Catch 122 offers Parisian-style food and coffee in Gastown
If you've ever been to the Latin Quarter in Paris, you have probably fallen in love with the ambiance of its bistros. Luckily, I found it at Catch 122, located on 122 West Hastings Street in Gastown.
Catch 122 is an open space with no walls between the kitchen and the sitting area. The big window allows natural light to fill the room. The takeout pastry counter and coffee bar are located at the entrance, alongside a large freezer stocked with ready-to-heat soups. In the sitting area there are six large wooden tables. A wall-length photograph of West Hastings at the turn of the 20th century pays homage to the historic Gastown neighbourhood.
Pas seulement un sandwich
The menu features pastries baked fresh daily—the double baked almond croissant is a must for brunch. At lunch, diners can choose from a variety of delicious soups and sandwiches served with salad or fries.
Standouts include the Coq au vin, Confit with dijon mustard, and Croque Monsieur (grilled black forest ham with swiss cheese and béchamel sauce). Prices range between $9 and $12.
The story behind Catch 122
Brent Kyle and his wife Tammy Siu are the owners of the cozy bistro. Kyle explains how in his business food and coffee work together as a team.
"It's not just about coffee. The coffee is a good company of the food. The sandwiches for lunch are amazing," Kyle said. "At the brunch on the weekends, [there is a] line up out the door. People love great comfort food!"
Before Catch 122, Kyle and Siu ran a catering and meal delivery service called Indishpensable in Kitsilano.
"We kept having customers coming to Indishpensable saying 'We love your food but can we just sit down and eat?'" Kyle said. “And we thought we'd like to do that and we found this great location at the historic part of town."
They started the business in April 2012, after a seven month wait for the city permit to go through. While Siu designed the interior, Kyle built the bar and the tables. Their hard work has paid off, with long lines going out the door at lunchtime. Kyle credits the revitalization of Gastown's residences and businesses as a part of Catch 122's success (in addition to its delicious fare, of course).
"It's got the office workers during the day and the condominiums at night so there's always lots of people here walking around, looking for good food, good coffee, a place to relax with a group of friends."