Campino’s

Published May 12, 2010 at 10:03 p.m.
Earning its ethnic loyalty
I rely a lot on my lumberjacks, as Dylan called them — specialists who can fill in my culinary ignorance.

I rely a lot on my lumberjacks, as Dylan called them — specialists who can fill in my culinary ignorance. So when a foodie friend suggested we have lunch at a little East Providence hole-in-the-wall he called the best Portuguese restaurant in Rhode Island, who was I to say no? He used to have his own restaurant, in Portugal, no less, so he got my attention.

Campino’s bills itself variously as a restaurante churrasqueira (barbecue) and as a sports bar, but its claim to local fame is as the former. It’s unassuming, its dining area as casual as granny’s kitchen, with Windsor chairs and no tablecloths.

The appetizers on the menu are mainly variations on shrimp and littlenecks, the shrimp available sautéed in sauces of curry and cream or garlic and a lobster base. But this was just lunch, so we only started off with Portuguese soup ($3.25). The variation here has kale, of course, but also cabbage, kidney beans, elbow macaroni, and lots of pork, making for a hefty broth.

The lunch menu is a good array of regular dishes in smaller sizes, priced $8.99 to $10.99. My friend Stuart’s friend Mario, who is Portuguese-American, was perusing the dinner menu he was well familiar with, so I was curious about what would pull him away from the lighter fare. Also a regular here, he went for the polvo grelhado ($13.99). The grilled octopus was surprisingly tender, judging from my sample from the four thick, crispy-edged tentacles. Two slices of red bell pepper were added for color against the sautéed baby spinach and boiled potatoes. Mario also had the off-menu blood sausage, a dense, black portion with a crispy casing. It was slightly sweet — with nuts and honey, it’s sometimes served as a dessert at Portuguese restaurants, he said.

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