Baleen Kitchen, there she blows!

Baleen Kitchen is part of The Portofino Hotel & Marina in Redondo Beach. As was mentioned in a previous post and visit, it was voted Top 10 Best Restaurants for Waterside Dining in LA by The ZAGAT.
Now it can be truly interesting what you can learn and experience just by trying new places and things. Did you know that Baleen is a filter-feeder system inside the mouths of baleen whales.  Baleen is similar to bristles and is made of keratin, the same substance found in human fingernails and hair. Baleen is often called whalebone and was once used to make backscratchers, parasol ribs and in corsets. Now Baleen is used to make great food! 😉

Greeted warmly by Restaurant Manager Cashe Edwards and Marketing Coordinator Jessica Ellspermann, based on our previous experience, we couldn’t wait to try their new Winter Menu items. We where not disappointed.

The first course started with a beautiful Maguro Sashimi of seared foie gras, roasted barley, and yuzu foie vinaigrette. It absolutely tasted as amazing as it looked. Tender, fresh and bursting with flavor.

One lucky diner chose to replace their sashimi with a Tempura Soft Shell Crab, with snap peas & remoulade.

It was a wonderful start and, of course, we were also treated to hand-crafted cocktail drinks throughout the courses. Along with champagne and warm fresh bread, some of the beautiful and delicious cocktails we tried and loved were (left to right):

• The Kentucky Buck made from Wild Turkey, muddled strawberries, ginger beer. You can think of it as an American version
  of the Moscow Mule.
• Cherry Blossom Fizz created out of Sobieski Black Cherry Vodka, raspberries, and Laurent Perrier Champagne.
• A Mezcalero concocted of Ilegal (not a typo, that is their name) Joven Mezcal, aperol, and strawberries.

The second course was Trofie Pasta with walnut pesto, French lentils and haricot vert. The walnut pesto was a new and creative way to make a seemingly simple dish into something special. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, the sauce light and yet very flavorful.

Trying something new successfully was not a surprise from us coming from Executive Chef Richard Crespin.  He brings an intimate knowledge of Spanish cuisine, varied experience in small bites ranging from Asian fusion to raw cuisine, and a background of formal French training to Baleen Kitchen.

The third course off the evening was the Roasted Sea Bass with saffron mussel paella and romesco. Another wonderfully presented and tasty dish where everything came together with joy in your mouth.

Not to be out done, the fourth course of Duck Breast with marinated trumpet mushrooms, haricot vert, confit potato and duck jus was a feast for the eyes and taste buds. From someone who can be picky about duck, this was a great dish. By far the best cooked duck I’ve had in a long time.

Of course a meal isn’t complete without dessert.

In the past I have never been a fan of bread pudding, but I’ve discovered it was because I hadn’t had it done right. And like the previous Lemon Meringue Pie (the first and only one I have ever liked) made by  Chef Richard Crespin, he has done it again with this Sticky Toffee Pudding. I was so stuffed from the previous awesome courses, but I couldn’t stop eating and finishing it. It was so good, I even wanted more and didn’t care if I would have exploded.

Coming up spend Christmas Day with  Baleen Kitchen and enjoy Chef Richard’s amazing three-course Christmas menu for your family. With choices of fresh Roasted Cod, Coq au Vin and Veal Tenderloin. Also on New Year’s Eve they have a lavish five-course dinner featuring Maguro Sashimi, Crab Salad & Tomato Sake Gelee, Beef Tenderloin and Grilled Lobster. Also keep an eye out for a brand new 2016 menu to come. I can’t wait to see what Chef Richard and his team will be creating!

Thank you Chef Richard, Cashe Edwards, ,Jessica Ellspermann and the entire staff at Baleen Kitchen for a truly memorable experience.

BALEEN Kitchen
The Portofino Hotel & Marina
260 Portofino Way
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310)798-5874

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