Catch 56
5615 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028

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Evan- Happy Birthday Girl
Tenny- Cheerful

This week’s review is for Catch 56 in Hollywood. This is one of Tenny’s and my favorite places in Los Angeles. Matter of fact, this place is so good, we have chosen to have our wedding reception there. First becuase the food is great. Second because our wedding is going to be small and quirky, so why not just go to one of our favorite places?

Chef Harry, is one of the friendliest and kindest chefs I have met. Granted I haven’t met many. But that is the point. He will come out and talk to you. He is open and receptive, and just makes you feel so welcome in his establishment. It’s one of the reasons I am so excited to be having my wedding reception here. Being autistic, it is hard to find places that feel comfortable and allow me to enjoy the food. There isn’t a ton of hustle and bustle here. The other patrons are just laid back as well. It’s just that kind of place.

The menu here is pretty simple. They offer four seafood options, cooked one of three ways served with one of four sides. Easy peasy. The price is affordable and you get a bounty of food.

EVAN: Catch 56 is hands down the best fish and chips place in Los Angeles. Growing up in Alaska, I know my fish. And I searched L.A. for great fish and chips, and place after place failed. I walked into Catch 56 with a friend from England (who also knows good fish and chips) a year and a half ago. I have taken anyone who visits Los Angeles here ever since. Why? Because it is one of the best, and clearly I am a fan.

I usually order the cod, fried. But for the sake of having different dishes, today I chose the shrimp grilled, which I have been wanting to try. Per my usual, I think I will order shrimp but end up getting the cod, which I know and enjoy. I learned that when you order grilled and you aren’t huge on spice, you have to order light seasoning. But once I found a balance, I really enjoyed my shrimp. I always love the fresh cut chips, which they heap on the pizza pan “plate.” Sometimes I get bold and order them Cajun-ed, which has Cajun seasoning on them. Today I just had them salted. One of my favorite things is Chef Harry’s fresh made coleslaw. It’s cabbage slaw with cream sauce, but he adds a kick by adding fruit. Today was apples. I really enjoyed it this way.

TENNY: Going against the usual grain of this blog, today was the day when I ordered the same thing Evan and I always get at Catch 56 and Evan ordered something new and different to check out the range of Chef Harry’s kitchen. My meal was a traditional pair of cod pieces, battered and deep fried, served on a pizza plate with some thick and well-cooked french fries and a scoop of Harry’s coleslaw. Every time we go, it seems like Harry is trying something new with the coleslaw. Today, the apple chunks went well with the light, crunchy bitterness of the cabbage.

What makes Catch 56 so great is the lightness of the fish and the soft crispiness of the batter. Most fish and chips dishes in the Los Angeles area are overcooked, and the cooks at Catch 56 are always very attentive to their friers. Before we ate, Chef Harry told us that the cod today was Alaskan and not Northeastern, which bothered him a little because Alaskan cod tends to be oiler. Honestly, I wouldn’t have known the difference if he hadn’t told me.

As usual, the fish was flavorful and perfectly cooked. My french fries were hearty, and I always use them to eat as much of Chef Harry’s homemade dill tartar sauce as I can while I’m there. Catch 56 is a great restaurant staffed by kind people. Whether or not it makes sense to anyone else, the simple fact is that Chef Harry and his staff care deeply and transparently about making the Hollywood community stronger and better with the power of fried fish.

What Evan and I love so much about this place, I think, is that we both grew up around fish. Her family is from Alaska, and I’m from all over coastal Massachusetts. Fresh seafood is one of the few things we share, culturally… and Ahi tuna is about the only thing you can find here in Los Angeles that isn’t frozen. Having cuisine we can both relate to, as well as a snarky Anglophiliac presentation that plays well to our shared geek culture, makes Catch 56 a comfortable neutral zone for us. All the love Chef Harry puts into every single serving makes this place part of our home in Los Angeles.