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Carvalho's Restaurant, located on the bustling Sunrise Highway in Bellmore, is a Portuguese style BBQ restaurant that cooks over all natural Portuguese wood charcoal. They season all of their meats, seafood and poultry with a savory mix of spices based on a secret, homemade recipe.
Roy Carvalho and his wife Elizabeth brought this gem of a restaurant to Bellmore earlier this year. They brought their culinary knowledge and Portuguese heritage to the South Shore and have been graciously welcomed by local residents.
The smell of char grilled BBQ will surely lure you right in to the restaurant. The large, open dining room is warm and inviting. Tables are elegantly set and the lighting is subtly dim, setting the tone for the relaxed, fulfilling dining experience that awaits you. You'll also find a large bar area and even a take out station in their energetic, family welcoming dining environment.
One thing we noticed right off the bat was how polite and accommodating the staff is. Shortly after being seated our table was given a Breadbasket filled with an assortment of warm, authentic, Portuguese breads (above left) along with a side of olives. We were also given a salad to share featuring simple, fresh ingredients coated in a tasty dressing (above right). In addition, we were treated to pitchers of their red and white sangria (below), which were sweet, full of fresh fruit and overall a refreshing delight.
Our first appetizer was the Espetada de Camararo – grilled shrimp shish kabob coated in a divine garlic enhanced sauce that presented just a hint of heat (below left). The shrimp were extremely plump and tender, making this standout appetizer a favorite right off the bat.
We continued by experiencing Carvalho's rodizio style dining - an all you can eat special they offer that is perfect for people who arrive with an empty stomach and enjoy some spice to their food. The rodizio dining experience includes an array of all you can eat meats served with white rice, homemade chips (above right), assorted vegetables (below left), French fries, black beans, sautéed collard greens, fried bananas and a vinaigrette sauce palate cleanser.
We
began our rodizio with the Frango de Churrasco, a full grilled chicken with a
char grilled flavor that will surely awaken your taste buds (above right). The
seasoning is over the top flavorsome and the chicken is finger licking good. It
is also available as a half chicken. Next we were given some succulent Sausages (below left) and Bacon Wrapped Turkey (below center), which we thoroughly enjoyed. The bacon gave the meat so much additional flavor, further enhancing the already succulent turkey.
The
star of the rodizio is hands down the Chateau Briand (above right). This juicy,
thinly sliced picanha meat is cooked to perfection and full of luscious flavor. Our final rodizio offering was the Pork Chop, which was tender and nicely cooked. The rodizio experience is definitely something you'll want to check out at Carvalho's, just be sure to come hungry! We continued with two praiseworthy seafood entrees – the Salmao Grelhado (below left) and the Branzino. The grilled salmon is very tender and flakes beautifully with just the touch of your fork. The branzino was equally delicious. A crispy, generously seasoned fish that gives way to a harvest of the most tender branzino you'll ever have! Just note that both fish are not served de-boned, so take caution before you dig in.
The
Entrenha Grelhada was our final entrée (above right). This tender skirt steak was
perfectly seasoned and is definitely a must order for all you steak lovers out there. Rounding out our dining experience at Carvalho's were four delectable desserts accompanied by a nice, bold roast Cappuccino (below left). The Crème Brule presented the perfect amount of sweet flavor and had a delightful, paper-thin caramelization (below center). The Pudin Flan, a dense caramel custard, was also very sweet and quite enjoyable (below right).
For you chocolate lovers, your ideal dessert is definitely the Mousse de Chocolate, a rich chocolate mousse made with dark chocolate (below left).
The
Natas-do-Ceu, commonly referred to as Heavenly Whites, is one of their most popular
desserts (above right). The best was definitely saved for last in this case. Made with
egg whites and filled with crushed cookies, this dessert is light and fluffy and as the
name suggests, it's simply heavenly. Carvalho's Restaurant is a family friendly restaurant with lots of great food and desserts to offer. Bring your appetite on your next visit to this Portuguese gem in Bellmore and experience what people are raving about.
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