Catch & Release Will Become Marina Del Rey's Best Seafood Option This Spring

It’s been all quiet on the Marina Del Rey front since the initial drop that Jason Neroni and newfound business partners Sprout Restaurant Group were moving on plans to flip Paiche into a seafood-heavy spot called Catch & Release. Well, it’s certainly not for lack of working.

Reached for comment earlier this week, Neroni says that things are progressing along nicely with the restaurant, though its nowhere near camera-ready yet. "We’re really opening it up," says the former Superba chef, who left Hibler’s restaurant group for greener pastures last year. "Paiche was a very dark restaurant. It lent itself to a dinner crowd, but we want to be something more."

That ‘more’, apparently, has a lot to do with the expected clientele. Neroni and Sprout honcho Bill Chait are envisioning a more family-friendly atmosphere where the chef can hone in on classic dishes from his family's time in Maine, while also expanding on his years in various kitchens over the years.

The result is likely to be a menu complete with lunchtime plates like lobster rolls and red snapper dogs, while a large raw bar off to one side gives off a strong happy hour vibe, and dinner will span the gamut from seafood paellas to a crazier options like bacon-wrapped monkfish. And, this being the westside, brunch is definitely in play.

As the above rendering shows, there nautical theme is alive and well, but won’t be too overdone. Picnic tables, hanging exposed bulbs and faux wooden shingles help to further keep things casual. While there’s still no timetable for the official opening, Chait and the Sprout team don’t make it a habit of running long when they can help it.