By Andrea Kouyiali

Komsi Komsa describes itself as an authentic Belgian brasserie for travel lovers – though with a bit of an identity crisis, calling itself as a French restaurant in other places, with Swiss specialties like raclette on offer and Spanish tapas options too.

In the heart of Limassol’s bustling city centre, it’s clear that it is rather more than ‘komsi komsa’. The dishes are served with a depth of flavour and level of care that is obvious in each bite; calling them ‘so so’ would be a huge disservice.

It’s certainly a small place, with both indoor and outdoor seating, and welcomingly affordable, especially when factoring in quality, quantity and location. The interior décor is cute and cosy, with warm colours, though the overall ambience is definitely chill. Stroll in for lunch, or go out for dinner – fancy, casual, anything in between – it all goes here. Just have a hearty appetite because you’re in for a treat.

One of the first things that stood out in everything we tried at Komsi Komsa, was how fresh the ingredients were.

For an appetiser, we went for Gambas Al Pil-Pil, a Spanish tapas dish consisting of prawns cooked in oil with garlic and chilli served with thick white bread to dip into the spicy sauce. The choice proved to be a fantastic one, and the kick was evident. The tanginess of the prawns, infused with the taste of garlic and wrapped up by a final kick of spice, which could be smoothed out with a taste of richly-textured bread, was a great way to start.

Being a Belgian restaurant, Komsi Komsa has a wide selection of beers. Finally! And about time to be honest. Perhaps it’s me missing my time in the Netherlands and Belgium where beers came in menus thicker than food menus.

Our much-anticipated mains of Moules Frites (mussels and fries) and Belgian meatballs (and fries of course, this is a Belgian restaurant after all) struggled to fit on the table. The mussels marinieres were served in the classic black pot as they should, and the fries in a little white paper bag on a separate dish. The sauce brought out the full flavour of the mussels which were evidently fresh, and softened by the warm undertone as a result of the wine and butter, with a hint of light parsley tanginess.

The Belgian meatballs should come with a warning about how filling they are. On face value, it’s two meatballs – but they’re huge. What makes them more amazing though is their incredibly soft texture and the sauce they are served with. Called Boulet Liégeois, it is a sugary sauce made with onions, that merges beautifully with the fatty meat, creating the ultimate comfort food. Cutting into the meatballs, the meat is tender, succulent and the sauce adds incredible warmth to it. It is sweet but not overpoweringly so.

We were too full for dessert but plenty of credit must be given to the owner who was also fantastic. He was extremely helpful, very thorough in explaining any questions we had and was definitely invested in ensuring his customers were well taken care of.

Will definitely be going back for more.

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALTY: Belgian / French

WHERE: Komsi Komsa, Kanari 21, Limassol

WHEN: Friday and Saturday: 5pm-12am, Sunday: 11:30am-9pm

CONTACT: 96 034704

HOW MUCH: €3-14 for appetisers, €14-25 for main