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Beef is perhaps the last thing you would expect to see on a seafood restaurant menu but, nevertheless, it's one of the dishes on offer at Kensington's latest eaterie, Catch.
"If five people come out for a meal, one of them might not eat fish, so we have two meat dishes on the menu - one red meat, and a lighter meat such as chicken," explains 22-year-old Douglas Kerr, head chef at the 30-seat restaurant and bar owned by businesswoman Sophia Burrell.
Hence non-fish fans can choose pan-fried fillet of beef served with fondant potatoes and caramelised garlic (£15.75) from the main courses.
Since opening, on 2 November, Catch has been full every lunchtime and evening, and the lounge bar downstairs is becoming a popular evening venue. Customers are mainly affluent locals spending an average £15 at lunch and £25 at dinner, excluding drinks. They are looked after by a front of house team led by restaurant manager Jamie Prudom while Kerr heads a three-strong brigade in the kitchen with the support of consultant chef Steve Whitney.
Kerr is a big fan of seafood - he always chooses fish when dining out - and is aiming to create a menu of simple dishes that he believes most people will eat. "It's easy to get fish to take on different flavours, or you can leave it to taste as it should," he says.
The first menu change came after the opening week, although particularly popular dishes stay on the line-up of eight starters, nine main courses and five desserts. Diners also get an additional choice of oysters, including Irish rock, French belon, fine de clair and native, priced between £5 and £8 for six.
Of the starters, marinated tuna with yellow beans, tomatoes, shallots and herbs (£6.50) has been selling well, but tian of crab, tomato and courgette with a saffron and herb dressing (£6) is the clear favourite. A Caesar salad (£5.95), grilled vegetable salad (£4.50) and rocket and Parmesan salad (£4.50) provide more non-fish options.
Cod forms the basis of the most popular main course, coming wrapped in blanched leeks, steamed and served with baba ganoush (roast aubergine puréed with garlic tahini) and roast shallots (£9.50). Kerr also marries red wine with turbot - "It goes well with meatier fish provided the wine is young and not too heavy" - in a roast tranche of turbot served with crushed truffle potatoes and a red wine sauce (£14.50). Side dishes are available in the form of potatoes - chipped, boiled or mashed - and spinach, French beans and tempura vegetables (all £2.50).
Desserts are the responsibility of Kerr's older brother, pastry chef John, who delights the "ladies who lunch" with such offerings as a warm orange soufflé with bitter chocolate sorbet (£5.50) and vanilla crème brûlée with apple jelly and fritters (£5.50). These and all the ice-creams, sorbets and petits fours (£2.50) are made freshly on the premises.
Catch, 158 Old Brompton Road, London SW5 0BA. Tel: 020 7370 3300.
