I had eaten at The Daily Catch's Brookline location years ago (it no longer exists), and I always…read moreremember it as a great meal. So when I was visiting Boston with my husband two weeks ago, I thought this Waterfront location would be a great spot for dinner on our first night in Boston.
The family behind The Daily Catch opened their first business in Boston (in the North End) in 1973 - a small storefront selling calamari. Since then, it's become a bit of an institution in Boston, with several locations and now a full-service, large-menued Sicilian-style seafood and pasta restaurant.
I waited an hour outside their Brookline location when I ate there years ago, and the wait was worth it. People who have eaten at their North End location may remember waiting for a bit, too. But this Waterfront location? THEY TAKE RESERVATIONS. Hallelujah.
We had a reservation for around 8pm on Friday night and were seated at our table right away upon arriving. The restaurant is beautiful but understated - not flashy or too modern - with indoor and outdoor patio seating.
The service was top notch. Our server was PJ, and he was incredible - helpful, friendly, always checking in with us. But even other people stopped by to make sure we didn't need anything.
The menu is pretty large, and I wanted A LOT OF IT. Unfortunately, we were only two people and had to order responsibly. We shared the stuffed calamari (calamari stuffed with herbed bread crumbs, pine nuts, and raisins, and served in their red sauce); a Caesar salad (classic, and we added anchovies on top); their black pasta aglio olio (ground calamari, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, romano cheese, and parsley); and their monkfish marsala (pan-seared monkfish medallions with mushrooms in a marsala wine butter sauce).
What I loved? That stuffed calamari. I had it almost ten years ago when I ate at their Brookline location. I remembered it, and we had it again. It's an incredible dish. There's a reason their black pasta aglio olio is so popular. It's a classic and very delicious. The ground calamari is such a nice touch, and the dish is fresh and super garlicky and delicious. (They serve their pastas in the pan - it's something they are known for - a charming touch!)
I also think their drink menu is great. I had a great glass (or two?) of wine white from Sicily (Pietradolce Etna Bianco - a 100% Carricante grape wine from the Northern slopes of Mount Etna), while my husband had a cocktail (or two?).
The only thing that kept this from being an absolutely perfect dinner was the monkfish marsala. The monkfish was cooked beautifully cooked, but I found the sauce very off. It was bizarre - it tasted like maple syrup to me. I think the marsala was too sweet or not cooked out enough or - is it possible?! - something was added for additional sweetness and the balance was off. Way too sweet for me with the fish. We ate the fish but tried to get as much off the sauce off as possible. The only miss in a meal that was otherwise wonderful in service, ambiance, food, and drink!
The Daily Catch is a classic for a reason. If you've always wanted to try it, this Waterfront location is great - since they do take reservations here! Great Sicilian food in the heart of Boston.