It’s been a full six years since we last wrote about the California Fish Grill, way back in 2018. A lot can change in six years, but back then we talked up the fact that the, “Fish and chips, Rainbow trout and Cajun seared Ahi sounded tempting, making it a fun chore to decide upon a meal. The buzz in the restaurant made us feel there must be something special going on.”
At this point, California Fish Grill has 50 locations, mostly in California but with a few in Nevada and Arizona. “We only serve seafood that is rated Best Choice or Good Alternative by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program or Eco-Certified by a third party,” they say online. “Our wild-caught fish are harvested through the least invasive means possible, to ensure the ecosystem is preserved and to avoid catching unwanted species. We insist on methods that limit untargeted bycatch.”
That’s good to know; ethics are important and, ultimately, will result in a better quality product anyway. Despite the six year gap, we did want to make sure that we had a different dish this time. In 2018, we had wild-caught salmon with white rice and beans. That was superb.
This time, we went a little less healthy and had the Fried Catfish plate, with fries and kale slaw.
Let’s start with the slaw, because on the surface kale slaw doesn’t sound particularly exciting. Kale can be a tough and extremely bitter leaf. Here though, it’s paired with other shredded veg and the traditional mayo dressing, and it’s delicious. A sweetness counters the bitterness, and the flavors blend magnificently. It ends up being a stellar side dish.
The fries were simply great fries: hot, crispy and flavorful. What more can anyone ask from fries? It’s the pairing of the fries with the catfish that works so well though. It’s like a Southern take on Fish n’ Chips.
Naturally, the catfish is the best part of the dish. A generously sized piece of the meaty fish is coated in a seasoned breading and fried to a golden brown. The crunch of the coating is perfect, as is the snap of the very mild spices in the crumb.
The fish itself is flaky and bursting with that distinctive catfish flavor. It’s easy to overcook catfish, but these guys know what they’re doing.
Maybe we’ll be back in another six years to try something else.
California Fish Grill is located at 6150 Slauson Ave., Culver City 90230. Call 310-586-3242 or visit order.cafishgrill.com/menu/cfg-culver-city.