Best ticket to Lisbon

Everyone knows about the sizable Portuguese community in East Cambridge. So why did it take so long for a place like O Cantinho to come along? Sure, we've had Portuguese tapas and linguiça at our disposal for years, but why did all those fine Portuguese cooks deny us the honest chow served at this Inman Square take-out shop? Forget being a bargain: Joseph and Maria Cerqueira's little storefront is every bit as good as their now-famous Atasca restaurants. It deals in the everyday food of their native land, such as the black-eyed-pea salads and well-stuffed sandwiches that kids take to school and workers grab on the street. The menu is broken down into six categories: petiscos (small plates), saladas (salads), sandes (sandwiches), sopa (soup), and pratos (entrées). Prices top out at $8.95 and average about $4. Flavors tend toward the earthy, sweet, and salty. Sandwiches are made with fresh Portuguese cheese, expertly cooked pork loin, red-onion vinaigrette, and spicy chicken breast. Bife com ovo is steak topped with a fried egg and a garlicky demi-glaze. Salads are topped with shrimp dumplings, salt-cod cakes, and sardines. Chances are, the person taking your order is one of the owners or their teenage daughter. And who better to tell you what will best tide you over to your next visit?

O Cantinho, 1128 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, (617) 354-3443.