It was a fluke not happenstance, but the fish—that epitomized our visit to Via Matta, the stylish new restaurant across the street from the Park Plaza Hotel. The piping-hot flounder ($25) arrived in a neat parchment package and was sliced open by our waiter to emit a rush of steam infused with fennel, lemon, and black truffles—exceptionally subtle, simple, fresh seasonings that, in the hands of chef Luis Morales, transformed the flat, plain fish into Cinderella.
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Similarly, the restaurant's large, high-ceilinged dining room, painted a stark white—clean and sparse—relies on the prosperous, colorful guests and ubiquitous black-coated staff to spice up the atmosphere. And they do. As the crowd thickens, Via Matta ("crazy street") feels like a party in a rich artist's loft—or a slice of Milanese nightlife magically inserted into the staid Back Bay.
Tremendous buzz followed the June opening of this restaurant by Michael Schlow and Christopher Myers, two-thirds of the trio behind Radius, the sleek French spot in the financial district. We found a mix of (glamorous) internationals and Yankees—young and old alike—who sat merrily in the café, bar, and dining room, enjoying tantalizing, almost rustic, food expertly served.
Bread, cut at a long polished wooden table in the center of the dining room, is the primary starch available. We started with the not-to-be-missed crunchy eggplant appetizer ($9): silky vegetable innards surrounded by bread-crumb walls and topped with sweet, juicy tomatoes—a vegetarian's filet mignon. The ultra-fresh antipasto di magro ($10) included crisp green and waxed beans in a gentle vinaigrette, cannellini beans with sage, zucchini slivers, tart olives, and pickled red onions. It became the ying to the salumi misti's yang: the cured meat plate ($14) featured at least five items, among them bresaola (air-dried, salted beef) and outstanding spicy sopressata (salami).
In addition to the fluke entrée, we had chewy pasta triangles filled with veal, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and tangy cheese ($18), which were sautéed in sage and brown butter—again, elevated peasant fare. Via Matta also offers ample vegetable side dishes ($7-$9), such as broccoli rabe with garlic and hot pepper and roasted cauliflower, and highly regarded house specials: a veal T-bone ($34) and bistecca alla Fiorentino ($42). Regional Italian wines ($40 and under per bottle) reign.
For dessert, the caramelized quince crostada with cranberry-raisin crumble and crême fraîche ($9) added harvest flare, while the date and hazelnut bread pudding ($8)—more like a ricotta cheesecake than the usual custardy sweetness—firmly ended the meal.
We left late, but a gregarious crowd still waited at the door. (The café stays open until 1 a.m.) The party, we guessed, was just beginning.
