Our first few meals over here we noticed that the restaurants would provide on-table appetizers upon sitting down, that mostly consisted of a tuna pate with bread basket or some cheese and crackers. Thinking it was similar practice to the USA, like a bread basket and oil/vinegar, we would consume what was provided.
We noticed this was a theme everywhere we went, as well as most menus had a "couvert" line item on their menu. It wasn't until we went to a "nicer" restaurant for dinner one night that they brought out an assortment of codfish-cakes and crab-cakes that we had an additional 11 Euro charge on our bill - $15 USD.
Couvert in the Portuguese culture, are appetizers that are brought to your table in advance of you ordering, as a convenience to you. You have the option to eat them or not and if you choose not to eat them, they will take them away with no charge. If you DO decide to eat them, than you will be charged per person the "couvert" charge.
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