Review: Catch by D.A.M D’Chef Dining Restaurant Penang
Formerly D.A.M by D’Chef Dining at Lebuh Presgrave, Catch is their new concept restaurant located at 12 Jalan Burma in Le Embassy Hotel. It is hard to miss as it’s located between the junction of Burma and Transfer road.
Helmed by Chef Davine, Catch offers an Asian-fusion menu with an emphasis on the freshest ingredients of local delights with an Asian twist. It is operating from lunch to dinner and provides a wide selection of set lunches, entrees and mains for dinner. For dinner, there is an option to convert your main to a 4-course meal which comes with a salad, soup and dessert to round off your meal.
First Impressions
Parking was a challenge, there were a few cars double parking in front of the restaurant even though the police station is practically adjacent to it. Nearby, street parking was available but all were snatched up, clueless to why at this time of the day.
The restaurant strictly followed the SOPs with enforcement of temperature checks and traceability scanning before entering the premises. I’ve been told that checks were being conducted by the authorities on a frequent basis.
The place was buzzing on the Friday evening, full house without an empty seat left. So far so good.
The Appetizers
For entree, we started with the signature oyster shooters. It’s similar to the Japanese style oyster shooters with a concoction of local farm oyster and quail egg which you take in a gulp. I must say it doesn’t look too appetizing but the sweet, salty and umami flavors combined for a taste explosion.
Next, we had the Japanese clams in butter and sweet basil. These imported clams are less briny and not as sweet compared to our local clams. They can be preserved longer as they are frozen. Local clams have to be cooked on the same day otherwise it will lose its freshness.
We followed up with the peppery squid with Aroi Thai mayo. The squid is coated with a thin batter then fried to perfection, without being too stiff or rubbery.
The Mains
For the main, we ordered the Chargrilled lamb rack set, chargrilled lamb striploin and baked miso butter halibut ala carte, paired with a bottle of red wine from Burgundy.
The set is a 4-course meal consisting of a soup, salad and dessert, unless you want to fill your stomach there is nothing much to shout about.
We were satisfied with the lamb dishes. The texture was tender, its meat juicy without the gaminess and had a pleasant hint of smokiness. Very well done!
I can’t remember the last time I had Halibut but this was a fine dish. It is mild, flaky and non-fishy, similar to a tilapia. Again, cooked to perfection.
The Wine
Even though the wine list was not extensive, the wines are priced reasonably. As a benchmark, a bottle of 1L San Pellegrino costs RM15.80 which is not too high and not too low.
We settled for this bottle, I believe is a basic Pinot Noir from Burgundy. It is medium-bodied, quite versatile and paired well with both the fish and lamb dishes. A bit of let down is the finishing which is a bit short and it loses its character after a short period of time. Well, you get what you paid for 🙂
The pièce de résistance
Instead of opting for the dessert, we ordered the signature Fried Laksa to end our meal. This was a house speciality since the days at Lebuh Presgrave, it was the first time we tried it. The dish is made by wok-frying the laksa noodles with the asam laksa broth.
The flavors were a bit mild and not as flavorful, spicy and tangy as our usual bowl of asam laksa. We felt that it does not justify the price when considering it is a street food and especially with mediocre ingredients. Anyhow, this is just my opinion.
The Verdict
Overall, it was quite an enjoyable dining experience. Catch by D.A.M D’Chef Dining is a proper restaurant and the fact that they have been around for quite some time now is testament to their high standards of their food quality. I believe they will be here to stay and we’re looking forward to visit them sometime in the not too distant future to taste their new innovations.
TP’s rating:
Catch by D.A.M D’Chef Dining
Address: 12, Jalan Burma, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Tel: 017-295 4338
Web: https://www.facebook.com/catchbydam
