Our restaurant review - Sept 2010

[Bristle Si]

Arrived back last night after 11 fab days in CVO

Happys - visited twice - Libbre and Harry on top form - great food at very good prices - duck on first visit and then Libbre got me some rabbit for 2nd visit - the usual madcap Dutch humour - free port wine by the gallon - book if you want to go there -
but a warning to any CVO newbie or Happy's virgins - don't go if you can't take a laugh - the humour is sometimes brash and 'in yer face' - we love it but some people might not get it!
O Indiano looking over the sea (just up from Tia Ilda) - good quality curries, nice location, very good service, but they can struggle if v.busy - which they are these days - seems to have established itself well in CVO. Bust both outside and inside, on both occasions we visited.
Chef Antonio - really good value food, served piping hot and v.hot plates, so food keeps warm. Large portions but average price of 10/11 euros which is pretty good price. Good service and friendly staff. Probably our best value restaurant.
Oasis - very good food at good prices - i go there for the rack of ribs - my wife is OK on this restaurant, but this time she had the swordfish which she says was superb.
Villa Medici - the best, by far, for italian/pasta dishes. The terrace out the back is lovely. Really nice food - great service because the owner is always front of house and mucking in, plus he has loads of staff on. He even stopped to talk to us about his plans for the new site next door - nice touch!
Ele & Ela - full review in the Ele & Ela thread in General CVO - but we have to say the best of all our restaurant visits this year - superb meal, v.good service.
O Patio - no menu outside - take care. V.pricey and not worth the money in our view. This restaurant really takes Nouveau Cuisine to the 'limit', so to speak. Food is nice, but one is left wondering where the rest of the veg is - do the waiters pinch it off your plate? The waiters gave the impression they can't wait to get rid of you and once your order's been taken they don't want to know you.
Lunchtimes - O Barco - decent food, good service - very personal service. I love the chicken piri-piri and you can get a huge plate of sardines.
Grand Cafe - went there for a lunchtime pizza - good food, but service is very impersonal (compared to O Barco)

Only our views - i'm sure others will have different opinions, but to any CVO newbies i'd say try for yourselves. These views are based on our opinions and we have no self-interest in promoting certain restaurants because of friends in CVO.

[SJ & RE]

Good honest review.

[Gary/Gaynor]

Best Pizza I have tasted at the Grand Cafe on the front there, lush!!! OÍndiano we just adore, even for tak-aways. Never visited Happy's as I don't dancy eating food below pavement level with exhaust fumes....but I hear it's really good
Gaynor