I remember, from my days in the hospitality industry, numerous places that would feature a 'Special' or 'Catch of The Day' and there was usually an unsavory reason for it. However, by speaking to the experts, we can glean a little more about whether you should be ordering the Catch of The Day.
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Restaurants can advertise a catch of the day for a variety of reasons. Usually, according to Kory Foltz speaking to Mashed, it is because the fish is freshly caught. Cooking fish straight from the sea is always the best way to eat it. Freezing and storing fish will always take away from its flavor and texture.
For me, the prime example is squid or octopus. When it's straight from the ocean to the pan both of these are delicate, bursting with flavor, and need barely a minute to cook. However, store them or, god forbid, freeze them, and they become rubbery, flavorless pieces of shoe leather, unfit for Catch of The Week let alone day.
So, when ordering a Catch of The Day from a reputable restaurant, it's usually honest. Despite this, it doesn't always mean it should be ordered from the menu. Fish are varied, and some take delicate preparation to be at their best. I stopped ordering steaks from anywhere that has more than 8 mains on the menu for exactly that reason. Some foods need a specialist, not a generalist.
When Should You Not Order Catch of The Day?
It's always important to ask your server about dishes. A good establishment will have trained their staff, and they will know about the chef's methods. If a restaurant can't tell you much about the dish, it is probably best to go with something else on the menu. At least then you know the chef cooks it regularly.
This is especially true for difficult-to-cook fish such as bass, cod, and flounder. Kory Folts has a bit of sage advice for this situation. "If the catch of the day is a species that's often overcooked, it might be better to stick with a different option." The Catch of The Day is often not a regular feature and an inexperienced chef may mess that up.
With all this in mind, there is also another reason for featuring a Catch of The Day or a special. I know a few places that will use these ploys to clear a fridge of an item that's been overstocked or is soon to be past its best. This doesn't necessarily mean that the meal is going to be a bad one, it just means it needs to get out of the restaurant before it spoils. I know many chefs who make a mean minestrone, stew, or chili from leftovers.
