Love at First Bite: Catch
Along Stephen Avenue in downtown Calgary, the magic of Christmas is brought to life by the magnificent lights strung up between lamp posts and the various window displays that take you back to a time reminiscent of department store shopping and hot chocolate with friends as the snowflakes fell lightly around you. When we decided to see A Christmas Carol for a pre-Christmas treat at theater, it only seemed fitting that dinner should preclude this event at one of the many delightful Stephen Avenue restaurants.
I've been to Catch once before and only to try oysters for the first time with a friend, years ago. I remember a cozy atmosphere in a dark, back corner, along with some delectable oyster-sauce pairings (I still recall how yummy a raspberry flavored sauce was). And, since then, I've only heard great reviews about the rest of the food at Catch, so we decided to spend our Christmas celebration dinner there before the play.
Catch is situated on two levels attached to the Hyatt hotel in what appears to be an original sandstone building. The exterior is gorgeous and inviting, and the interior offers a glimpse of the original facade. Our reservation was for the restaurant located on the second level, which opens up into a vast dining room once you ascend the stairs. Tables are cozy and intimate, not too close to one another, allowing for great conversation.
Our waitress was incredibly friendly. She offered us suggestions on food choices after we asked about a few of the menu offerings, and was attentive in refilling our waters and other drinks, as needed. The restaurant wasn't very busy while we were there, so it did afford her more time to attend to her few tables, but I imagine the overall service at Catch is always outstanding.
That night, it seemed appropriate to order a few too many items just to sample some of the delicious-sounding food options. Bryan is supposed to be allergic to shrimp but lately he has been experimenting a little by trying to eat one or two off of my plate when I order it. I think it makes a huge difference for his allergy when the shrimp is fresh as opposed to frozen and cheap, so he's been having good luck lately with some of the restaurants that herald their fresh seafood options. ("Fresh" in Calgary is still questionable but some suppliers and restaurants seem to be on good terms to get seafood here as quickly as possible. Hence the extravagant cost, I suppose. But, it's worth it.) Catch is an Ocean Wise partner.
Catch has an evolving menu that changes with the seasons so it's best to just set up your own date night and see what's being offered each month. You won't likely be disappointed! When possible, the chefs incorporate local produce and honey into their menu items.
Our meal began with a shrimp appetizer complete with baby kale and fennel. The four large shrimp were juicy and cooked to perfection, and Bryan loved the one he tested out! It's too bad the dish only came with four!
Bryan's entree was the 'naked lobster' dish that arrived with baby bok choy and a wonderful pilaf.
My seared tuna entree was so delicious! It was served over creamy greens and a black bean mixture with various other seasonal vegetables. So tasty!
And, not that we needed it whatsoever, we did both order a dessert item because, well, we had to try out a few more bites of something delicious and mouthwatering! Bryan opted for a chocolate combination - chocolate mousse with white chocolate ice cream and chocolate cake (and more chocolate, I'm pretty sure). He loved it!
I got his raspberries along with the pumpkin pistachio dessert because I am a stickler for most things pumpkin (or lemon) and can't seem to turn them away when I see them! It's not often that pumpkin (or lemon) adorns a restaurant's dessert menu so I do have to take advantage of these little wins! This cake was wonderful - so light and moist, and the adjacent ice cream (which I believe was vanilla bean) was smooth and creamy and totally had to be made in-house!
Whether you're looking for fantastic, sustainable seafood, an intimate date night dinner, or a place to gather with a few friends (when you may want to try out one of Catch's seafood towers), Catch is a must-try establishment in the heart of downtown Calgary.
I've been to Catch once before and only to try oysters for the first time with a friend, years ago. I remember a cozy atmosphere in a dark, back corner, along with some delectable oyster-sauce pairings (I still recall how yummy a raspberry flavored sauce was). And, since then, I've only heard great reviews about the rest of the food at Catch, so we decided to spend our Christmas celebration dinner there before the play.
Catch is situated on two levels attached to the Hyatt hotel in what appears to be an original sandstone building. The exterior is gorgeous and inviting, and the interior offers a glimpse of the original facade. Our reservation was for the restaurant located on the second level, which opens up into a vast dining room once you ascend the stairs. Tables are cozy and intimate, not too close to one another, allowing for great conversation.
Our waitress was incredibly friendly. She offered us suggestions on food choices after we asked about a few of the menu offerings, and was attentive in refilling our waters and other drinks, as needed. The restaurant wasn't very busy while we were there, so it did afford her more time to attend to her few tables, but I imagine the overall service at Catch is always outstanding.
That night, it seemed appropriate to order a few too many items just to sample some of the delicious-sounding food options. Bryan is supposed to be allergic to shrimp but lately he has been experimenting a little by trying to eat one or two off of my plate when I order it. I think it makes a huge difference for his allergy when the shrimp is fresh as opposed to frozen and cheap, so he's been having good luck lately with some of the restaurants that herald their fresh seafood options. ("Fresh" in Calgary is still questionable but some suppliers and restaurants seem to be on good terms to get seafood here as quickly as possible. Hence the extravagant cost, I suppose. But, it's worth it.) Catch is an Ocean Wise partner.
Catch has an evolving menu that changes with the seasons so it's best to just set up your own date night and see what's being offered each month. You won't likely be disappointed! When possible, the chefs incorporate local produce and honey into their menu items.
Our meal began with a shrimp appetizer complete with baby kale and fennel. The four large shrimp were juicy and cooked to perfection, and Bryan loved the one he tested out! It's too bad the dish only came with four!
Bryan's entree was the 'naked lobster' dish that arrived with baby bok choy and a wonderful pilaf.
My seared tuna entree was so delicious! It was served over creamy greens and a black bean mixture with various other seasonal vegetables. So tasty!
And, not that we needed it whatsoever, we did both order a dessert item because, well, we had to try out a few more bites of something delicious and mouthwatering! Bryan opted for a chocolate combination - chocolate mousse with white chocolate ice cream and chocolate cake (and more chocolate, I'm pretty sure). He loved it!
I got his raspberries along with the pumpkin pistachio dessert because I am a stickler for most things pumpkin (or lemon) and can't seem to turn them away when I see them! It's not often that pumpkin (or lemon) adorns a restaurant's dessert menu so I do have to take advantage of these little wins! This cake was wonderful - so light and moist, and the adjacent ice cream (which I believe was vanilla bean) was smooth and creamy and totally had to be made in-house!
Whether you're looking for fantastic, sustainable seafood, an intimate date night dinner, or a place to gather with a few friends (when you may want to try out one of Catch's seafood towers), Catch is a must-try establishment in the heart of downtown Calgary.
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