Tucked inside the Andaz Hotel, Catch is one of four very pleasant restaurants available to hotel guests and diners from further afield. Specialising in seafood, it’s a pretty impressive affair.

The Venue
Entering in through an unassuming little entrance on the somewhat grubby Bishopsgate, you soon find yourself in a sumptuous dining room replete with Corinthian columns, marble flooring and plenty of nods to the building’s Victorian heritage. There are certainly enough contemporary touches to ensure things don’t feel too stuffy, but the room itself is so attractive it doesn’t need much by way of adornment. A crustacean counter offers glimpses of what you’re set to tuck into, and if you want to kick your meal off with a glass of something special, there’s an elegant little Champagne bar just round the corner.

The Atmosphere
Admirably, Catch doesn’t feel at all rarefied, which is some feat considering just how ornamental the building is. It's not the biggest place so that certainly helps to create a bit of intimacy, but the really rather excellent staff should take a lot of credit for somewhere that's made to feel nicely informal and inviting. You’ll be joined in this convivial atmosphere by hotel guests, couples treating themselves to somewhere a little bit fancy and no doubt a couple of suits from the City but everyone seems just so remarkably relaxed. It’s a cool little venue, and you get the impression your fellow diners think that too.

The Food
It’s a seafood restaurant, but there are a couple of meatier options too so if you’re dragged there for a business meeting you won’t be forced to keep things purely piscine. You’re probably better served to do so though, especially if you start with some very good oysters – the Maldon rocks, for example (£12 for six), don’t have to come far so are fresh, plump and come with plenty of liquor. If they’re not your bag then the oak-smoked salmon (also from Maldon - £11) is another great place to start, with generous amounts of fish teamed with a potato and pumpernickel mouse, samphire and some gooseberries offering a hint of acidity to what’s an accomplished dish.

A blanquette of Gigha Island halibut (£24) features ever so slightly overcooked fish, which would be excusable were it not for it being joined by crab ravioli that tells of a lack of deftness in the kitchen – the pasta's just too thick. The cod (£23) fares much better, cooked beautifully (with an impressive crispness), it comes with a rich chorizo risotto that works really well with the fish, as well as calamari, black Marrakesh olives and some crispy, fried onions. A very generous cheeseboard (£12) is a good way to finish – perhaps with one of their lovely ports.

The Drinks
You get the feeling quite a few glasses of bubbly are supped at this place, and £55 for a bottle of Veuve doesn’t seem like an outlandish mark up. If you do want to go the whole hog then you can choose from some very flashy options that work their way up to a 1990 Clos d Mesnil Blanc de Blancs at a cool £1200. Otherwise, there’s an impressive range of wines on a list that enables you to keep things affordable or head towards the extravagant, but the 2009 ‘Nuovo Quadro’ Gavi di Gavi from Azienda d’Annona comes very highly recommended, and is excellent value at just £30.

The Last Word
It’s not perfect, but if you’re looking for pretty impressive seafood served in an opulent little venue, Catch is an opportunity well worth grabbing with both hands.

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