Catch 22 - Bristol Food Review
Posted on: 2017-08-30
Our rating:
I was especially impressed to hear that they offer gluten free batter and use a completely separate fryer, making them fully prepared for anyone who can’t tolerate it...
When you go out for a meal, you don’t always want a fancy restaurant – sometimes you just want to eat somewhere in Bristol with a lovely, friendly atmosphere and straight forward dishes. That’s what you get when you go to the Catch 22 Restaurant in College Green; it’s run by a very accommodating team of people and the layout is simple, clean and the perfect pre-night out eatery.
Before I properly looked at the menu, I got acquainted with the lovely Sophie Joynson – who told us about some of the favourites on the menu and then asked if we had any dietary requirements. I was especially impressed to hear that they offer gluten free batter and use a completely separate fryer, making them fully prepared for anyone who can’t tolerate it. We all know someone who isn't able to eat gluten and to not cater for it in a restaurant today is extremely short sighted so Catch 22 gets a big thumbs up from me for this reason alone.
Another selling point for them is the fact that they only use suppliers that manage resources sustainably and therefore respect the habitats they fish from. That says a lot about the type of place this is and people in Bristol are noticing their efforts.
This is the perfect city centre place to grab the nation’s favourite dish of fish and chips and there’s a whole lot more on offer if you don’t fancy going for that classic meal (including burgers, pies and hotdogs). However, I personally wanted something fairly plain as I eat a paleo diet ('Bristol’s Guide to Paleo Restaurants' will be on 365 Bristol very soon!) and so I went for plaice and some salted, steamed vegetables. The plaice was just the right consistency and not at all dry (which is something that seems to happen in a lot of restaurants these days) and the vegetables had just the right amount of crunch, with the olive oil dressing being the perfect addition.
.jpg "Plaice at Catch 22")
My friend on the other hand decided to go for the standard sized haddock dish, which was baked in lightly seasoned batter (£6.95), with a perfectly zesty halloumi and orange salad (which included cherry tomatoes, cucumber, celery, radish and mixed leaves and was £7.95). The combination of the two dishes hit the spot and he couldn't finish his portion; you certainly get value for money at this establishment.
The alcohol menu is varied and wide and desserts come in the form of ice creams and lollies; you can also get a nice thick milkshake in a variety of favourite flavours. For the little people, there is a children's menu and there is a family feel to this restaurant that feels very welcoming.
The seats were comfy, the atmosphere was chilled and there were no staff members in your face every few minutes asking how things are (once is enough!). Myself and my friend didn’t feel rushed and Catch 22 is the type of place that you could easily just go to for a small nibble and some drinks, rather than a big meal.
Fore more information, visit their website or Twitter.
Article by:
Kelly worked as a journalist for the BBC for 12 years before she changed careers and went into the field of marketing. Having worked at BBC 6 Music for several years, she is passionate about many different genres of sound. Her other interests include theatre, comedy, books, food and days out with the family (she has a young daughter who she describes as a "whirlwind of fun.") Kelly is married to Vik who is a true Bristolian to the core! She is also studying nutritional therapy.
