, vodka, lime juice, salt):

Something light and refreshing (apple, grapes, wine, honey, basil):

and something fruity (melon, watermelon, lime juice, tea-infused syrup):

Although we liked them in varying degrees, we certainly applaud the efforts of the barman who came by our table to ask for our feedback. Soon we got talking and I saw that spark in his eyes when he talked about his drinks.

He was self-taught with only a few online lessons to learn the basics of matching the flavours successfully, but he has come a long way since then.

'You won't find our drinks in any other bar' he tells me. True, since he makes his own infusions and syrups and uses them to give that je ne sais quoi to his drinks; be it basil infused vodka, English breakfast syrup with orange, blueberry and raspberry liquer with a bit of lemon peel to cut through the sweetness or that little bit of brown sugar give a push to the aromas and flavours.

We talk about winter cocktails and he gets excited: 'I love hot cocktails, the flavours are even more intense. I  really want to stir people away from that mulled wine everyone's drinking.' Obviously he's not your average barman, and although he's still experimenting with a couple of things, I've no doubt that when he gets his recipes ironed out the result will be remarkable - it always is when someone pours his soul into his work.

Go, give Palia Ilektriki a try. It is, in my opinion, severely undervalued, and I would pick Palia Ilektriki over any bar in Nicosia any day.

You'll find them at Tempon 3, Nicosia (you may have to park and walk a bit), or call them on 22432559.