Carvosso's at 210

We love this place. A place, at last, that doesn’t pretend to be anything other than a good restaurant, serving well-cooked food at reasonable prices - a formula many restaurants would do well to ‘steal’. It works a treat, here so my hubbie and I visit more than what is good for both the bank balance and waistline. The portions are just right (not too big/stingy) and the service is excellent: attentive, but not overbearing. Alert, but discreet, you might say.

It claims to be a “Wine Bar and Eating House” but I reckon it’s doing itself a disservice with this line. It’s much more than that. The food is a mix of styles…Tortellini with Spinach, Moules Marinieres, and English Rump of Lamb etc. I guess we can call it European.

For starter, I went for grilled Selsey Lobster, which was both succulent and well presented. Uncle Google tells me that Selsey lobster “may not be as well known but are every bit as good as their famous Scottish equivalent”. After tasting mine, I can believe him.

Manchester United lost to Real Madrid, the night we dined, so no amount of foamy butter, or extra seasoning was going make my husband’s Dover Sole any better than it was. “Yeah, pretty good, tasty” is all I got from him. In other words, if Rooney and Co had got their act together, it might have been amazing.

Our meal is rounded off nicely with a perfectly moist Chocolate Brownie, (for me) and a fresh-looking cheeseboard for grumps. I don’t know if my particular Brownie has been the result of a measuring mistake, but it seems more gooey and chocolaty than I’m used to….in a good way.

A place like Carvosso’s doesn’t come along often so, anyone who lives within a stone’s throw of Chiswick should try and support it.
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Harry Lime - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, March 20, 2013

I can't imagine Chiswick without Carvosso's. It's got everything I look for: friendly staff, a warm ambience and an excellent choice of food and drink. The elegant building provides a variety of places to sit but for me it's the outside courtyard that makes it really special. It's such a delightful place to enjoy a drink with friends, even in the colder weather as there are heaters to keep you warm. The restaurant menu is varied, interesting and well priced: there's also a bar menu which is great for lunch. The staff are invariably really efficient and helpful. I've been to several private parties there and the attention to detail has been very impressive. Obviously they really care about their customers, which is not always the case. It's my favourite place to go and spend an hour or two with friends. Warmly recommended.
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10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Sunday, December 02, 2012

In Chiswick we have a wide choice of restaurants but my favourite is Carvosso's at 210. It is always my first choice - an excellent place to meet friends and colleagues at any time of day or in the evening. Since I retired recently, I often pop in for a delicious Cappucino or a glass of house wine. Even if I am on my own, it is a great atmosphere and the staff are very friendly and always make me feel most welcome.

It is a venue for all occasions and provides many different options for entertaining. There is the bar area with high stools and a baby Grand Piano where I have enjoyed an impromptu glass of fizz or a celebratory cocktail. It has a varied bar menu for lunches/early evening or sharing plates of delicious food, usually sourced locally.

At other times, I have booked a table in the main Restaurant for both lunch and dinner. Again, the menu always caters for all tastes, is tempting and excellent value. The wine list offers some really good wines from different countries. There is a good range of reasonably priced bottles to suit every budget.

The owners have created a lovely venue at the heart of our community in Chiswick. There is a splendid all-weather central Courtyard for drinks or even food with good, prompt service. Knowing the vageries of our English weather, there is a retractable roof, blankets at every seat, and a number of powerful garden heaters to keep customers warm and to protect them from the elements. Alternatively, in the winter, there is an inviting log fire in the front lounge.

This venue is, in effect, my local which I have frequented now for some 6 years. Whether for a successful, special, private, birthday party last year or, just recently, a happy family Sunday Brunch - I recommend the whole team at Carvosso's for their attention to detail, their excellent service and their enthusiasm.
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10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, November 23, 2012

Brilliant food every time, we love it, why pay for more expensive restaurants....
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Lynne
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, November 21, 2012

I’ve a sneaking feeling that the current TV hype is bamboozling us all. Can we, as laypeople, really tell the difference between a passionately cooked meal in a mid-priced restaurant like Carvosso’s and a meal in one of Jamie’s, or Gordon’s swanky gastro-diners, or whatever they’re called these days? I say no and I’ve tried all three.

Let’s just say that I find the food in Carvossos to be ‘F Word’ good – a sweet dream, rather than a kitchen nightmare. Why pay more?

I started with a passable roast vegetable soup which, for my taste, would have been sexier had it not been whizzed, or sieved. However, the roast fillet of salmon was to die for. And, judging by the generous portion, someone almost did. It was zingingly fresh, simply cooked and simply delightful. A proper buzzing deal.
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10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, April 23, 2012