Restaurant review: A different take on the traditional kebab

It is always exciting to see new eateries open in Paphos, bringing new cuisines and tastes. One of the latest additions to the Paphos gastronomic scene is My German Doener, located opposite the newly refurbished Sklavenitis supermarket. It’s a route I regularly drive past, and it has been very interesting to see it get busier and busier since it opened a few months ago. Offering a different take on the traditional kebab, the restaurant is German-owned and aims to replicate the signature Döner kebabs in Germany, using very specific breads and sauces.

The building itself has been refurbished since its previous incarnation as an Italian restaurant, and it looks very smart, with slashes of neon pink breaking up the dark interior. At the front is the cooking station with the whirling meats and a side area with wooden tables and comfortable chairs. Upon entering, you select your item at the counter and receive an order number. For full transparency, I made a mistake and should have studied the menu much more in depth before our visit. The menu is quite involved, and because of a queue behind me, I rushed my choices to avoid a delay. The menu’s ethos is to tailor your kebab to your exact requirements.

How you would like your döener served is entirely up to you, as you must first choose whether it is a döener, a wrap, or a bowl. Burgers and pizzas are also available. Then you need to decide which meat you prefer: chicken, beef, beef and lamb, or steak. There is also a veggie version, though I am not sure vegetarians I know would enjoy the view of the rotating hunks of meat. After you have decided on the core ingredient, you need to select your sauce, salad and bread. As my expertise in döner kebabs mainly comes from late-night student days, I have to confess I’m not overly familiar with some of the ingredients in a German döner.

We decided to share a chicken and a beef-and-lamb, but with very different extras. The bread is either Berlin original or round German. We went for one of each. The Berlin original is most typically used in Berlin kebab shops and is soft and airy inside, served with chicken, while the round German bread is thinner in texture for the beef and lamb version. For the sauces, you can go for garlic, herb, cocktail, spicy chilli, or feta, olive, and jalapeno. You also select the salad and any extras you want in the kebab.

When your number comes up, you go up and get your tray with your kebab, served on greaseproof paper. The main thing that struck us was the size of both of them, with salad overflowing from the bread. Thankfully, there is a cutlery set at the counter. The chicken version certainly offered a warm aromatic mix of textures and flavours. It all came together in every bite with the generous portion of marinated chicken, the sesame-seed-topped, airy bread, and the pungent, rich flavours of garlic.

The beef and lamb version contained juicy, perfectly seasoned meat layered into the round German bread. Together with a vibrant feta, olive, and jalapeno sauce, this one had a real kick.

While both were excellent, I think on our next visit we would go for the bowls, which come with your choice of the same ingredients, plus rice or chips. Most of the other diners were having these, and they looked lovely. Also worth considering would be a side order of fries, available plain or loaded with tempting options such as bacon and cheese or truffle and parmesan.

A highlight for my partner was the draught beer, which, of course, was German. He loved it and found it very different to other beers. With no wines available, I found myself drinking an excellent, healthy ayran yoghurt drink imported from Germany, which definitely worked well with a döner. Judging by the number of delivery drivers coming in and out, it seems Paphos is enjoying the German döner in all its forms. With plans to open a My German Doener in all major cities across Cyprus, it will soon be available islandwide.

VITAL STATISTICS

SPECIALTY German Döener

WHERE 134, Ayiou Stefanou Rd, Emba, Paphos

WHEN daily 12-8pm

CONTACT 99 531198

PRICE Döners from €10