Matata Asian Cuisine
Rating: Good
How could the origin of the name Matata on the sign of a Pan Asian Restaurant on Route 35 North in Middletown, have come from Hakuna Matata, Swahili for no worries, as in “The Lion King?” It did not! When we questioned its meaning, in a followup phone call, the gracious hostess informed us it’s a variation of Mandarin Chinese and actually means good food. So, if you go to Matata for a meal, do not worry, you will find good food there!
From the extensive menu of dishes from Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries, we started with Mango Kani Salad ($6); julienned strips of cucumber, mango and crab stick bound with mayonnaise, and topped with tobiko (orange colored flying fish roe) was cool, creamy, and crunchy. Perhaps a bit too creamy for our taste, but a refreshing starter on a steamy summer night.
Hands down, our favorite appetizer was Matata’s version of Sushi Pizza ($10); a variation of the more “traditional” style (lightly crisped, mildly chewy fried rice patty as “crust”); here, a salad plate-size disk of light, flaky pastry as a base for thin pieces of tuna, salmon, and yellowtail slicked with spicy mayonnaise and wasabi. Bits of diced tomato and avocado were strewn over the top. The pastry made for a rich, satisfying dish, which can easily be shared by two or three diners. A challenge to eat neatly, regardless of chopsticks or by hand, it was an explosion of flavors and textures that proved irresistible.
A generous serving of Ikayari (Grilled Squid) ($9) had nicely charred rings; however, an excessive coating of brown sauce, overly thickened and far sweeter than we like, marred the dish, and some rings were reasonably tender, but many others were too chewy to enjoy.
Shrimp Shumai ($5) was a sleeper. Steamed Chinese dumplings and a small dish of soy ginger dipping sauce, sat atop shredded lettuce. The subdued plating did not prepare us for the intricacy of the flavors. The more we ate, the more we enjoyed the thumb-size bites of tender dough and filling. They were finished all too soon.
A large portion of the menu was given over to Chef’s Special Roll, so we selected the aptly named RT 35 Roll ($11). Yellowtail, salmon, tuna, and avocado wrapped in a striking yellow soybean paper, was good, but the somewhat one- dimensional mouth feel made us wish for an element of crunch to balance the softness of the rice and fish.
Not so the Red Dragon Roll ($11); eel, avocado, and cucumber with glistening pieces of ruby red maguro tuna draped on top. This had all the elements of flavor, texture, sweetness, and spice, which made it hard to resist. There were so many more intriguingly named Special Rolls, both raw and cooked, that one would need numerous visits to sample them all.
We must confess to being avid fans of Miso Black Cod, so when we saw this hard-to-find entrée on the menu, we were excited. Matata’s flavorful version ($24) was served over deftly seasoned, crunchy, cooked mixed vegetables, which included asparagus, snow pea pods, red pepper, and zucchini. The silky-velvety nature of this fish preparation that is the basis for its appeal was captured perfectly here, and drew rave reviews from us.
Eggplant in Garlic Sauce ($10), consisted of tasty chunks of tender, purple and white striped eggplant, in a mild – as requested – sauce. If there was any shortcoming with the dish, it was once again the use of a thickening agent in the sauce and, far more sauce than we prefer. Perhaps we will ask the kitchen to omit the use of cornstarch the next time we order this dish.
This is a BYO, so what wines did we bring? In general, Asian cuisine marries well with wines that have a trace of residual sweetness balanced by some lively acidity (think lemonade), so we opted for a 2004 Maximum Grunhauser Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett. From a superb German vineyard, this showed full bodied, with honey overtones and perceptible minerality. We also enjoyed a half bottle of 2009 Gewurztraminer from Zind Humbrecht, arguably the best producer in Alsace. There is a thickness to this wine that gives it a pleasant “oiliness,” combined with a nose of grapefruit and oranges. Delish!
The exterior of Matata is unremarkable, the inside unassuming, but quietly soothing; the waitstaff and management accommodating and charming. However, the food is the main attraction here, and indeed, we ate quite well. Regardless of how or where the name originated, this restaurant serves good Asian food and aims to please.
The Two Bobs rate Matata: Good
Matata Asian Cuisine
655 NJ-Route 35
Middletown
732-671-8822
matataasian.com
Bob Sacks, wine aficionado, and Bob Sickles, owner and operator of Sickles Market, review restaurants in this bimonthly column. Read their reviews here.
