Restaurant Review Summer 2010

[martin.cork]

Following my recent visit 28/7 to 5/8 I would like to post the following comments on restaurants we visited (5 persons);
Day 1- Casa Algarvia- a regular of mine for many years - very dissappointing - could not cope with the volume of customers.
Should not accept customers if they cannot cope.(Service 4/10) (Food 4/10)(Value 5/10).
Day 2- Lanterna Velha - Excellent Service, Excellent Food. (Service 7/10) (Food 8/10)(Value 7/10).
Day 3- Chinese (End of Restaurant Hill) - Good Service, Terrible Food.
More interested in buffet style service (Service 7/10) (Food 3/10)(Value 7/10).
Day 4- O Salmoa - Excellent Service, Excellent Food. (Service 8/10) (Food 9/10)(Value 7/10). (advised to book).
Day 5- La Bella Vitta - Very Busy , Acceptable Service, Average Food. Pricey (Service 6/10) (Food 6/10)(Value 4/10).
Day 6- Chico - Excellent Service, Great Food. Good Value (Service 8/10) (Food 8/10)(Value 8/10).
Day 7- Paletta (near Lagoa) - Excellent Service, Excellent Food. Large portions - Excellent Value (Service 8/10) (Food 9/10)(Value 10/10).
Generally my advise for August would be
Most of the restaurants are geared up for customers from 6.30pm - 8.30pm.
If driving try to park before 6.30 as after this time it is nearly impossible to find parking.
Check prices, most restaurants offer excellent value, restaurants/bars in or near the square generally charge approx 25% more.
Always remember the couvert is not compulsive , just say no, the cost is approx €1.50 per person no matter what is used.
Support these restaurants/bars as it is they who ultimately pay for the excellent entertainment that is on offer during the main holiday season.

[SJ & RE]

excellent, constructive report

[martin.cork]

Thank You Baggysallanne,
Its good to advise other people what to expect.
Generally i feel that prices should be as follows;
Wine- House 5 euros - large bottle- do not buy glasses of wine ask for a bottle.
Soup - 3 euros
Prawn Cocktain - 5 euros
Main Course - Fish / Meat 10/12 euros
Desert - never interested, try the cake shop near Bradys or have an ice cream near Sullys.
Some restaurants charge 20-25 euros for main course alone - robbery
As I have said check the prices before you enter.
Also be aware that some restaurants will refuse credit card payment.

[hedley]

So far restaurants we have visited.

Based on 2 adults, 2 teenagers, a couple of starters, 4 mains,a couple of shared puds, 2 coffees,a bottle of wine,water and at least a couple of cokes a piece for the kids.

California – Italian

We are always tired after the early flight so a first night cheap and cheerful Italian. - Does what is says on the tin but at under 50 euros for 4 it is always good value.
Rating Food 6/10 - Service 7/10 although varies from yr to yr depending on the staff.

Ele and Ela – Meditaranean

- 3 visits.

Probably our favourite resto in CVO and derservedly so IMO.
Not the cheapest as the oldest sprog is 13 and has now taken a liking to Tiger Prawns and Fillet Steak rather than the kiddies menu BUT still good value for the quality of food and service especially compared to anything on offer back home.
Cost 85/95 euros
Food 9/10 – Service 9/10

Villa Medici - Italian

– Twice.
A quality Italian ,we tend to go more pizza /pasta based but you can live it up and go for the fish and the steaks.Some of the Staff can be unintentionally brusque if you know what I mean but the waitress with the short bleach blonde hair is always very nice.
Never had a bad experience here and looking forward to trying their new resto when it eventually opens.
Try and get a table at the front for the best sunset view.
Cost 75/80 euro
Food 8/10/ Service 7/10

The Piano Garden- Indian

Pleasantly surprised as I have driven past here many times and always been puzzled by the sign advertising INDIAN /PIZZA.
Only had a takeaway as one of the kids didn’t feel too good that night.
Food was quite good for a portuguese Indian and it made a pleasant change.
I sat and had a beer on the house whilst the food was being prepared and made a mental note to try them again on another visit as the surroundings with the garden and piano/live music looked good,the staff were very helpful and pleasant.
Cost 40 euro takeaway.
Food 7/10 compared to Indian food in the UK but 9/10 compared to others I have tried in CVO.

Maximes French /Mediteranean?

We always give Maximes a visit at least one visit whilst in CVO.
Always consistent and high quality of meal here with nice little freebies between courses.
Again more of a special treat restaurant but yr on yr is popular and derserves its good reputation.
They do change their menu seasonally but I think it has become a little to predictable and staid ,but who am I to say, they always run a tight ship and have many regulars.

Cost 95/100 euro.

Food 8/10 - Service 8/10

Chinese at the top of Restaurant Hill

I have tried a couple of Chinese restaurants but this seems to be the most reliable ,nothing spectacular but the staff are pleasant and efficient and yr on yr you see the same faces.
Sometimes you can get a wiff of the drains outside that stretch of restaurants if I was the owner I would be livid but this is Portugal!!
Very good value though as we always pig out and get that ‘chinese bloated ‘ feeling and it usually cost around 50 euros all in.

Food 6.5/10 – Service 7.5/10

Onze – Greek/Italian/Meditaranean ?.

We thought we would give this restaurant a try as it looks great and has a lovely view over the main square.

A small compact menu offers pizza and pasta and salads but with unusual taste combinations and ingredients,supplemented by fish and grill items with a few specials.

To be balanced about this all the food we had was well presented and very tasty but the portions were toooo small.

It is one thing to make it look good and even taste good but if after a starter and a main you are still hungry there is something wrong..

I had the grilled lamb which was very very nice, but it had carrots and green beans and literally two or three tiny sliced roasted new potatoes.
One of the kids had a pizza – no problems there.
My wife had a pasta dish which was again nice once she had fished out the coriander they had garnished it with.
My eldest had the ribeye steak which he loved but gain the accompaniaments were more window dressing.
The evening was spoilt slightly because on that particular night it was B****dy freezing as a cool breeze had kicked up and as it is on the sea front there was little shelter not the restauarants fault I know but this was compounded by the slowest service I have had in along while.

I know this is a new venture and I would definitely give them a second chance and don’t wish to be too hard on them as I am sure they will iron out the gremlins.The taste,style and presentation of the food is good, portions are too stingy, the staff were very pleasant but they do need to be a lot quicker in the kitchen.

So all in all a little bit of style and presentation over substance which given the cost was probably the least value meal of the week.

Cost 115 euro

Food 8/10 – Service 7.5/10 – Speed of Service 4/10

[Bensmum]

Maximes - Never had a bad meal here and we love the atmosphere in this place, the staff are friendly and the food good, we ate here twice this visit and enjoyed our meals on both occasions.

Cattleman - Had a super meal here, not much choice but I get the feeling that Frank is 'testing the water' before he expands on his menu. The setting is lovely and given time I think it will do well, needs to change the name as it looks a little 'tacky' on the board outside.

Villa Medici - Overpriced and staff that think they are doing you a favour serving you, far too much garlic in everything we had.

A Gale - Lovely staff, good food but not cheap, could do with a refurbishment and some proper tablecloths.

O'Algar (Benagil) - We were disappointed with this restaurant this year, service was too fast, the food is ok but not as good as we have had previously.

[davidlawn]

A Glowing tribute to Paletta (near Lagoa).

Can anyone tell me where it is.

[roy4eyes]

Take the road from CVO to Lagoa -just before Pingo Doce supremarket (use their car park !!) you will see A Paleta on your left hand side.

Enjoy - we do

[sam]

We have eaten at A Paletta several times over the years. Food, service & value always good/excellent. Usually mainly portuguese families in there.

This year, for first time, we did not have our vegetarian son with us. His main diet consists of pizza and pasta, with occasional omelette, thus limiting restaurant choice. We therefore tried a some different restaurants.
Bom Bord. We were surprised - two excellent meals in there, good service and excellent value.
A Fonte ( I had eaten there, but my husband hadn't). Previously service by the 'formal' blonde waitress. New waitress this time. Execellent service, food, atmosphere and value.
Hotel Garbe. We were going to the Piano Bar near Ferragudo with friends who recemmended it, but closed on Tuesdays. Don't know why we have never been there as passed it many times. So all went to the Indian restaurant in the Hotel Garbe in Armacao de Pera. Ate on the terrace outside looking out to sea and watching the sunset. Food good, excellent service and good value.
[Cattleman. We had eaten there many times when it was O Flamingo, as the setting was wonderful. I tried to persuade my husband to try it, given its good reviews. However, he said the menu was limited and the name awful and refused to go in. The big problem for this restaurant is that it is hidden away. Not sure how they can address that, but changing the name would be a start.]

[EMM]

No comments about L,Orange ??.

[Sandy]

...or O'Boteco?

[abs9rz]

Oasis Restaurant Carvoeiro – we visited tonight, tempted by the sign ‘best ribs in town’. What a disappointment, slow service, dodgy sangria and a tasteless meal. We waited for a table ordering a jug of sangria and watched in amazement as the barmaid randomly selected spirits from the top shelf, added juice, sprite, wine and finally topped with beer and a cinnamon stick?? Acknowledging we were on holiday, new to the area we didn’t protest. Between us we ordered the ribs, steak and pork fillet, only to be served six meals, which were all a huge disappointment. The meat was bland and tasteless and when asked if the meat had been frozen we got no answer. We complained to the waitress and then the manager that the meals were below standard and one serving of ribs tasted dramatically different to the others and they argued the case. Finally the manager admitted the meat was cooked from frozen and her response to her comments was simply a shrug of her shoulders and there was nothing she could do. Upon payment of the bill we asked for compensation for at least one of the meals and again the staff argued there was nothing wrong. I have never been so surprised by the bad manners and lack of customer service, absolutely diabolical. Don’t believe the hype – the ribs are awful, tasteless, bland, frozen meat and Oasis has the worst service I have ever experienced. This restaurant does Carvoeiro absolutely no favours.
I endeavour to post this review where I can, I have travelled and eaten all over the world and can honestly say this is one of the worst experiences I have ever had. I am not a seasoned complainer but my family is now 114euros lighter for the single worst restaurant experience I have ever had.

[roy4eyes]

Suggest ignoring this last review.

[Jo*]

Suggest ignoring this last review.

haha agreed! The Oasis ribs are the best I have ever had and surely EVERYONE I have ever known to have raved about them can't be wrong?!
Oh and sangria is usually made with a cinnamon stick, often instead of brown sugar. There are numerous ways of making it, it's just a personal taste thing, some put beer in it, licor beirao, brandy, triple sec, 7up, sometimes even fanta! There is nothing wrong with saying you did not like the sangria, it easy enough to say it's not quite how you like it and suggest making it sweeter / stronger / weaker etc.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but perhaps not such an agressive one?! Unfair review.

[blue]

Whatever it's made with it's nasty, nasty, nasty. Essex punch they call it.

[tjthedj]

Sorry Blue, why Essex punch?