The Cat and Fiddle

The Cat and Fiddle. Such a ambiguous name leaves me hanging as I toss it around in my brain, trying to think of what food it might serve, and what kind of expectations I should have. I walk past the huge sign which advertises for the upcoming Valentines Day celebrations, thinking nothing of it, and enter the gates of this restaurant. This is where I stop in my tracks and just stand in awe of what lies before me. It's like I was transported to a different country, perhaps somewhere in Europe, where people would sit by Cafes and drink a latte or two, watching the world go by. It is definitely something out of the ordinary in ghetto Los Angeles.

The owner of The Cat and Fiddle, Ashlee, takes us on a tour of the restaurant, pointing out one or two items which hold meaning to her. These include the bus signs from Europe, or the chairs that were once used in the coaches in London. We discuss a little about the layout of the place, the background of this quaint little place as well as it's claim to fame (the staircase above is the one featured in Casablanca). We then proceed to a little sampling of the food, which obviously made my tastebuds tingle with excitement. First up was the Scotch Egg and Sausage roll, both of which are made from scratch at the restaurant. Ashlee suggests that we have it with the spicy mustard sauce as well as hp, a variation to the A1 Steak Sauce often featured in our meals. Good suggestion. It is delicious. The Shepherds Pie is nothing out of the ordinary, but what comes after completely silences our table as we all revel in it's deliciousness. Collectives oohs and aaahs can be heard around the table as we place this piece of fish into our mouths. Ashlee mentions that they have the Fish and Chips recipe down, and I understand why. That is something that I would travel miles for, something that would keep me coming back, if the atmosphere of the place didn't already draw me in.

I will definitely be back for more.