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| The main event: Black Pasta with Ground Squid |
A wrong turn in walking to The Daily Catch proved costly. The mistake cost us 15 minutes, so we arrived at 5:30 instead of 5:15. The one party ahead of us in line took their seats 20 minutes later and actually finished their meal and walked out before we got our table. The Daily Catch plays by its own rules, so no reservations and you don't even get a number or leave your name. You stand in line. For us the wait was an hour. And, do you think a place like this would accept your credit card?
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| Calamari meatballs, cut |
So, was it worth it? Well, maybe, but to satisfy our curiosity more than anything else. We wouldn't stand in line there again. Our appetizer turned out to be the bargain of the night. A mere six dollars got us two calamari meatballs--a distinctive appetizer I'd never be able to find here in the Bay Area. They were delicious and tasted like, well, calamari. The texture was a little spongy and the flavor was largely of the tomato sauce.
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| Shrimp linguine |
Next came the shrimp linguine. I barely had a chance to touch it, as the kids grabbed it and loved it, though more for the pasta than the shrimp. I liked the shrimp, though it's hard to make it stand out as spectacular in a linguine dish. So, it wasn't memorable.
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| Monkfish Marsala |
The Monkfish Marsala was dominated by the wine sauce, which to many would have been fine, but I would have liked the dish to feature the fish, which was tender and juicy. Again, the boys really enjoyed the pasta that came with it.
Perhaps the most anticipated dish was the Black Pasta with Ground Squid. Here, The Daily Catch did not disappoint. Made with squid ink, the pasta was right on, being good and chewy. The ground squid went really well with it, but I would have still loved the greasy pasta on its own.
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| Perhaps the most important thing on this menu: Cash Only |
I liked that the cook was there in plain view of the restaurant. His work in the kitchen was a show in itself and can't be discounted. It was fun watching his well coordinated dance, waving the frying pans, grabbing the right ingredients without looking and somehow knowing the dish in the oven was ready without looking at his watch (all while having two other courses going). I guess that's what cooking in a restaurant is about, but it was never presented so clearly to me before.
The Daily Catch
323 Hanover St.
Boston, MA 02113
(617) 523-8567
www.dailycatch.com
