Robert G.
Yelp
So, you're in New England, and you want to partake in foods they do well, or are noted for doing well. This would include fish (notably lobster), Italian food, and Portuguese food.
When you search for Portuguese food on Yelp, be sure to read the categorization of the eatery carefully. The restaurant can be a Portuguese-Brazilian-Cape Verdean mix. While I like Brazilian food, I wanted Portuguese food and I did not have the means with which to get down to Fall River, MA to look for down-home Portuguese cooking.
Lo and behold, Portuguese (only) food could be found in Cambridge and Somerville, both just north of the Charles River and accessible by "the T." I walked past another Portuguese eatery and settled on Casa Portugal.
Casa Portugal is as close to a moderately priced and authentic Portuguese restaurant as you will find in the Boston area, with its ownership having roots in the Algarve. As others have said, it's not pretentious or fine dining, but it is better than casual fare.
I had the pork cutlets. I would have liked chicken but wanted a larger portion than what was offered. Also, they don't have all the presentations of bacalhau, particularly those prepared in casserole form. The pork cutlet platter came with rice, potatoes, and vegetables. Also, you can dig into the bread and olives that they bring ahead of the entree. When I asked if they were included, I got the humorous and smirky response that "this isn't Portugal." In Portugal, their lavishing bread, olives, cheeses, and pates on the table at the beginning of the meal is not free, so keep that in mind. It's how they bump up the profit on the otherwise fair pricing of the main dishes. Fool me once.
The food was very good and the portions were to my liking. I wasn't planning on dessert. However, when I saw that they featured mango mousse, I went for it. In Portugal, mango and passion fruit mousse come by every now and then, while, across the pond, every place has chocolate mousse on the menu. To wash things down, I had a Sprite.
For my entree, the pricing was fair. The service was pleasant enough and expedient, just like in the "old country." The clientele was varied, with one table obviously having some well behaved and seemingly intelligent student types, possibly from nearby Harvard. And, at another table, there were Portuguese locals speaking the lingo. The interior is quaint and is also reminiscent of a Portuguese locale.
I'm giving Casa Portugal 4 stars and, yes, I would return. I'm only giving it that rating because, of all the Portuguese restaurants I've been to in the U.S., the stand out for 5 stars would be Emidio's in Atlanta, of all places. You can drive here and parking this far out in Cambridge should be doable. However, it's also one short bus ride from Harvard Square's MBTA (Red Line) station and your Charlie card has that all wrapped into its coverage.