Bacalhau na braza ($16.99) is grilled cod in a red bell pepper and garlic sauce, but the variation in the buffet was breaded and served under a delicious topping heavy on the onions and parsley. Not oily, cod bears up well being kept warm, not getting fishy.
Spaghetti isn’t something to order at a Portuguese restaurant, and certainly not if it’s enduring a simmering tray. Here it was overcooked and in a greasy sauce with chunks of pork. In contrast, the marinated pork and linguica with potatoes was unaffected by having to stick around like that, and the spicy sausage was especially flavorful.
A treat — for me, anyway — that is not on the menu was tripe in white beans. It’s an especially compatible combination, and the main ingredient wasn’t chewy or fatty. That takes careful preparation.
There are nearly a dozen desserts, mostly priced $4 to $5, from puddings to flan. And, since this is Rhode Island, there is cheesecake and tiramisu. The buffet dessert was arroz doce, and the rice pudding was delicious, not overly sweet.
I can see why Campino’s is so well-recommended by those in the know. High quality and low prices are a combination hard to beat.
Bill Rodriguez can be reached at bill@billrod.com.
