Located in trendy Umhlanga Village, Catch has been buzzing since opening earlier this year. The seafood restaurant is the second from the brand; the first is in Bedfordview, Joburg.

The seared salmon tataki is served with a delicious miso dressing. Photo by Nikita Buxton.

Fast facts

Serves: Seafood, sushi and Asian food
Best for: A laid-back lunch or supper with friends
Parking: There’s parking in and around Umhlanga Village but it fills up fast
Average main course: R150
Star ratings: Food 4, service 4, ambience 3

Food

The menu at Catch is anything but short. The extensive list of options range from Asian dishes like sushi, dim sum and curry to classic seafood combos, shellfish and fish burgers.

The rock shrimp tempura. Photo by Nikita Buxton.

To start, try the golden spring rolls with prawn and coriander, or go straight for the rock shrimp tempura. These delicious morsels are battered and fried before being doused in a sweet, spicy mayo. They’re served on a banana leaf for extra pizzazz with a sprinkling of spring onion.

There’s also a range of steamed dim sum that are great for sharing. Try the prawn and shiitake version or opt for the dim sum platter, if you’re with a crowd.

Opt for a dim sum platter if you’re with a crowd. Photo by Nikita Buxton.

For mains, the options are seemingly endless. The ocean-themed menu has everything from standard battered hake and chips to kingklip thermidor. The baby soles are cooked perfectly and served with a delicate dressing of olive oil and herbs. If you’re indecisive, the reasonably priced combos (served with a very mild wasabi mash, chips, savoury rice or a salad) are a perfect choice. Go for the platter for one with plump medium prawns and melt-in-your-mouth calamari.

There’s a good selection of well-made sushi, with some new-style sashimi options. The seared salmon tataki is served with ginger and a delicious miso dressing. It’s spicy, meltingly tender and perfect as a starter or light meal.

If you’re wanting a bit more heat, the seafood curry is delicious and full of flavour and spice.

A hearty serving of prawns. Photo by Nikita Buxton.

Desserts include a deep-fried ice cream that’s sweet and satisfying and the chocolate fondant that delivers in oozy-ness.

While it’s not fine dining by any stretch, the food at Catch is tasty and perfect for feasting on with friends.

Drinks

The wine list has is somewhat limited, with most accessible options on the pricey side. The big let-down is that the restaurant does not allow patrons to bring their own wine, which means you can’t sip on something more exciting than what’s on offer. There are also craft beers and popular fish-bowl cocktails available.

Service

Extremely friendly and hospitable.

The interior is trendier than the run-of-the-mill seafood restaurant. Photo by Nikita Buxton.

Ambience

While the acoustics aren’t fantastic, the ambience is relaxed and the decor is trendy and fresh with pops of blues, yellow and natural wood.

And…

There’s a nipper’s menu for the little ones, with options like fish nuggets and chips and a hake burger with steamed broccoli.

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