Dining Out

Mary Furr

Catch of the Day, the seafood restaurant owned by John Metz, is safely

moored at a snug harbor of a mini-mall at Edinger Avenue and Goldenwest

Street in Huntington Beach. Here is a place that provides a lunch that is

a break from the usual.

Does a steaming bowl of chowder with a tossed green salad ($5.95)

sound good? Have you thought of a calamari sandwich or a shrimp melt

($5.95)? A Louie Louie salad ($8.95) is cooked shrimp and artichoke

hearts with wedges of hard boiled egg and tomato on garden greens

($8.95).

The quiet atmosphere and tall back booths provide privacy for business

discussions in this deep storefront. However, if lunch for you is to

provide fuel for the long haul before dinner, Metz and his longtime

friend and chef, Isack Ramirez, have full lunches health and calorie-wise

with truly fresh fish. One such dish is the most perfect Pacific halibut,

now in season (lunch-$13.95, dinner-$16.95) that I’ve ever tasted.

Charbroiled and brushed lightly with garlic butter. The snow-white flesh

flakes easily in firm slivers with a very mild taste. An inch thick and

buttery in tenderness, it was so fresh you could almost smell the salt

air.

Fish restaurants are often defined by their chowders (from the French

“cauldron” in which they were originally cooked) and Catch of the Day has

both kinds -- the red Manhattan seafood chowder is filled with various

fish and clam with bits of tomato, celery and other diced vegetables

while the white New England is a thick creamy broth with clams, celery,

onions and only a few potato cubes. Seasoning is quite mild and the

flavors pristine.

A favorite entry is Mahi Mahi (lunch-$11.95, dinner-$14.95) with a

firm, richly flavored off-white flesh. Again char broiling is the

preparation of choice for this moderately fat fish, which is firmer than

the halibut. Lunch entrees, in addition to a choice of chowders or salad

include cheese-stuffed potatoes, French fries, rice pilaf, cole slaw and

fresh steamed vegetables. The rice pilaf is a great homemade mix of tiny

diced zucchini, carrots, rice and orzo (tiny rice-shaped barley).

Food is prepared at Catch of the Day just a little differently, the

way you’d add this or that in your own kitchen. Even when something like

the mud pie dessert ($4.50) is served, it’s been “dolled up.” Metz says

he buys the Jamoca almond fudge and then fills in his own homemade Oreo

cookie crust. Cut in pie-shaped slices, it is served in a pool of rich

chocolate syrup with real whipped cream dabbled on top.

The children’s menu, for ages 1 to 10, has tempting choices like the

Fishin’ Pole, (450 pennies) three deep fried shrimp and fries, fish

sticks, (395 pennies) lightly breaded and deep fried or the ever popular

corn dog with fries (295 pennies), with desserts (100 pennies) of vanilla

ice cream with chocolate or butterscotch sauce.

When he bought the place, John says he and his father did all the

interior redecorating and over the years he has collected many marine

artifacts from swap meets and garage sales. Without seeming to try, he

has created a homey lunch and dinner place. But don’t be deceived --

Catch of the Day serves truly fresh fish with a gourmet touch.

* MARY FURR is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have comments

or suggestions, call (562) 493-5062 or e-mail o7 hbindy@latimes.com.f7

FYI

WHAT: Catch of the Day

WHERE: 6854 Edinger Ave.

HOURS: Lunch Tuesday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dinner Sunday to

Thursday 4 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 4 to 11 p.m. Beer and wine.

PHONE: (714) 841-5472.