January. A new year of dining experiences. The choice was Matteo's located in Five Points on Fair Oaks and Arden. Although this was not my month to choose, I looked forward to going there. I knew that the owners also ran The Supper Club on Del Paso. When dining at Fran's, sadly no longer there, I would see the patrons out in the courtyard and they raved about the dining experience.
Matteo's is beautiful on the inside. Or maybe I had the former Steve's Pizza etched in my mind. The flower paintings on the wall and the mirrors that the hostess pointed out were there to make the room look larger. They worked! I was impressed with the dramatic change of atmosphere.
We had one of the group missing, so the four of us were seated and handed a 3 page printed paper menu. Mine had the third page second...small detail. The wine selection by the glass was limited and the one I ordered was not available. Annoying. The $5 dollar house was barely drinkable so the other wine drinker and I jumped to the $7 glass which was. It shouldn't be that difficult to update a wine list but I find this offensive. You look at the list, choose your wine and then are told it isn't available. You start the process over while the server is waiting for you to decide again. It puts you and the server in an awkward place.
We ordered the calamari appetizer. It was such a surprise when it was served on a bed of onion strings. Very little calamari. I re-checked the menu and the description did not mention the onions. Not a big problem for me but would be for someone who disliked onions. Truth in menu. So far, Matteo's 0 for 2.
We always wait to order as I have mentioned before and are never in a hurry to dine. This night it seemed like the food was not going to arrive. When it did, one pizza was lukewarm and the other burnt on the bottom. The other two meals were okay. Matteo's 0 for 3. I am reminded of a quote in Elizabeth David's collection, South Wind Through the Kitchen. Norman Douglas talking about restaurants in general states, "No sense in growling when it is too late." For me, it was too late after the appetizer.
The service was attentive, food mediocre and the ambiance was the highlight of the dining experience.
We collectively decided that we would not return to Matteo's any time soon. A strikeout.
