A Weekend Escape at Portofino Hotel and BALEENkitchen
Getting away from Los Angeles is always a treat but sometimes staying in LA…and still getting away…is even better. The Portofino Hotel, nestled in the King Harbor Marina of Redondo Beach, is the perfect location for a weekend away without having to go very far at all. If you’re headed to LA, or you live here and just want a change of pace, check out these tips for a staycation at the Portofino Hotel with meals at the neighboring BALEEN Kitchen.*
The Hotel
Each room in the Portofino Hotel has a patio or balcony. On the ocean side, patios and balconies face King Harbor and beyond that, the Pacific Ocean. This makes for great sunset views and meditations on the sailboats gliding by.
A comfy bed and a sofa or chairs make the rooms perfect for lounging. If you’re a light sleeper, you’ll be pleased to find earplugs to keep from being disturbed by the neighbors in the harbor: dozens of sea lions that bark through the night. Honestly, it’s not as bad as it sounds.
The Lobby Bar
If you’re checking in during the early evening, you’ll want to stash your bags quickly and swing back to the lobby bar to enjoy the sunset paired with craft cocktails. The Living Room has plenty of cozy seating and floor to ceiling windows that face out toward the Pacific Ocean, drenching the room in sunlight that sparkles from the chandeliers.
It’s a great place to kick up your heels after arriving from some faraway destination or just a few miles away. Note that while the Living Room is accessible to guests 24/7, the Living Room Bar is only open Tuesday through Friday from 5 to 9 PM.
Dinner & Drinks at Baleen
Just steps away from the Portofino’s lobby you’ll find Baleen Kitchen. The restaurant is simultaneously upscale and casual, with refined dining in a laid-back, beachy setting.
On one end of BALEEN is a lounge with a bar and communal tables that are perfect with drinks with friends. On the other end is a more formal dining room for intimate, multi-course meals.
The drink menu is extensive with specialty drinks like the Pineapple Express (a potent pina colada with a mix to rums and ginger liqueur) and the Just In Thyme, a gin based cocktail flavored with thyme, mint, and ruby red grapefruit juice. Wine lovers will be pleased with the extensive wine list and beer lovers will find it hard to decide between the several local beers on tap. Happy hour is on deck Monday from 2 PM until closing time, and Tuesday through Friday 2 PM to 6 PM.
For appetizers or plates to share in the bar or before dinner, my favorites are the well appointed charcuterie plate and the ahi tacos. Really, the ahi tacos are so good you might want to get the charcuterie for everyone else and keep the tacos for yourself. Another appetizer worth noting is the the BALEEN slider which is priced at $5 each but is well worth with; it’s a decent sized beef patty stacked with bacon, cheddar, guacamole, crispy onions, spicy mayo.
Among the entrees are a variety of “land and sea” items including pan roasted diver scallops and very impressive skirt steak served with potato purée and crispy, sautéed Brussels sprouts.
And while the entrees shine, dessert is the true star especially the bread pudding and the warm chocolate cake. Honestly, I don’t even like bread pudding; to me it’s often a soggy, inedible brick of dough and crusts. But BALEEN’s take on bread pudding is light with a sort of crispness to it which paired nicely with the butter pecan gelato.
If you’re taking advantage of staying at the Portofino, you won’t have to worry about going overboard at dinner. After all, you’ll only be a short walk away from your bed where you can dream about tomorrow morning’s breakfast or brunch.
Brunch
On weekdays, breakfast is served from 7 AM to 11 AM. On the weekends you’ll be just fine sleeping in; Saturday and Sunday brunch start just as early but service continues until 2:30 PM.
You’ll probably want to get things started with one of their signature breakfast cocktails like the Corpse Reviver #2 (Bombay Sapphire gin, Cointreau, lillet blanc, absente absinthe, lemon) or the Baleen Bloody Mary; the along with the requisite tomato juice, the mix includes BBQ sauce and the vodka is infused with bacon and avocado.
BALEEN’s take on brunch includes standard fare with unexpected twists like cornmeal pancakes with fresh fruit, eggs benedict with crab or pulled pork, and lobster mac and cheese. Its brunch so, yes, lobster mac and cheese!
Other brunch highlights include the lobster omelette and the breakfast sandwich with bacon, aged cheddar, tomato, and avocado all served on a flaky croissant.
Plenty of Amenities
With a location that’s close enough to be accessible but secluded enough to feel remote, the Portofino Hotel and BALEENkitchen offer the perfect venue for a weekend escape. Even if you’re not spending the night, you can take advantage of the complimentary valet. And if you’re staying overnight consider picking up a complimentary beach cruiser and pedalling up to Hermosa Beach. Or you can just while the day away, listening to the sea lions bark in the distance.
- Portofino Hotel and BALEENkitchen
- https://www.hotelportofino.com/
- https://www.hotelportofino.com/redondo-beach-baleen-restaurant.aspx
- 260 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
* Some items mentioned in this article were provided on a complimentary basis for the purpose of this review. In particular, this includes accommodations at the Portofino Hotel and menu items at BALEEN Kitchen. This story was accurate when it was published and reflects the uninfluenced opinion of the reviewer.
