Considering Los Angeles’ rush to get in on the seafood restaurant craze, it’s safe to say that fish everywhere should be on high alert. Mark Peel’s imminent seafood stop at the Grand Central Market, Bombo, is nearing completion, while recent sit-down spots like Ocean Prime in Beverly Hills and Blue Plate Oysterette on West 3rd continue to nosh on all things ocean-dwelling. The latest offering to the sea is Catch & Release, the Bill Chait-backed concept from Westside chef Jason Neroni.
Last summer, it was Neroni who jumped ship from Paul Hibler’s American Gonzo Corp. in order to partner with Chait’s Sprout Restaurant Group on a forthcoming, if tight-lipped, project. September brought news that the duo was invading Venice’s Rose Cafe with plans for a possible B-Size Pizzeria (Neroni opened one quietly in New York City recently), though the rumor is as of now unconfirmed.
What is known is that Neroni will drop Catch & Release’s anchor into Marina del Rey, right into the old Paiche space (no surprise there, considering Chait’s familiarity with the location). "The location is great," Neroni tells LA Weekly, "I live close to there and there are lots of families around there, a lot of kids, and not many restaurants catering to them."
Leaning on New England-style seafood, Catch & Release aims to be an all-day seafood snack shack, complete with cocktails by Julian Cox and an approachable wine list. What’s most surprising, however, is the turnaround time: Chait and Neroni hope to open up the dim Paiche space and flip it into Catch and Release within the next couple of months, meaning a February debut is likely.
Catch & Release
13488 Maxella Avenue
Marina del Rey, CA 90292