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Dining review: La Playa's new Baleen, open after Irma, best with al fresco Gulf of Mexico ambience

Judging by the wafting mid-70s breeze and murmur of surf for outdoor diners Sunday evening, Baleen at La Playa Beach and Golf Resor re-opened just in time after repairing its damage from Hurricane Irma.

The view from Baleen's terrace to the Gulf of Mexico; the restaurant inside is brightly lighted.

But judging by its indoor dining room, remodeled in blue and white, with wicker and lava stone, the North Naples restaurant had re-opened too soon. A replacement dimmer program had not been installed, and the dining room, our hostess told us, had the alternatives of no lights or full lights. The full lighting was so bright one expected to see platters of bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen — not an alternative for a relaxing evening meal. 

Lucky for us, the terraced outdoors, which has always been one of the restaurant's attractions, was open. It was packed with diners gazing out over the darkening Gulf of Mexico and savoring the sound of the sea. As we dined, a family combed the shore for shells  and boat full of happy drinkers pulled in to avail themselves of the nearby tiki bar and then putted quietly back out to the Gulf. It was a tropical ambience straight from post cards.

Baleen has been known for its Sunday Champagne brunch, which has evolved into a  $34 prix fixe choice among yummies like ratatouille eggs or "green eggs and ham" (with peas and beans. crispy prosciutto and the trimmings). Its regular breakfast menu is dotted with high-class comfort food such as its innovative Benedicts. One is crisp griddled jalapeno corn cakes with adobo braised pork, queso fresco, poached eggs and chipotle, hollandaise ($17). 

Lunch? Certainly, with at least five different salads, sandwiches and my favorite: grouper tacos ($21).

Lamb at Baleen

For dinner, the restaurant has added some new dishes at the same time it redesigned the dining room, among them, a pairing of two disparate approaches to lamb: roasted chops and and braised shank ($44). It promised divine overkill after I had sampled a meltingly tender beef carpaccio ($19), folded in ravioii shapes around an egg yolk crema filling, The dish was sprinkled with pickled beech mushrooms and a black garlic paste that was pungency with good manners.

Beef carpaccio, ravioli-style at Baleen

But occasionally you have to follow Mae West's axiom that too much of a good thing can be wonderful. The two different cuts and approaches, it turned out, were a fine academic culinary exercise, but too different to be satisfying. The braised shanks had a hint of sweetness in the sauce and the chops begged for some savory spices, giving it second place in the competition. In fact, we requested salt just to ramp up the profile a bit. The ricotta dumplings, sad to say, were slightly tough, and its ;circles of mole-washed pumpkin mole and currants were committed delegates to the braised shanks.

My dining partner opted for the chef's signature black grouper on a risotto cake studded with charred corn, crab meat and truflles ($46); she proceeded to inhale it. The grouper, moist and flaky, went first, and long after she pronounced herself full, she couldn't resist nibbling on the risotto cake. It was a clear winner.

Tuna tartare with house-made chips at Baleen

The tables had been turned for her: tuna tartare ($17) was sort of a rustic grind with onions and spices, all of it cubed instead of ground. And the house-made chips that came with it were actually a negative to her: The fat in the chips was overpowering the tuna; perhaps a few flatbread crisps, she allowed, might be a better accompaniment. 

The restaurant's current menu also offers one of each standard dinner for those who want it: There's a New York Strip at market price, Caesar salad ($13), salmon ($37) and a vegan squash hummus with sweet potato noodlles and mushrooms with coconut curry that sounded mouthwatering ($27). Prix Fixe, three-course dinners are available for $45. (Note: As of Monday Nov. 20, the web menu had not caught up to the dishes and prices on the actual menu.)

Black grouper with crab- and charred-corn risotto cake

We had skipped salads because my dining partner was planning a dessert splurge for her birthday. Her chocolate Kahlúa cake ($10) did not disappoint; it was a croquant, close to flourless, with a soul-deep presence of Dutch cocoa. It came nestled inside a granache and with Kahlúa mousse, caramel zigzags and a marshmallow-y torched meringue.

Because of her celebration, a candle and a white chocolate square wishing her a happy birthday were further adornments. That dessert was the closest I've seen to an adult licking the plate. I'd have done the same thing.

Baleen's key lime pie

However, I had ordered Florida's official dessert, Key lime pie ($10). The filling was rich sweet and creamy, but the promise of "vanilla orange whipped cream" materialized as more of a gelatin-based molded topping. The orange was indiscernible. It was an impressive looking creation, but only the filling lived up to expectations.

Baleen, because of its prices, isn't the kind of place you dine in casually, But until the new menu gets a shake-out and the dining room lights are working, you may want to dine there guardedly.Work up your nerve to a dinner by relaxing on the terrace, watching what comes out to other dinners for an evening while you sip their wonderfully robust coffee and have one of those Kahlúa cakes.

Chocolate Kahlua cake at Baleen

Wait; I'll come with you for that.

If you go

Baleen

What: Three meals a day; breakfast, $16-$21; lunch, $13-$21; dinner, $27-$46 and up depending on market price for beef; they have sides for around $7 and appetizers for $13-$22

Where: La Playa Beach and Golf Resort, 9891 Gulf Shore Drive, North Naples

When: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

Reservations:  239-598-5707

Rating: 3 1/2 forks

Something else: There's a full bar and children's menu; reservations are strongly advised

Something more: Parking at La Playa is enforced valet for restaurant patrons; there's a $5 fee, highly unusual, that you learn about only when you leave. In my case, it took the last money available for a valet tip, unfair to them. Further, there's no identifying sign for the restaurant at the car dropoff; you must turn right and then immediately left, up a small set up steps to the unmarked entrance hall.