Baleia

Baleia is a love note to the fresh, often rustic simplicity of Portuguese cuisine. Years of travel, tasting and learning informs this passion project by chef Andrew Hebert, whose culinary background is Italian. (He’s also executive chef at Baleia’s sister spot, Gufo, and has worked at the owner Coda Group’s other two restaurants, SRV and The Salty Pig, among other places.) Set in a beautiful, modern space off the beaten path in the South End, Baleia offers a choose-your-own-adventure experience of Portuguese cuisine. Pro tip: Start with a refreshing white port tonic, a Portuguese happy-hour go-to; and an order of the plush, lightly sweet Portuguese rolls with chamomile butter. Other standout dishes are the salt cod bolinhos (like fritters made with house-cured whitefish), savory saffron-duck rice, and a seared cod dish that’s like deconstructed caldo verde, with a vibrant green sauce, crispy potato and salty, smoky bits of house-made chouriço.