A Taste of Excellence

Located at the end of Rua do Barranco on the out road of Carvoeiro and tucked away from all the hustle and bustle of the town centre lies a fine dining gem that is delightfully family-friendly.

Taste Restaurant has mastered being a fantastic all-rounder from their impressive and thoughtfully curated menu selection, with something to suit every palate from mouthwatering tapas to meat and fish options to flavoursome vegetarian and vegan dishes. Their inclusive menu designed by owners Nicola and Ciprian Silvasan and Chef Jimmy Cruz alongside his culinary expertise and eye for detail makes Taste a stand-out eatery.

The menu is in four different languages and Taste caters for special diet requirements including gluten or lactose-free so no one feels left out. They have an extensive wine and a creative cocktail selection to match which were equally impressive, with alcohol-free options available.

I really liked that Taste has two seating options, with a terrace lit by fairy lights available for a more casual dining experience, simply perfect for those warm summer evenings we have started to enjoy to a more sophisticated interior. The contemporary and comfortable inside is aided by relaxing music and inviting golden lighting which highlights the impressive and energetic bar. The bar was within earshot of the table so every time the mixologist shook the shaker you knew a delicious cocktail was on its way.

An Inviting Atmosphere

Our family was made to feel welcome from the offset, where nothing is too much hassle and the customer experience is at the heart of everything, they do whereby in return you could see that the charming restaurant has gained a loyal following.

Service was timely and attentive throughout despite it being at full capacity inside and where some places can leave you feeling a nuisance with a youngster, that was not the case at Taste, we were made to feel a part of the full dining experience.

If you are curious, the owners behind Taste Restaurant are Nicola and Ciprian Silvasan who are a hardworking duo who are passionate about providing excellent cuisine in an inviting setting. Nicola shared that as a mother herself, she wanted to provide somewhere fun for families, where they could enjoy eating out with their kids.”

To start, we were presented with Taste’s couvert with a selection of warm bread rolls and a divine homemade herb butter, aioli, tuna pâté and sharp green olives for contrast. We were also given a refreshing palate cleanser which we loved as it was a fresh strawberry and mint drink.

Unforgettable dishes

For starters, I had a firm favourite which is their crispy calamari with fresh lemon juice and Taste really nailed it, it was accompanied by a perfectly balanced garlic aioli.

My partner opted for the unique “Tequenos” which is fried cheese in a crispy pastry with garlic mayonnaise which was absolutely delicious and the pastry was perfectly crisp.

By the time our main courses arrived, it was clear that our expectations would continue to be exceeded. My partner decided to have Taste’s impressive hamburger which had all the trimmings and was beautifully cooked. The burger had Portuguese cheese, crispy bacon, watercress & onions cooked in Port wine and was served with hand-cut chips.

When speaking with the owner, I found out that they do music night on Thursdays, where they give a platform to local musicians and Saturday Steak nights, where they have curated a special menu alongside their traditional menu. Despite it being mid-week they were kind enough to let me experience one of their specials which I can say did not disappoint!

I chose an Argentinian rib-eye steak and opted for sweet potato fries rather than the regular fries, with my choice of sauce accompaniment being a deliciously creamy peppercorn sauce and garlic mayonnaise. The rib-eye as promised was medium-rare and was perfectly cooked and melted in the mouth, leaving me thinking about it for days after.

Phenomenal Cocktails

We went on to select our drinks, where every delicious concoction your heart desires is ready to be made at the wings. My partner opted for the Oaxaca Cocktail, where mezcal, cucumber, basil, lime and a spicy syrup are expertly put together.

I opted for a sweeter cocktail, the Plumtier was a refreshing and fruity cocktail made of vodka, plum schnapps, orange juice, raspberry syrup and passion fruit.

The cocktails were excellent and the bartender’s presentation was impressive but none were more impressive than our surprise cocktail ‘Mafia Gold’ which held the room captive and arrived in a showstopping smoke-filled dome disguising the cocktail, once the lid was lifted the smoke emerged revealing the delicious beverage.

At the end of the meal, I tried the popcorn expresso martini which was honestly divine and one of the best cocktails I have had in the Algarve.

Family Friendly

Taste’s children’s menu was really a showstopper for our daughter and rightly so, it was wonderfully creative and made it a fun dining experience for her, which can be hard to find. The pirate theme was inviting and even offered children incredible mocktails. Our daughter opted for the Ahoy! which to her delight came in a special cocktail glass and had lots of bubbles and blue foam for that wow factor, not to mention it was delicious. Continuing on the theme, the miniature pirate burgers were the perfect size for small hands and they were mighty with good quality beef inside colourful buns with salad, bacon and cheddar.

This was accompanied by fluffy hand-cut chips and a little jar of ketchup on the side for good measure. As parents will know, dessert is the most important part of any successful child’s meal and Taste continued to impress us with delightful options. Despite our daughter having an egg allergy they had vegan ice cream on hand which was fantastic and the magic sword was a hit which to you and me were fruit kebabs with velvety chocolate sauce to dip them in.

Immersive Desserts

Taste’s dessert menu made it incredibly difficult to choose from as everything looked incredible. We decided on the most unique dessert we could find and what a treat it was! We all enjoyed digging in and roasting marshmallows on a small fire provided and dipping them in chocolate sauce and whipped cream. They also provided fresh kiwis, strawberries and bananas. The way our choice of dessert got the whole family involved made for a wonderfully immersive experience and ended the night on a high.

On balance, I can only speak positively of Taste Restaurant and I cannot wait to book our next visit. It was a winning dining experience for us as a family. With experience of eating out at many restaurants across the Algarve, none left me as impressed as Taste Restaurant with regards to family-friendly dining. Taste skilfully prepared delicious dishes with good quality ingredients and in the same breath had an exciting and varied children’s menu to match the adult dishes.

Taste Restaurant would love to cater your next special occasion or event at their charming venue so please do get in touch.

They are open Wednesday to Monday from 6pm to 10:30pm. For more information, please visit https://www.tastecarvoeiro.com/ or contact 282 358 092 for reservations. You can also find Taste on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tastecarvoeiro/.

Following undertaking her university degree in English with American Literature in the UK, Cristina da Costa Brookes moved back to Portugal to pursue a career in Journalism, where she has worked at The Portugal News for 3 years. Cristina’s passion lies with Arts & Culture as well as sharing all important community-related news.

Cristina da Costa Brookes