O Rodizio- Vale de Lapa

[snaj1]

Hi
We've just returned from our fantastic holiday at casa Peshlubec in Sesmarias.
We went out one night to eat at O Rodizio but the restaurant has closed down, so we didn't get to eat there.
Obviously the owner was devastated to say the least when I chatted to him about it.
As I am of the opinion that there isn't a decent restaurant in CVO, I was proper looking forward to eating at O Rodizio
Perhaps it was a case of good restaurant -just wrong location.

Snaj

[Phil]

There isn't a decent restaurant in CVO? Where are you used to eating out - The Ivy?

[completecarvoeiro]

The Ivy is one of the best restaurants i have been to ever and if your a Londoner the guys quite right there is not a good eaterie in CVO theres some which are most acceptable ie Ele & Ela,NOT TASTE BY THE WAY,its about as much Tapas as a Doner Kebab,Primavera and Maximes scrapes in,what i will add is that the better Restaurants are around Benagil,& Caramujeira areas which cater for the better class of Tourist and Ex Pat alike.

I thank you.

[Phil]

I think you are missing the point here. CVO is a Portuguese fishing village that's opened itself up to you and I in the name of tourism. The locals lead a simple but idyllic life - hence the number of ex pats that reside there. The restaurants that serve simple grilled fish etc, are superb (although I grant there's the odd poor one) and don't need to worry about the "better class of tourist". Although you may not always get table cloths and napkins I bet the likes of Rick Stein and his lot would appreciate what's on offer.

If it's Michellin stars you want - try Paris!!

[snaj1]

This was our third visit to Sesmarias and we chose to avoid the garbage on offer in CVO, after our previous visits.
We visited and ate in Ferragudo, Portimao, Silves and the Sesmarias area on this visit.
Each to their own but mine is a personal opinion only.

Snaj

[Phil]

Snaj, as I said - try Paris

[fmm]

I find this sort of post very disappointing.

If we are going to talk "top restaurants" - my sister and her husband joined me for 4 days this August in Carvoeiro. They are used to eating REGULARLY at The Ivy, The Fat Duck (a few minutes drive from their farm), The Waterside, Fredricks and a number of top London restaurants. They also travel extensively and are entertained by friends at superb restaurants around the world.

They are not ones for saying nice things for the sake of it. However, the restaurants we visited whilst they were in Cvo they found to be extremely good, and enjoyed the meals more than some of these so called top restaurants in the UK. For them, it is the ambience as well as the food ...

We visited Vila Nova, Maximes, Marisqueira, and Ruis in Silves.

The only disappointing meal we had was when we visited Vilamoura. And as they said, that was as good as most decent restaurantsin the UK, but not up to the standard they had become used to during the rest of their visit.

Perhaps you enjoy the name of a restaurant rather than the food? Or perhaps the rest of us are philistines that don't have a clue. Yes, I am sure that is it.

Oh - and I really don't rate Primavera. So therefore, I REALLY don't have a clue.

[Phil]

Good for you fmm. I'm with you on this.

[Ellie]

Im with Phil on this one......Snaj? What do you really expect of a former fishing village?
Ive had some very good meals in Carvoeiro in my time there....but then again Im not 'snobby' as regards food !

Shall I tell you that some of the best meals Ive ever ate, are those that our carpenter lads cooked for us on a homemade BBQ (an old oil drum with grill across).... wonderful fresh fish and beautiful salads and excellent local wine (Algoz)....
Ive not tasted finer than that..so there!!!

[fmm]

Well remember, for someone who has been maybe 3 times, for a week in August to the area, he is really going to have sampled the best food in town and know better than people who live there.

And looking at his previous posts, he only ever talks about the same damn restaurant. And it STILL went out of business. If he went to that restaurant so many times, when did he get the chance of visiting some of the ones in Cvo ...

[Phil]

Too true fmm. I've been coming to CVO each year for 19 years and believe I qualify for knowing a bit about the place

[snaj1]

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, even if it doesn't agree
with the CVO Taliban that seem to reside on this forum. The reason I banged on about the restaurant
above because it was one our favourite place and nicest food we had when we were in the area, even though it was out of town.
Point taken about not eating in all the restaurants Carvoeiro has to offer, but if I only ever visited 2 weeks every year
for the last 3 years it is still a possible 40+ meals out we would have had, so the personal attacks are a little unwarranted.

Additionally you have to be a sad individual if you have to spend your time checking through a members previous posts to
post a personal attack.

I love the CVO area, but not the town or its restaurants which is why we chose to eat elsewhere.
Snaj

[Phil]

Snaj, I trust you weren't including me in the "personal attacks"? I was being objective

[completecarvoeiro]

If i want Michelen stars i go to Vila Joya in Gale,it has 2 infact so theres no need to go back to London town for this,i totally recommend it.

By the way you spell it Fredericks,not fredricks,this too is a first class restaurant in Camden Passage and has been for many years,personally "The Fat Duck"was a tremendous let down for me and my family,i suppose we are spoilt coming from London and also forget Paris the Eateries in Le Touquet "Paris Plague"are so much better,not cheaper but better.

I thank you.

[laserblazer]

This was our third visit to Sesmarias and we chose to avoid the garbage on offer in CVO, Snaj

I suspect a wind-up because anyone who knows about food will know that there are a lot of restaurants in CVO that produce good meals and very few that serve up garbage.

If it's not a wind-up, then I'm really sorry for you because it means you have to travel far and pay dearly for a meal that is acceptable to you and your choices must be so limited. Me, I can have an enjoyable meal at O Branco or a roadside cafe in the "sticks". I love the fish in Casa Algarvia and have yet to be disappointed at Elliotts.