rev:text
| - I generally consider myself pretty in the loop with restaurants around the city, but when a suggestion was made to try Mata Petisco Bar for Winterlicious, I have to admit I had never heard of the joint. The menu was promising, though, so off we went.
It's a small place, but the decor is homey and inviting. We arrived right on time and were promptly shown to a table right at the back of the restaurant, near the kitchen (which was in itself pretty cool). However, our table was literally about an inch away from another table, so when two more people were seated a few minutes later, it was basically like we were sharing a table. And because the dude to my right had a very booming voice, it made conversation with my dining companion difficult and annoying. Not exactly a promising start to the meal.
The less-than-impressive theme continued with my first course, the Caldo Verde Soup ("Cassava, Chorizo, Collard Greens"). This just tasted like a fairly run-of-the-mill creamy soup, albeit one with higher-quality ingredients. But there weren't any bold flavors here; everything just kind of blended together. It was bland, for lack of a better word. I enjoyed eating it, but it didn't knock me out by any stretch of the imagination.
The main didn't fare much better, honestly. I got the Fried Rice ("Salted Beef, Smoked Meats") and indeed, it was a small bowl of fried rice. It was fine; the meat was tasty and the rice was cooked perfectly. But again, there were no standout flavors in the dish and it ultimately tasted like something that should've been accompanying something else.
The restaurant finally did knock one out of the park with the dessert, the Guava & Cheese Empanadas with Cinnamon. It was incredible. Hot, fresh, and - surprise, surprise - flavorful, the empanada was exactly the delicious dessert I was hoping for after reading its description. It could've used something like cream or ice cream on the side to cut its richness, but otherwise it was a perfect end to a somewhat mediocre meal.
|