CATCH ROOFTOP
In the midst of the once warehouses of the Meatpacking District, I found myself seated at a long wooden communal table in a vibrant red metal chair with the sun beating down on my back keeping me warm from that remaining Spring chill in the air on the Catch Restaurant rooftop. One of the very first warmer days of Spring, I sat with a group of hungry media folk from restaurants, food magazines and blogs who were all just as eager as I to taste the magic of Catch's new Spring lunch menu. Served family style, we all set out to sample a bite here and there to make our notes. This demureness lasted up until the first dish was placed on the table. After that, I don't know if there was some sort of social cue but we were all on the same page, we all immediately went beast mode!
Each dish was vibrant in color and complex in flavor. Have you ever tried to share Avocado Toast? It's a huge mistake. With its pomegranate seeds, toasted almonds and poached egg, this one was exceptional! If you're like me, after that first bite, you’ll want to wrap one arm around this plate and guard it while using your fork wielding hand to play defense on anyone who dares to try “just one bite”.
The sushi rolls were outstanding. Extremely beautiful and exciting due to their unique ingredient pairings, they were literally the only reason I put down my fork, that's right, to swap it out for chopsticks. It was in this moment, that I found my brain laughing at itself. All I could think of, was how I was in an involuntarily rote mode channeling my inner Po—yes, from Kung Fu Panda—as I found myself tossing back sushi pieces like he would dumplings eating far too many for a normal human in a normal span of time. It's a close call, but the Catch Roll is officially my favorite of the sushi rolls. With the table-side torching lightly searing the top of the roll, the fanfare of this extra detail not only makes the dish an experience from the get go, it enhances the flavor and tweaks the temperature making it stand out as unique from the rest.
In and out, the entire new lunch menu was amazing. I'd go back for the variety of salads alone.
