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Baleia brings a new burst of flavor through its Portuguese-inspired cuisine. Located next to a busy highway in the South End, Baleia operates under the Coda Restaurant Group, which has already brought three Italian restaurants to the greater Boston area: The Salty Pig and SRV in South End as well as Gufo in Cambridge. According to Baleia’s website, the restaurant took its name from the Portuguese word for “whale,” paying homage to “the Mediterranean’s sun-kissed coast” and “the culinary treasures” that Portuguese travelers over generations have brought back from North Africa, China, and the Caribbean. Baleia does not disappoint, bringing the sense of a sunny Mediterranean through their flavors while maintaining the distinct taste of fresh seafood that caters to a Bostonian stomach.
Slightly obscured on the first floor of a business building, Baleia’s doors open to a dining room decorated with pastel yellow booths, warm lights, and an industrial interior design. One side of the dining room features an open kitchen and bar, showcasing how each plate and drink is made. With light music playing in the background and candles swinging on each table, Baleia immediately evokes the warmth of the Mediterranean through its ambience.
The food menu of Baleia is divided into three untitled sections, with the first two being smaller dishes ranging from 10 to 20 dollars in price and the final one containing more traditional entrees that cost over 30 dollars. Aside from a few dishes of meat, poultry, and vegetarian options, the majority of the menu is dedicated to seafood, with plenty of options between oysters, sardines, squid, octopus, and more. Unlike traditional appetizers or tapas, the smaller dishes are of a decent portion size, giving patrons the chance to control their expenses without feeling unsatisfied after their meal.
Through these seafood dishes, executive chef Andrew Herbert showcases his mastery of spices by balancing out the fishy taste while still highlighting the freshness of seafood. As per New England tradition, the menu begins with fresh oysters. Baleia breaks the typical lemon-and-salt preparation of oysters by accompanying them with Sercial 10-Year Madeira and piri piri sauce — a chili sauce originally produced by Portuguese explorers in southern Africa. The two different kinds of spiciness from the alcohol and chili complement the already refreshing taste of oyster, turning a staple at Boston’s seafood restaurants into a pleasant and zesty surprise.
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Even for its heartier dishes, Baleia still manages to render them refreshing by contrasting and complementing different flavors and textures. The Squid Ink dish pleasantly contrasts the firmness of squid and fresh celery with heavy and mushy black-eyed peas. While the squid itself tastes overcooked in some parts, the extra hint of lemon gives this dish another boost as it lingers and introduces an energizing flavor.
Baleia’s dessert menu creatively speaks to its goal of introducing Portuguese cuisine to Boston, offering five well-known Portuguese desserts, including Bolo de Chocolate (chocolate cake), Pão de Ló (olive oil cake), and Sonhos (Portuguese donuts), which a waiter knowledgeably introduces and explains in terms of textures and tastes. Pastéis de Nata Egg Tart, another renowned Portuguese dessert, brings the dining experience an end. Served fresh out of the oven with cinnamon sifted over, the egg tart is filled with a rich egg custard purposefully burned on the top. Its crispy, multilayered crust also has an unexpected yet pleasant taste of salt, which perfectly curbs the strong taste of cinnamon and sugar, rendering the dessert light and full of flavors.
This adventurous dining experience at Baleia, however, may require much planning ahead of time. While two-thirds of the restaurant was empty at 5:30 p.m. on a Friday night, its reservation system claimed that there were no tables available for reservation the entire night. To get a reservation at a desirable time, patrons must book online at least a week — if not two weeks — in advance. The other option is to simply go but risk waiting for an empty seat.
Nonetheless, Baleia presents the multifaceted Portuguese cuisine while acknowledging the cultures and spices that have influenced its distinctive flavor. By contrasting and complementing spices against brininess, freshness against heaviness, and salt against sugar, Baleia skillfully adds an enjoyably surprising twist to seafood dishes. It embodies the Mediterranean warmth and zestiness through food and brings a refreshing option to the Boston seafood scene.
—Staff writer Xinran (Olivia) Ma can be reached at xinran.ma@thecrimson.com.
