Catch LA
8715 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, CA 90069
www.catchrestaurants.com
Tel: 323.347.6060
Cuisine: Seafood
$$$$ ($50+)
Fri, 01/12/2018, 6:45pm reservation
(3.5 Piglets)
Lights. Beautiful people. Trendy food. Celebrities. Fancy cars. This is the epitome of what Catch LA is all about. It's a scene at this restaurant and so many people want to be a part of it. It's usually a headache to get a res, and when you do, you don't want to let it go.
Upon arrival, you're greeted by a reservationist who checks you in and tells you to head up in the elevator to the top floor. Doors open and you're lead through this gorgeous hallway with lights that sets you in another dimension. The host leads you to a table either indoors or alfresco. My friend and I are seated alfresco surrounded by the beautiful views of LA. It's dim, lit by simple streams of lightbulbs.
We order our food, which ends up being difficult from the darkness. We needed to turn on our flashlights from the phone in order to see and so did every other person sitting alfresco. We settled on our order after having a glass of wine.
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The interior |
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PARMESAN-TRUFFLE FRIES ($14.00): Vegan Truffle Aioli. These fries were delicious. They were the shoestring fries that I normally prefer. It was super crispy on the outside and the truffle oil wasn't too strong to overpower the potatoes. The aioli complemented the fries well. |
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MY FAVORITE DISH. SALMON BELLY CARPACCIO ($24.00): Watercress, Sweet and Sour Onion, Yuzu. I loved this dish. It was light and fresh. The watercress gave it a crispiness to balance out the smoothness of the salmon. It was a great combination of acidity on the palate. |
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CRUNCHY RICE CAKES ($21.00): Tuna Tartare, Wasabi. This was my second favorite dish. It was basically the spicy tuna on crispy rice that I normally get at Katsuya, but elevated. The rice was warm and crispy with a great chewy interior. The spicy tuna had just the right amount of flavor. It's a must get. |
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LOBSTER MAC AND CHEESE ($24.00): Maine Lobster, Mascarpone, Breadcrumbs, Grated Parmesan Cheese. This was good, but not amazing. There were bits and pieces of lobster throughout. The dish was creamy and the noodles actually reminded me of a fancy kraft mac and cheese. Nonetheless, it was a tasty. |
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WAGYU SHORT RIB TACOS ($19.00): Grilled Pineapple, Pickled Vegetable, Ginger Aioli. I disliked this dish a lot. I thought the short ribs were super dry. The tacos were crispy though. I just think the whole dish was a mess. I wouldn't order it again. |
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HIT ME CHOCOLATE CAKE ($19.00): Liquid "Klondike" Roasted White Chocolate Ice Cream, Brownie, and Devil's Food. Our waitress kept telling us that this was the dessert to order. So naturally, we expected a lot and wanted it to live up to its hype. Unfortunately, it failed. I thought it was good, but it just wasn't what I was hoping it to be. The Klondike was cool and broke when it was "hit" but that was the only cool thing about it. I would've rather tried the pecan pie. |
Overall, Catch LA is a place if you want a cool, trendy, and "douchy" vibe. The food is ok, but I wouldn't venture all the way out here to get the pricey dishes. The atmosphere is what makes this place special. There is a video booth near the bathroom, which I thought was cool, but awkward to have people behind you coming from the bathroom passing by in your video. I would only come here for snacks and drinks and maybe to party. Don't expect much if you want amazing food at a good price. I ran into Randy Jackson in the elevator, so you definitely can spot celebs if that is your thing. PS. There are paparazzi waiting to take pics outside of the restaurant.
Notable Dishes: Salmon Belly Carpaccio and Crunchy Rice Cakes