Catch 122 - Vancouver, BC

Another beautiful day in the city so what better way to take advantage than go downtown for a nice meal...  Gastown has really undergone a revival with a truckload of new restaurants, lounges, studios and independent stores opening up but I'm not going to lie to you foreign visitors - there's still many homeless, drug addicts and/or mentally handicapped persons wandering/walking about.  DO NOT be alarmed - they are for the most part very harmless and if you just go about your business as usual and leave them alone, they will leave you alone.  But don't think it's a romantic area full of rolling fields and waterfulls - it's a former tent city that's slowly being revitalized so expect garbage on the streets and the faint scent of urine from time to time but there's also an urban garden in the works and those great new establishments.

Catch 122 is one of those aforementioned establishments - they offer simple comfort foods and fresh pastries in a modest simple setting.  I like the exposed brick walls, menus on small bulletin boards and large tables in the back for bigger groups.  I usually try to avoid going to bathrooms in public places but it could not be avoided today and I must say, they have one of the CLEANEST bathrooms I've ever been to.  This Piglet is glad she didn't have to risk having one of her kidneys burst...  Enough about the bathrooms, let's get to the food!

Gorgonzola Poutine - $4.85

The gravy is on the watery side but light and savory, acting more like a dip, and a perfect match for the fries.  The fries themselves are excellent - thicker cut and fried to hot crispy perfection.  The flaw of this dish?  The Gorgonzola cheese.  It's a good cheese but not here.  It doesn't melt properly and completely overwhelms everything else.  When I get a bite of fry, gravy and cheese together, all I can taste is the strong sourness of Gorgonzola.  What a waste.  And poutine traditionalists/connoisseurs/lovers, just look away.  Substituting a blue cheese for the melty goodness of the traditional cheese curds is blasphemy.  Don't even look at the picture, it'll just make you cry.

Duck Confit - $11.95

Yarrow Meadows duck leg confit, French dijon mustard, arugula, fresh baked baguette

Some bites are too salty, some bites are too mustardy but overall, this sandwich is pretty good.  I just wish there was balance - an even layer of arugula, onions and mustard.  It seemed liked they were spread unevenly so you never know what you're getting when take a bite.  The first few bites were too salty but then evened out as I ate.  The middle of the sandwich was the best since there was a nice bite of large pieces of duck, lots of arugula and not too much mustard.  I didn't even see the onions until I got to the ends.  Weird.  The one thing that is consistently good about this sandwich is the fresh baked baguette - wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

The accompanying soup - I believe it was leek and celery with bacon - looks absolutely amazing and the addition of bacon has got me all atwitter.  I take a sip...  and I'm a bit disappointed.  You can taste the leeks and celery but that's it.  I could've just eaten a leek or a stalk of celery and had the same reaction.  Nothing rich about it and the bacon is so scarce, I barely get a taste.  Should've gone for the fries...

British-style Roasted Beef - $11.50

Slow roasted beef chuck roll, saute mushrooms, Swiss cheese, horseradish cream, grilled panini

The bread again is wonderful and everything about this sandwich is good.  The roasted beef is flavorful and the horseradish cream is light so it doesn't overwhelm everything else and I love that they've make this traditional sandwich into a panini.  The problem lies in the fact there isn't enough of the fillings - if you compare it with the duck confit, there's not even close to enough protein.  Just another slice of roast beef would've made all the difference in the world.  Can't a girl just another slice of roast beef?????!!!??


Overall, a nice sandwich place with a comfortable vibe.  The food is good but each element had its own flaws - unbalanced flavors, inadequate fillings - but nothing that would deter us from coming back.  Just avoid the poutine (unless you love Gorgonzola because that's all you'll taste) and you'll be good to go.  Bon appetite!


Pros:

• Comfortable ambiance
• Large tables available for large groups
• Very nice and friendly service
• Sandwiches are pretty good - the most popular choices are the ones with pulled pork and the Cajun Chicken

Cons:

• A little expensive for a sandwich and side
• Terrible poutine
• Parking difficult to find on weekends and during prime dining hours