Catch

 

 

DINNER DATE: 02.04.12 @ 5:45 PM

On a cold nippy night in San Francisco (which could possibly be almost year round) and you are finding yourself craving a hot bowl of liquid comfort; but you are not really feeling ramen or pho......

FOOD:
Let me tell you--Catch's SEAFOOD STEW $22 will warm them cold bones and fill thy belly.
*This ciopinno in tomato broth is loaded, I mean, loaded with mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops and fresh fish. The menu says it includes crab meat but I think I was too busy to notice since worse than a starving alley cat I licked this bowl clean. But unlike other cioppino that I had, this stew was not fishy but I remember the fish pieces being melt in my mouth.

 

It might be pricey at $22 but believe me, this bowl was huge! It came with 2 cheesey toasts but I gave them to my man, Instead I dunk the complimentary warm bread which was so good they could have been Acme or Acme's sister. I have been very good at not eating bread at restaurants but there are certain situations where you just have to welcome carbs at your dinner table like your long-lost friend. Paired with warm bread soaking up the broth doused in Tabasco (I did this on my own), every spicy bite was like heaven!

Enrique wanted the beef ribs but I told him that if a seafood restaurant, order seafood. He listened and ordered the FETTUCINE WITH MAINE LOBSTER MEAT IN GARLIC CREAM SAUCE $ 23.00. He truly enjoyed his dish and liked the chunks of lobster meat in his pasta.

 

APPETIZER:
My man ordered the FRIED MIX OF THE TIGER PRAWNS, CALAMARI, ROCK COD AND GREEN BEANS WITH TARTAR SAUCE 11.50
*A big platter of fried greasy seafood. Aside from the tiger prawns which was crispy battered in cornmeal I believe and were the only ones that were not greasy, I did not like this plate at all.

 

DRINK:
The POMEGRANATE MARGARITA $11 but so worth it since it was made with Patron Silver was like nectar and gave me the nice buzz that gave me a nice healthy appetite for dinner.

 

DESSERT:
BANANA SPLIT $7.50 is ever my man's favorite. A good choice since it was sweet way to end a sweet dinner.

AMBIANCE/DECOR:
Catch is spacious but cozy. It looks like it was decorated by Pottery Barn next door. Brick walls, high ceilings, oil lamps on every table and beautiful colorful contemporary art work. There are two sections--the enclosed patio and the main dining room that are separated by glass which gives a sense of continuity between rooms.

 

We were seated by the glass and metal gas fireplace with faux wood in the center of the patio. It was indeed very warm and cozy. This would be a nice spot to drink your cosmo or one of the signature drinks.

 

The long bar is also attractive as well as the dimmed dining area.

VERDICT:
A cozy classy casual place in the Castro to have a seafood dinner and enjoy a round of drinks. A nice place for romantic date nights or dinner with your friends, even family dinners. Service was very friendly and very attentive. A server was constantly filling our water glasses.

CHECK: $88 before tip
Thanks to Groupon, our final tab was only $64 including 20% tip. A great deal!

ADDICTIVE FACTOR: 5 Catch's Seafood Stew is freaking unforgettable! I want another bowl, pronto!

GOOD TO KNOW:
*Difficult parking in the Castro but possible.
*1000 points on Opentable are available at certain times.

 

Woodhouse Fish Company (Fillmore Street)

Saturday Date Night: April 9, 2010 at 4:55 PM

4:55 PM:
Arrived at Woodhouse Fish Company. Found it empty except for mom and daughter having an early dinner. Server asked to to sit anywhere we wanted. Enrique  took a seat by the window overlooking the bustling Fillmore Street. Got our water and drinks (bubbly water) few minutes as soon as we sat down.

5:10 PM:
All of the sudden the restaurant got jam-packed! People were being asked to wait 10 minutes and put their names of the list, go window-shopping first then come back.

5:15 PM:
We got our appetizer of ROCK SHRIMP CROQUETTES W/ POLENTA CAKE. Delish! The polenta was the smoothest I've had. The croquettes were crispy on the outside and nice with big pieces of rock shrimp on the inside. This was a main dish but we decided to share as an appetizer. ($17)

5:15 pm, 5:30 PM, 5:45 PM.....
Admired the decor. Woodhouse is nautical: huge fish art pieces are suspended on the walls such as a giant blue marlin and giant squid with long tentacles. A rustic bar is at the far end of the restaurant. The ceiling is ornate and high. The whole place has a whole rustic fishmarket feel to it.

Still no food after almost an hour. We amused ourselves by taking pictures of one another. Fried food started to come out. We were the very first ones there but we still haven't gotten our food along with others. We wondered if the chef was late for work today.

6:00 PM:
An hour later and Enrique was suffering from hunger pangs. Our food finally came out;

ARTICHOKES STUFFED WITH CRABMEAT AND SHRIMP W/ CROSTINI: Enrique really enjoyed his dish and labored through each artichoke leaf until he was rewarded with the artichoke heart. The shrimp and crab were very fresh.

CRAB CAKES ON GREENS: I enjoyed my crabcakes which were crispy on the outside; creamy and packed with crabmeat on the inside. Definitely a generous crabcake and not a fake one with nothing but fillers. The green salad was nicely dressed.

SAUTEED VEGGIES: Good choice! I didn't know that Enrique ordered this. The sauteed green beans, carrots and broccoli in butter complimented our seafood dish.

6:35PM
Our friendly but busy server gave us our check. The restaurant was packed with people waiting. Some are families with kids in strollers. This is a family-friendly and casual date place restaurant.


TAB: $71 including bubbly H20, tax and 20% tip.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 3 Stars
Charming neighborhood seafood restaurant. Trustworthy place for fresh good quality seafood. Does not accept reservations. Prepare to wait or come early. Super-super slow service.

Key:
0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Some are good. Some are okay. Some are bad.
3 Stars: Like! I will return!
4 Stars: Love! I will be dreaming of you at night!
5 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Mariscos La Costa

Saturday Date Night: March 4, 2011 @ 5PM

We were too cold and too lazy to drive to the City. The weather was making me crave huge servings of Mexican comfort food of rice, beans, fish and tortilla. So Enrique and I decided to explore the funky and fun Fruitvale Avenue/International Boulevard in East Oakland.

Being the date night planner, Mariscos La Costa was my venue of choice for this date night.

Not a food truck. Not quite a restaurant.

At first glance, Mariscos La Costa resembles a fastfood takeout joint. Instead of burger and fries, you'll get cocktail seafood in a cup, burritos, tortas and tacos.

Mariscos is as authentic as it gets. The customers consist of immigrant Latino folks and families. Being the only Asian at that moment, I got some curious but friendly glances.

Ordering consists of walking up to the window of this brick building in East Oakland after parking our car in the private parking lot. I am very thankful for my un poquito español, we were able to comfortably order from the Spanish only menu board.

There was really no dining room except for a tarp-covered seating area with the school cafeteria style tables.

There were no big dinner plates on the menu that I was craving but they have a good selection of COCTELES (cocktails). They have all kinds of cocteles: coctel de camarones (shrimp), pescado (fish), pulpo (octopus) or combination of all these. Being a seafoodtarian, I felt like I hit the jackpot!

Except for the cocktails which were $7.50 for regular and $13 for large, everything else on the menu was priced at $1 to $4. Enrique and I were so thrilled to look at the prices and we went crazy!

He went for the meat and I went for the seafood.

FIRST ROUND: ($13 including a Diet Coke and Horchata)
Taco Carne Asada + Quesadilla de Carne Asada + Tostada Ceviche de Camaron+ Tostada Ceviche de Pescado + Horchata

SECOND ROUND: ($15 before tip)
(We were on a mission to stuff our faces. Plus hey, it's super-cheap!)
Coctel de Camaron + Quesadilla de Camaron + Lengua Tacos

VERY DELICIOUS:
COCTEL DE CAMARON: Came with a couple of crunchy tostadas, it was full of plump good-sized shrimp in complex room-temperature broth of tomatoes and chili; came with avocado, chopped onions and cucumber. We shared this dish and we both agreed that this dish is a winner! Cocktail is a simple easy dish but when not done right, it tends to be watered-down. This one is very flavorful with the right spices!

TOSTADAS (CAMARON/PESCADO): The tostadas were packed on top and spilling over with seafood and full of nice spices. I honestly could not tell apart which was which. They tasted the same and I covered mine with hot sauces (my bad!) Yummy and without the fishy taste.

LENGUA TACO/CARNE ASADA TACOS: These tongue and beef tacos were tender and delicious according to my guy.

GOOD:
QUESADILLA DE CAMARON: This was not on the menu. The quesadillas offered are all meat but my guy asked the server to make me this for me and they happily obliged. A hefty quesadilla loaded with shrimp and falling out of the flour tortilla in every bite! Just like what my guy thought about his quesadilla, it was delicious but this resembled a burrito more than a quesadila. Not "tightly" fried, not much cheese but more crema, the fillings were loose. Yummy but I wanted my cheesy, slightly greasy, packed quesadilla.

OKAY:
HORCHATA: I washed my spicy meal down with this traditional Mexican rice drink with cinnamon. Cold with nice hint of cinnamon, it was too sweet for my taste.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATING: 4.75 STARS
1. Super-cheap and the best value in town with free parking.
2. The seafood cocktails are the "MUST ORDER" at Mariscos La Costa.
3. You can go to a restaurant with solid walls and roof but sitting at the tarp-covered dining area adds fun and uniqueness to the dining experience. Some folks ate their food in their car. Now, isn't that romantic?!

Key:

0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

Fog Harbor Fish House: Locals' Perspective

Saturday Date Night: September 4, 2010 @ 6PM

After sailing on the San Francisco Explorer Bay Cruise, Enrique and I were famished. Being already at Fisherman's Wharf and already stuck with a $28 parking fee, we said, "What the heck, let's just have dinner here."

Now, Enrique and I just cannnot get enough playing tourist in our own San Francisco Bay Area playground. However, as locals, we are not so crazy eating "touristy" foods.  So, grudgingly, we decided to dine at Fog Harbor Fish House which we found through Opentable.

Outdoor Waiting Area

Fog Harbor Fish House is an old school restaurant that retains not only the formal decor of bygone San Francisco, but the values of treating the customers well. The servers were dressed "formally" in white shirts and black pants, and very efficient.

Eating at Fog Harbor will ensure you a great waterfront dining and spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay. And we were rewarded with a table right by the water.

View from our table

We ordered half a dozen oysters a starters. The oysters on half-shell were well-chilled but small. 

I ordered a top-shelf Margarita but I was given a regular one (reflected on the bill.) It was so disappointingly weak.

Margarita

Enrique had no complaints with his Fried Combo Platter which came with hand-breaded fish, calamari, shrimp, french fries and cole slaw.

Fried Combo Platter

I opted for the Seared “RARE” Ahi Tuna with a Sesame Seed Crust and Chili Ponzu Sauce. It was tasty but heavy-handed on the soy sauce. The saltiness overpowered everything else on the plate. The tuna was indeed rare but not "melt in your mouth."

Seared Ahi Tuna with Ponzu Sauce

Overall, our dinner was "okay."   Not spectacular but the amazing view and the attentive service made up for it. Not to mention that the fresh sourdough bread that made in-house was very delicious and served while still warm.

All of the above minus the "okay" dishes completes the old-school "touristy" San Francisco experience. Not bad at all.

Tab: $83 including tax and 20% tip.

FOODIE GIRL'S RATINGS:  3 Stars for fresh but "okay" seafood
View:         5    Great San Francisco Bay View
Service:    5    Professional and efficient

Key:

0 Star: Never again!!! These people should not be in business.
1 Star: Chalk it to bad experience. Live and learn.
2 Stars: Very disappointing but there it has some good things to offer.
3 Stars: It is okay but do not expect much. I will still return.
4 Stars: I like it! I will be singing your praises!
5 Stars: I will be dreaming of you at night!
6 Stars: Perfection (or close to!)

 

Steak and Seafood at Bobo's: Best of Both Worlds

YUMS! My parents taught me not to lick my fingers when eating at a restaurant. But being a Filipino and trained to eat with our hands came in handy at Bobo's. (You should at least know how to eat with your hands in theory even if you don't do it in practice if you are a Pinoy kid.)

Because at Bobo's, you'll get the best of both worlds: STEAK AND SEAFOOD.
And my Filipino seafood eating skills were put to the test. Who needs those metal thingy-s to crack crab claws? Bite into it and use your choppers!

Our dinner date started at 5:30 PM. We were seated at a super-tiny corner booth but the cuteness of the hanging colorful ribbons to give us privacy from the next booth made up for the feeling that we were being put on "time out" in the corner. Couples and groups of friends dressed to the nines started pouring in. They got the bigger, padded booths.

DRINK AND BREAD: And few minutes later, I was sipping a BOBOTINI (yummy but not strong enough) and devouring the half loaf of HOT, garlic bread oozing with butter that was served to us almost as soon as we sat down. (Note: I finished almost this half-loaf by myself with little help from fiance.) So addicting!!!

SEAFOOD APPETIZER: And not long after that, fiance and I got down and dirty. How could you not when you have a GIGANTIC SKILLET OF PRAWNS AND CRAB placed in front of you! Delicious seafood very seasoned in butter and herbs served with 3 flavored butter sauces for dipping. They were on the dry side and the prawns were not plump but they were delicious none the less. I have no mercy and took home the last 5 prawns left. And that's just for appetizer! ($40). 

STEAK: And the FILET MIGNON STEAK! Bone-in for fiance ($40), http://www.yelp.com/bi... petite for me ($30). http://www.yelp.com/bi... Bone-in Filet Mignon is the MAIN ATTRACTION. Bobo's signature steak. Both steaks were so tender. Melt.in.your.mouth. Period.

SIDE: As if we didn't have enough, we ordered a side dish of TWICE BAKED POTATO ($8). Big enough to share but ending up to be not our fave. We had two bites each and decided we did not like it. Tasted like a veggie quiche on top of the half-potato. Very untraditional.

DESSERT: And a CHOCOLATE BOMB ($8))! A mound of chocolate with truffle-like consistency drizzled with raspberry glaze. Even this lacto could not resist!

Our tab came out to be $180 (YIKES!!) including 2 diet cokes, tax and 20% tip. Definitely a pricey dinner but fit for a great dad like my guy. (Happy Father's Day!)

By the way, I licked my fingers all throughout dinner and I didn't care. My parents were not there to scold me!

http://www.boboquivaris.com/
1450 Lombard Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 441-8880