Drop Your Anchor for the Freshest Catch...at Catch.

Recently opened in December just last year, Catch adds a fresh and elegant spin to the emerging food scene along L.P. Leviste Street in Makati's Salcedo Village. From the freshest ceviches to seafood cured in citrus, Catch is the only gourmet modern seafood restaurant along L.P. Leviste with its unique, contemporary and urbane style.

Restaurateurs Dixie Marinas, Chandra Mercado and Chef Tom Hines, the same group behind the popular Smith Butcher and Grill Room, Ampersand, Poulet Manille, and Ebeneezers, introduce their latest dining concept, CatchModern Seafood, a unique gourmet modern seafood restaurant along the busy L.P. Leviste Street.  

Catch Modern Seafood offers sustainable, line-caught seafood cooked to perfection by chef and owner Tom Hines and his team. And you have the top pick of the freshest seafood, including fresh mussels, turbot, and monkfish flown in fresh daily from France. The world's best catch, at Catch Modern Seafood.

Located at the former spot of Lulu, Catch is a totally new dining concept. At the semi-open kitchen layout, the team fires up the kitchen for the dinner service, under the helm of Ian Padilla (R), Catch's Chef de Cuisine. That evening, Ian Padilla and his young team of skilled chefs served up their own take on classic seafood dishes...

A glass of refreshing Prosecco is served as the starters were prepared, setting the tone for another unique dining experience from Chef Tom Hines...

My dining experience at Catch began with their signature Kinilaw, a refreshing blend of tanigue, ripe mango, pickled Baguio vegetables and caviar elegantly served in a martini glass. The mild, delicate flavors of the fresh tanigue are punctuated by the sharp notes of ripe mango, vinegar, and pickled vegetables for rich flavors, yet nothing overpowers the fresh fish for that perfect balance. Freshness and balanced flavors, it's a recurring theme experienced in the extensive menu at Catch.

And only the freshest seafood makes the cut at Catch Modern Seafood for its clean, mildly briny sweetness and delicate flavors. Playing with a fragile range of subtle flavors, freshness remains the primary ingredient at Catch, evident in all the dishes served that evening.     

A trio of seafood starters were served next, starting with the Nikkei Tigers Milk, with Queen Scallops, Seville Oranges, wild ginger, lime and chili, sprinkled with sesame seeds. The pronounced flavors of the ginger, lime and chili are tempered by the fresh, mild notes of the thinly sliced scallops, with the crisp microgreens adding texture.

The same balance is recreated with the Rocoto Tigers Milk, with paper-thin slices of line-caught mahi-mahi, chili rocoto, lime, ginger, and coriander. The vibrant notes of the chili rocoto, lime, ginger, and coriander weave their own distinct notes in a seamless blend without holding back the sweet hint of the fresh mahi-mahi.

The creamy and buttery flavors of premium salmon is highlighted in the next starter, Amarillo Tigers Milk, with Norwegian King Salmon, yellow peppers, Scottish Bonnet, green mangoes, lime, ginger, and coriander. The natural richness of the Norwegian King Salmon is perfectly layered by the tart green mangoes, lime, and ginger for complex yet clean and balanced flavors. The delicate balance of bold flavors are drawn out from the freshest and finest ingredients, with even the simplest of dishes.

The medley of rich flavors from a bountiful ocean harvest continued with the Duo of Oysters, a refreshing pair of fresh oyster with vinegar and baked Oyster Rockefeller laid on a bed of salt. The richness and briny sweetness of the oysters come through in the contrasting styles of both fresh and baked preparations.

Baked Scallops, with plump Queen Scallop draped in a special Japanese sauce. The plump scallop is perfectly baked, soft yet firm, releasing its mild and sweet notes with every bite followed by whisper of heat from the spices. The crisp greens complete the fresh and clean flavors.

Can there be anything more comforting than a bowl of freshly steamed mussels served with French fries? Catch spins it own take on a classic...

French Moulle Frittes, a hearty and comforting dish with steamed plump mussels imported from France, fries, and creamy aioli. Smaller than the usual mussels, yet the French mussels have a more concentrated, noticeably creamier, and more intense briny notes. Pair it with another glass of crisp white wine or a cold beer...perfect. 

The next round of dishes kick it up a notch in terms of complexity and flavors, with the crisp and crunchy Lobster Tempura, a tempting plate of lobster and tiger prawn tempura with saffron and lemon aioli. The lobster tails pair well with the tempura breading, remaining tender yet firm. Plump lobsters tails, battered and deep fried, just can't get better than that...

But it does. Craving for a hearty Po Boy? Make that a Lobster Po Boy, a soft and crusty bun loaded with lobster claws, coleslaw, sliced cucumber, tomato and biodynamic greens, served with a side salad and French fries. The fresh greens add a layer of minty notes and texture, and the lobster claws make this a seriously good Po Boy with the cucumber and coleslaw completing the flavors. Each bite is announced by a fresh "snap" from the lobster claws and fresh greens, finished by the thick-cut fries and side salad.

At Catch, you can also enjoy a great steak, like the Surf and Turf, a hearty trifecta with 300g ribeye, prawns and scallops served with baby carrots, mushrooms, hand-cut fries and Bearnaise sauce. The ribeye is great on its own, perfectly grilled with a juicy pink center, with no need for the sauce. In between bites, go for some grilled prawns, scallops, baby carrots, and mushrooms, and you're ready for another round with the ribeye.

The final dish is then served, Turbot, fresh air-flown French flatfish with lemon, capers, parsley, and butter, to round up an impressive feast at Catch. The soft texture of the fish contrasts with the lightly crisp charred outer layer, perfectly executed by the kitchen. The creamy yet delicate notes of the flatfish come through, with a hint of butter accentuated by the bright notes from the lemon and capers.

Located right beside Hooch (for more on Hooch and their signature cocktails like the Blood and Sand and Ye Old Fashioned, see my previous post here), you can enjoy their innovative cocktails like the Moscow Mule (L), a soothing blend of vodka and ginger, and the sweet and naughty Choc Nutter with, you guessed it, Choc Nut.

And the Choc Nutter sets up your palate for dessert. Cap your seafood feast with a creamy and indulgent Cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries, a perfect ending to a memorable dinner at Catch. The extensive repertoire of dishes at Catch are impressive, and the new concept is definitely a winner, adding another feather to the caps of Chef Tom Hines, Dixie Marinas, and Chandra Mercado. Time to drop your anchor, at Catch.

Catch is located at the Ground Floor, V. Corporate Center, 125 L. P. Leviste Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City or call 0926-851-8030 for inquiries.

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