Chicago Restaurant Week 2016: Catch 35

For Chicago Restaurant Week at the end of January, hubby and I decided to check out Catch 35, a slightly splurgy seafood spot near the river. During Restaurant Week, you can nab some pretty good prix fixe deals at top Chicago restaurants, and Catch 35 offers two dinner options – a $33 menu and a $44 menu.

Ambiance-wise, Catch 35 has a bit of a personality disorder. It’s a very long restaurant, and the front section evokes a bit of a classy jazz lounge/bar feel. There’s a shiny black grand piano surrounded by high top tables with views out the front window towards the water. A long bar stretches towards the back of the restaurant. Across from the bar are a few casual-looking tables positioned fairly close together. After the bar comes a brightly lit display case showing off fresh cuts of fish, and a few more tables. It’s like you’re in a fancy fish market. Walking deeper into the restaurant, you then go up a few steps. It’s here that you’ll find probably the best and most comfortable tables. There are a few booths on one side, and tables for four on the other. Then up a few more steps, and now you’re officially in the largest section of the dining room. Maybe it’s going for a fine dining feel, but it’s more like 90’s hotel meets Senior’s night.

Despite its confused look, Catch 35’s food is anything but. Everything is plated nicely, and more importantly, tastes pretty awesome.

Kicking off the start of a fantastic meal, my husband started off with a creamy and flavorful lobster bisque.

I got the beet salad, which was a huge portion with tons of beets, topped with creamy goat cheese and crunchy pistachios. 

 

For my entree, I had the perfectly cooked mahi mahi served over roasted root vegetables and red grapes (part of the $33 menu). Catch 35 has a pretty good wine selection, and I had a terrific and sweet riesling from Mosel, Germany that went well with my meal.

 

We shared a ginormous side of roasted Brussel sprouts, and also the short rib hash (not pictured). Actually, we probably didn’t need the side dishes – our entree portions were well-sized, but we just couldn’t resist. With a name like Catch 35, you might be tempted to stick to seafood only, but the short rib was fantastic. I highly recommend the short rib hash, or any other dish with short rib in it. 

 

Hubby got the Chilean sea bass – yum! (part of the $44 menu).

We each got our own molten chocolate cake for dessert. It was soooo good, though very rich. One portion would have been enough to share!

The Final Word: Solid seafood and wine selection. The service could be more attentive, and the decor is not the most chic, but I would come back for the nicely prepared dishes.

Info: Catch 35, W. Upper Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601 USA

 

Pretty Good Mexican: Perro Salado, Newport

Having been to Newport, Rhode Island a few times now, my boyfriend and I decided we would dine away from the touristy waterfront. We came to Perro Salado on a Saturday night. They were busy, and we were glad we had made a reservation. The restaurant is in and old house, divided into several small rooms. We were taken upstairs and seated in a comfortable corner.

Perro Salado’s drink menu includes some creative cocktails. My guy ordered the cilantro jalepeno margarita. It was deliciously yummy, with the freshness of cilantro balanced by the spiciness of the jalapeno. I had the namesake Perro Salado cocktail, made with grapefruit juice, grapefruit soda, and tequila. There are also pitchers of margaritas available, that would be perfect for enjoying outside on the small patio (It definitely looked like a party-it-up and knock-back-a-few drinks type of patio).

When we inquired about the avocado fries, our server enthusiastically told use that they are a popular appetizer. Large pieces of avocado are battered and fried, served nice and hot. I found the batter to be a bit on the thick side, however.

My boyfriend really enjoyed the seafood chowder – shrimp, mahi mahi and bits and pieces of scallops in a coconut broth. However, I was underwhelmed by the quality and amount of seafood in the soup, and the flavours didn’t seem to fit a Mexican restaurant.

Yes, there are two large, half-moon shaped empanadas hiding beneath the cilantro and salsa below. Filled with beans and cheese, they were tasty, but served not hot enough.

The kitchen’s timing was definitely off – though the appetizers came out at a reasonable pace, we waited quite some time for our entrees to arrive. When they did, results were mixed. Generous amounts of cilantro and sliced jalapenos was a theme, adorning my boyfriend’s three fish tacos, below. The mahi mahi was overcooked and not fork-tender. I’ve definitely had better. I had enchiladas – corn tortillas stuffed with beef short rib, topped with red sauce, large slices of jalapenos, and lots of cheese, served piping hot (finally, yay!)

We ordered several side dishes as well. The rice and beans were sadly at room temperature, while plantains were hot, crispy on the outside and slightly caramelized – yum!

Happily, our evening finished on a high note – the Mexican chocolate volcano cake was sooo good, with a slight spicy kick. Do not miss out on this!

The Final Word: Perro Salado has a great atmosphere and the menu has interesting options. Most of the food is a hit, though the temperature can be a miss.

Food: 4/5 | Atmosphere: 4/5 | Value: 3.7/5