“Sitting by the dock of the bay watching the tide roll away”, well not exactly “the dock of the bay”, but pretty close and slightly better sitting and dining seaside at Baleen at the Redondo Beach Marina at The Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club.
Not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon was the consensus and topic of conversation for some veteran local Los Angeles food bloggers who were all hand selected to try the “Best of Spring” lunch menu executed by Baleen’s Executive Chef Jesse Souza.
This was actually our third visit to Baleen and second meeting with Chef Jesse. It was a much needed meeting of the palatable kind, considering our last visit was during the Redondo Beach “Dive and Surf” Lobster festival back in September, 2010 and the fresh seasonal ingredients and dining selections have changed quite a bit since then.
“Meet the Bloggers”:
“Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip, That started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship….”, ok, there I go again and get distracted with songs about boats and water, but like the close-knit group from Gilligan’s Island we worked together to accomplish one simple goal; “To eat, drink and be merry” as well as documenting and chronicling our culinary journey. We had a blast getting to know our friends from South Bay Foodies, South Bay Rants and Raves and Cook & Be Merry.
About the restaurant:
Baleen’s location separate from the hotel affords the stand-alone restaurant several dining locations including a cafe downstairs, upstairs restaurant, bar lounge and fire-side seating at its custom fire pits. Complimenting the setting is the restaurants menu that is accessible to almost anyone. No matter if you come for happy hour, a power business lunch or if you are staying at the hotel you will be taken care of from your first bite to your last.
About Chef:
Executive Chef Jesse Souza specializes in interpreting New American cuisine in a casual way and his style of cooking, flavor profiles, plating and culinary execution fit the laid back vibes of Redondo Beach while keeping things reasonably priced and fitting in with the upscale casual setting.
Food and Drink:
With a food tasting menu that could feed an army we have been broken it down into courses and categories to demonstrate the expansive summer menu, including breakfast, lunch and dinner selections and we will let the pictures tell the rest of the story.
Drink: Maple Lemonade
Chef’s Amuse:
Smoked salmon crostini with Boursin cheese, avocado, capers and Arugula
Trio of salads(surf and turf)
Chinese Chicken
orange, almond, sesame, cabbage, marinated noodles, wonton crisps, soy honey vinaigrette
Grilled Shrimp
baby tomato, grilled bread, arugula, olives, cucumbers, feta, white balsamic vinaigrette
Steak & Potato
hanger steak, crispy potatoes, garlic baguette, radish, tomato, greens, buttermilk blue cheese
Sandwiches:
BBQ Pork
8-hour pork, cabbage slaw, crispy onions, burnt sugar bbq
Baleen Burger
bacon, cheddar, avocado, chile mayo, iceberg, crispy onions
Breakfast dishes:
Huevos Redondas
Huevo ranchero style, with romesco sauce, avocado, feta, quesadilla
Pain Perdu
The original french toast (direct translation “lost bread”); we use long slices of baguette
dipped in a royale mixture (egg, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla) and griddled with butter
until golden. Served with brown sugar mascarpone (mascarpone cheese, brown sugar &
lemon juice), sliced strawberries & warm maple syrup.
Main Course entree:
Steak Frites
hanger steak, fries, arugula salad, house-made steak sauce
Grilled Fish Tacos
pacific snapper, avocado, pico de gallo, jalapeños, cabbage slaw
Dessert:
Lemon Meringue Pie
raspberry/passionfruit sauce
Check Please:
Summer is in full swing and you know what that means, lots of sun, surfing, eating and relaxing outside. Make Baleen the place where all of your summer plans collide. The hosted blogger dinner was a great way to experience and enjoy Baleen with the local food media community and we owe a special thanks to Chris Schaefer(Baleen’s General Manager) and Meghan Van Joosten from the Zimmerman Agency for having us down for the event. To learn more information about dining at Baleen please visit their website and when you visit tell them Viva LA Foodies sent you.
Some Upcoming Events:
July 4th weekend – Live Music by Clueless (funk/soul/r&b/classics – Friday July 1), DJ James Reese (Saturday July 2), Live Music by the Couchois Brothers (hits, top 10, oldies to current – Sunday July 3). BBQ and Americana-themed specials for the duration of the weekend. Sweet Tea Vodka & Lemonade Drink Special.
Don’t forget to connect with Baleen on the social media tip!
Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare