# Do you miss ready meals?



## Arranexpat (Aug 17, 2008)

I had this conversation with another member today. Until I moved here I didn't realise how much I depended on the fresh ready meals that are so easily available in the UK and Switzerland. 

I haven't found anywhere I can pick up a, "Steam it in the Microwave." Fresh ready meal or even a reasonably healthy ready meal of the kind I've been able to pick up in the past.

As a busy working woman who gets in late and just wants to, 'neuk it and eat it' as soon as I get home.

Our esteemed member pointed out how healthy I'm eating compared to before and to a degree I agree, I also scoff a sandwich or eat rubbish because I'm too tiered to cook. I've got into the habit of cooking a big batch of food then neuking it as I go. So chicken curry for the next three nights 

How do you find it? Could it be an opportunity for those looking for a new business idea? 

N.B. I am using the word "Neuk" As in microwave, NOT in the Duch sense. No no!


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## theresoon (Apr 11, 2008)

If you're talking about frozen dinners I don't like them.

But what I really miss is delivery food. Delivered hot to your door anytime of day or night... Delivery pizza- not the horrible pizza I got but really good New York pizza, pasta, burgers, spinach pie, chinese, thai, indian, sushi, even ice cream or coffee. Sure we cook but we don't always have the time and to go out we need a babysitter.

And by the way, where do I have to go to get decent sushi around here? In Nicosia? We went to a hotel sushi place and even the rice wasn't done right.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Arranexpat said:


> So chicken curry for the next three nights !


At least you know whats in the chicken curry you are eating for the next 3 nights.

Have you ever used City Wok?
They do a brilliant ****** take away and will also deliver.

Dont eat too much apple cake though or you'll get a fat as me


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## Arranexpat (Aug 17, 2008)

LOL! if I'm as skinny as you next week I'll be happy! Scoffed the first bit of cake in that hope, tomorrows bit will make me thinner  It's the best apple cake, Cheers me no end. Thanks Veronica!

Therspoon, I meant the frsh ones you get from certain supemarkets nad food halls. Mmmm


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

Nicosia is dotted by 24 hour kitchens stuffed full of the most delicious homecooked food at reasonable prices - far cheaper than ready meals. An excellent freshly cooked feast can be picked up after a hard day's work - some of them even deliver. We found it cheaper (and less wasteful) to buy from these places than cooking when we were too busy to cook. I just imagined that these places were Pan Cyprian (there are quite a few in Larnaca as well). I remember my wife's aunt being renowned for her excellent homecooked food - one weekend she was rumbled - turned out she was receiving deliveries from the local communal kitchen just down the road. 

Nicosia has also a bewildering variety of continental food, including at least three excellent Japanese restuarants with superb (authentic) sushi - served by authentic Japanese staff (I lived in Tokyo for a while so I'm a bit of a sushi fan).


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## BabsM (May 24, 2008)

Arranexpat said:


> I haven't found anywhere I can pick up a, "Steam it in the Microwave." Fresh ready meal or even a reasonably healthy ready meal of the kind I've been able to pick up in the past.


You can buy the UK-type "Steam it in the Microwave." meals in all of the big supermarkets in the Larnaca area, but personally I don't use them. I stopped when a dietician pointed out high high in fat, salt or sugar they are. I never realised before, that low fat = high sugar or high salt.

I love the fresh vegetables you can get here. Its much better quality, cheaper and a better range than we saw in the UK. I have a policy of buying something different, that I have never tried before, when I go shopping.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

The thing is that there are lots of local takeaways that do delicious spit roasted chickens, home made mousaca and lots of other lovey things.
Also there are pizza huts that will deliver and in pafos the city wok delivers the yummiest chinese takeaway food.
So no need to start cooking after a long day at work.
We often stop off on our way home if we've had a busy day to pick up a chicken or sometimes souvlaki in a pitta bread. yummy.


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## theresoon (Apr 11, 2008)

kimonas said:


> Nicosia is dotted by 24 hour kitchens stuffed full of the most delicious homecooked food at reasonable prices - far cheaper than ready meals. An excellent freshly cooked feast can be picked up after a hard day's work - some of them even deliver. We found it cheaper (and less wasteful) to buy from these places than cooking when we were too busy to cook. I just imagined that these places were Pan Cyprian (there are quite a few in Larnaca as well). I remember my wife's aunt being renowned for her excellent homecooked food - one weekend she was rumbled - turned out she was receiving deliveries from the local communal kitchen just down the road.
> 
> Nicosia has also a bewildering variety of continental food, including at least three excellent Japanese restuarants with superb (authentic) sushi - served by authentic Japanese staff (I lived in Tokyo for a while so I'm a bit of a sushi fan).


Kimona,
please do enlighten us about these places. Both the kitchens and the sushi. My husband is vegetarian so he was having sushi a few times a week. Also do you know about an indian place in Nicosia? Someone told us there is one but we haven't been able to locate it yet.

You can send me a message if you're not supposed to put the names up here. It will be greatly appreciated.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

theresoon said:


> Kimona,
> please do enlighten us about these places. Both the kitchens and the sushi. My husband is vegetarian so he was having sushi a few times a week. Also do you know about an indian place in Nicosia? Someone told us there is one but we haven't been able to locate it yet.
> 
> You can send me a message if you're not supposed to put the names up here. It will be greatly appreciated.


Its fine to put recommendations on the forum, that way everyone benefits


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## BabsM (May 24, 2008)

Yes, up to date recommendations are fine but please take care not to breach ExpatForum acceptable use policy by posting potentially defamatory content. Name and shame posts are not acceptable.


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## grumpy (Nov 10, 2007)

I have ready meals every day of the week.

I tell the wife to have my dinner ready and 'Presto' there it is....

Is soo much easier to buy fresh and prepare well in Cyprus.


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

The kitchens are all over Nicosia, some of the biggest such as Pandora's in Agios Antonis area sells everything from freshy baked bread, salads and pastries to spit roast piglets - it is an amazing emporium of culinary treasures. There are smaller ones dotted about such as Mama's Kitchen in Ifigeneas Street near Makarios Hospital that does excellent salads and more continental feshly cooked dishes. More standard Cypriot dishes can be picked up in the larger stores of Zorbas.

The Taste of India restuaraunt is a sumptuous affair (if not a little expensive) but it does do deliveries. It is authentic Indian cuisine. The restuarant is difficult to find being in the suberbs surrounded by residential houses in the area of Macedonitissa. The easiest place to pick up Japanese Food is Akakikos in Makario in the new city centre.

Hope this helps (and doesn't break any site rules!)


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## Arranexpat (Aug 17, 2008)

grumpy said:


> I have ready meals every day of the week.
> 
> I tell the wife to have my dinner ready and 'Presto' there it is....
> 
> Is soo much easier to buy fresh and prepare well in Cyprus.


So that's what I need, a wife... Think that's still illegal here... Darn!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Arranexpat said:


> So that's what I need, a wife... Think that's still illegal here... Darn!


You can borrow my husband Sue, his stir frys and curries are just as good as good as his apple cake


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## Arranexpat (Aug 17, 2008)

Aw thanks! But Himself would get jealous and I'd never be able to drag denis away


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## Ann&Geoff (Feb 26, 2008)

Even when I was working a 12 hour day in the UK I never resorted to ready meals, so much easier to use a slow cooker or pre-cook the night before & eat properly & much cheaper as well!
The Cypriot take aways are great if you are short of time, fresh proper food! luckily I enjoy having more time to cook now & the fresh produce is so good here.
Ready meals have such small portions & most are full of E's & cheap ingredients, ok for those who can't cook/won't cook. We are what we eat is very true.


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## theresoon (Apr 11, 2008)

Thanks Kimonas,

We have finally located Taste of India...It was morning so we couldn't even get a take out menu but at least next time we wont have to be driving around for an hour trying to find it. We'll try them all in due course.

Thanks again
Dina


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## prochef360blog (Mar 6, 2009)

i love to cook, but there are still days when i like to sit down to a ready meal. cooks deserve a break now and then too.


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