Richard Smith is hoping his
boat comes in with Catch, the new seafood restaurant on the top floor of his
Thyme Restaurant at Crosspool.
If he can keep up the
atmosphere and excitement – and the fish – it probably will.
It may be small, just 28
seats, but with its fishmonger style white tiles, zinc topped tables, a menu on
a convoy of black boards ( I counted eight) and busy open kitchen, all steam
and sizzle, there is food theatre by the netful.
Nets are not part of the
decor, which begins with the seafood pictures you encounter on your way up the
stairs. That would be a bit too twee. A mirror at the end makes the place look
twice as big and theres a free jukebox playing oldies but goldies at a decent
volume.
It also has Tim Treeby, who
seems to be everywhere in the Thyme empire, a Maitre D who is an attraction in
himself, a bundle of barely restrained energy and bonhomie.
He is also pretty
knowledgeable. Order the Isle o Mull mussels and hell tell you he knows the
people who get them. Hes from there, chuckles Richard.
Sheffield took fish
restaurant Slammers to its heart because it had glamour and presentation. Catch
has buzz and, from what we could see, prefers to do as little as possible to it
excellent ingredients but cook and present them simply.
A lot of the Thyme
trademarks are here, on the table and the menu boards. The Thyme Caf buckets
have been replaced by wooden Chinese steamer trays with two kind of Tabasco,
ketchup, vinegar and so on, including boxes of specially imported Old Bay
Seasoning, celery salt and bay spice mix.
Many old Thyme favourites
like the fishcakes, fish and chips, chowders and risotto are there on the board
– not that easy to read as the light reflects on them – plus whatever
happens to have been brought in that day. This can rang from tuna sashimi with
fennel to whole roasted langoustines and tapas of squid with chorizo or oyster
with smoked salmon.
Or you can order the
champers or Chablis to go with a tier or two of fruit de mer 24 or lash out on
a hot and cold version of the same, catchs Full Monty, for 50 to share. The
idea is you can spend a little or a lot, depending on your wallet or the time
of day.
The seafood risotto 6 was
excellent, full of fish (cod, salmon and shrimps – they do a shrimp
butter with grilled plaice) and my wife, who has latterly awarded the risotto
crown to rivals Bluefin, took it back again. I needed more persuasion with the
oyster stew 5.
This is a recipe head chef
Jack baker with whom Richard once worked stateside, has brought with him from
Maryland. Four meaty oysters swam in a sweetish milky broth with peppery
undertones and finely diced vegetables, with crisp croutons on the side.
It grew on me, but I
couldnt work out what the taste reminded m of. It was written there in my
notebook, milky. Its made to order with the oysters poached in milk and their
own juices.
There is crustacea aplenty
at Catch. I splashed out 15 on half a lobster, simply cooked and presented
with all the paraphernalia, lobster crackers and pick. This was one of the few
occasions I havent been disappointed by lobster, much preferring Cromer crab.
It had been alive not long
before and was full of juicy sweet flesh. It was served with skin-on skinny
chips and a lively chillied up cocktail sauce.
Line caught sea bass 16 was
treated beautifully – tasty flesh under a crisp, salted skin and plated
up with a chunk of fennel a la greque (with lemon and garlic), saut potatoes
and a dab of pesto.
There is yet another
blackboard for sweets. A crme brulee was not messed about with, no cardoman,
passion fruit or whatever said my
wife but the lemon tart was almost inedible because of a serious mouth
puckering overdose of citrus. You could probably have cleaned your bath with
the filling.
This one lapse apart, you
couldnt fault the cooking. There is a determination in Richards kitchens to do
the best with whatever is on offer, whether serving up Sheffields most
scrumptious olives or baking the breads – a slice of garlic and rock salt
was beautifully baked.
As you read this the
premises downstairs, now called Artisan, will have opened. Some of the dishes
from upstairs have drifted downstairs and so will Tim. Lets hope he can keep up
with the pace.
We paid 52 for three
courses but you can eat more cheaply.
Wines are from 13 and there
are a dozen available by the glass. More half bottles are promised. Our VDP
sauvignon 14.50 was exceptionally floral.