2018 February PASO Magazine

TASTE OF PASO
Welcome to our first Entrée column.
Each month, PASO Magazine will enjoy
lunch or dinner with a notable community
member at various restaurants around
town and share the experience with our
readers. Enjoying great food, restaurant
owners, chefs, and community contributors
here in Paso Robles, we serve up a
fresh Entrée dining experience to share
the flavors that make our community the
place we all love.
For February, I joined PASO
Magazine owners Nic and Hayley
Mattson for lunch with 2017 Roblan
of the Year Tom Madden and
his wife, Lori Lamacchia.
Tom booked us a table at
CATCH Seafood Bar and Grill –
his go-to lunch place – where owner
and chef Chico Mara arranged a little
bit of everything.
We met for lunch and, as the conversation
flowed, we feasted on fabulous
food prepared by Chico and his
long-time cook, Rudy, and served by
his wife, Teresa, and their daughter,
Vanessa. Additional CATCH staff
members include “the two Jesus”
cooks and Chico’s daughter-in-law,
Savannah. The afternoon was wonderful
– it was all about enjoying
great food and great service with
great people at a great restaurant!
APPETIZERS
Pan fried calamari & Crab cakes
Nic: This is the best calamari I have
ever had; it’s so tender. And the crab
cakes were amazing.
Tom: I love the crab cakes and the calamari
is the most tender you can have
anywhere.
Lori: The calamari is the best.
ENTRÉES
Scampi, scallops & sautéed mushrooms
with fresh garlic, capers, basil, lemon,
and wine sauce
Nic: Wow – all of this is really, really
good. What Lori said when we first sat
down is ringing true – why go to the
coast? The best seafood is right here at
CATCH!
Hayley: The scallops are incredible!
Tom: The sauce is off the hook!
Rack of Grass-Fed New Zealand Lamb
with roasted potatoes, broccoli, snap
peas, carrots, and green beans
Nic & Hayley: For us pescatarians,
there are plenty of cooked-to-perfection
vegetables, lightly sautéed.
Meagan, Tom & Lori: The lamb is
beautifully prepared, tender, with just
the right balance of seasoning to allow
us to taste the freshness of the meat.
Opah, Seabass, Halibut, Shrimp
Ribeye Steak
Nic: The key word here is fresh. This is
the best halibut I have ever had. Every
bite is a taste explosion.
Tom: The ribeye is outstanding. I will
be taking some of this home with me.
And the fish – simply delicious. Chico
has fish delivered fresh daily.
Lori: Each piece of fish is prepared to
bring out the true flavors; it’s tender,
and melts in your mouth. Like I said
earlier, why go to the coast for seafood?
CATCH is the place to be for the atmosphere,
the people, and definitely
the food.
DESSERTS
Crème Brûlée
Double Chocolate Cake
Nic: The top base on the chocolate
cake is creamy without being overly
sweet, and the middle layer has a nice
hearty consistency; the flavor throughout
is very good.
Hayley: The chocolate cake, from
Cambria’s French Corner Bakery, is
very rich, but it doesn’t have a bitter
bite; very smooth.
Meagan: Crème Brulee – my absolute
favorite! It’s light and creamy, packed
with flavor. This is the perfect finish to
an amazing meal with friends.
Tom: Chico makes this Crème Brulee
with fresh vanilla beans. It’s not too
sweet, it has a nice, creamy consistency.
The chocolate cake is not overpowering;
its flavor is subtle yet satisfying.
And the garnish of fresh berries is a
nice touch.
MORE ABOUT CHICO
Chico has been in the restaurant
business for over 30 years, 26 of them
along the Central Coast.
Born in Guadalajara, he came to
the United States at the age of 13, lived
in Cambria and worked in the fields as
a farmer. At 15, he started working
in the restaurant industry. After six
months of doing dishes and helping
the cooks, Chico said, “I discovered
what I truly was meant to do.”
Chico has been living in Paso Robles
for over a decade. Many locals
will remember his highly successful
Chico’s Café. Well, he wanted to expand
and opened the larger, newly
styled seafood bar right next door –
and CATCH Seafood Bar and Grill
was born! Watch Chico work his culinary
magic and sample some of the
delicious food while sitting at the bar
or dine at one of many tables located
Photos by Hayley Mattson
throughout the restaurant.
“I always wanted to build a restaurant
with an open kitchen,” Chico
said. “We want everyone to feel like
family when dining here. We get a lot
of repeat customers, sometimes three
or four times a week; having the support
of the local community is everything.”
Head on over to CATCH Seafood
Bar and Grill, located at 836 11th St.
in Paso Robles, and tell Chico we sent
you! Open weekdays for lunch, 11 a.m.
to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m.
On weekends, CATCH serves breakfast
and lunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Daily specials
on the chalkboard inside, menus
online.
For reservations or more information,
call 805-239-3332, see catchseafoodbarandgrill.com,
or check out the
Facebook page.
38 PASO Magazine, February 2018