Mati's Meat and Bread

Ayu Bella Mukhofillah

4.0

We often associate the south as a laidback haven away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city up at the centre of Metro Manila and further north. We also have a notion that southern living is a lot more upscale especially with the numerous country clubs and multimilionnares in this side of the city. This takes us to restaurants like Mati’s Meat and Bread which emulate this upscale but not gaudy yet cosy vibe. Their first branch is located in Festival Mall’s River Park side along the beautiful manmade rive and park along the mall’s outskirts. The space feels very spacious and airy thanks to the tall ceilings and the glass walls that provides a nice view of the manmade lake and allows natural light to illuminate the space. I really liked the cross between modern sensibilities and old world charms in the way the space is decorates and also a staircase that leads to the kitchen upstairs is quite interesting as well. Mati’s Bread and Bowl has a nice and concise menu containing classic western favorites at quite an affordable price point as well as beer and wine. The owners were gracious enough to invite me an several other foodies in partnership with website to give their best sellers a try. Here’s the rundown:Oyster Rockefeller (P520): Minutes after we arrived, we were already greeted with plate filled with Oysters with melted cheese. The oysters tasted really fresh as it slid into your mouth like a jellyace from the sea while the melted cheese added a nice crispy layer of savory and creamy goodness which perfectly complimented the oysters.Salad: Mati’s salad was composed of cabbage, lettuce, spinach as well as mangoes and cherry tomatoes in an oriental orange-y dressing. I liked the freshness of the vegetables and fruit as well as the sweet and savoury dressing. I particularly liked the addition of spinach which was a nice change from the usual “lettuce overload” saladsPizza: Mati’s also serves freshly baked thin-cut, flat bread style pizza that are topped with classic toppings like Pepperoni as well as unique ones like Salpicao. My favourite pizza was the Tali’s Gamibretti (P400) which was a shrimp, anchovy, and garlic pizza. The flavour of the pizza itself was a like a dance between a savory, seafood base and cheesy and garlicky on top. For those who want something a little more unique they also have a Salpicao pizza (P420). The pizza taste like a cross between salpacao and sisig and had a strong meaty flavour with a topped generously with cheese. This pizza is perfect with lots of hot sauce or pepperflakes. They also have a Pepperoni Pizza (P360) which is loaded with lots of pepperoni slices, onions, and bellpeppers. Although they were all delicious in their own way, I felt like the crust was too thin that it almost felt like just like a crusty shell instead of a nice and chewy flatbread.Steak: The main event was a nice cut of locally sourced Wagyu sirloin steak. Visually, the steak was picture perfect especially with those diamond patterned grill marks. It was certainly as good as it looked as the steak was cooked to a nice medium rare giving it a nice pink centre, this allowed the steak to be remain tender as it slowly melts into your mouth and a release a subtle, beef flavour.They also had a nice and chunky Seafood Pasta (P360) and a creamy Strawberry Shake (P18)Overall, Mati’s offers delicious comfort food and hearty meals that can compete with fine dining restaurants without making much of dent on your pocket. Their big ticket items in particular like the Oyster Rockefeller and the Steak were absolutely delicious but absolutely affordable. Their servers are polite and quick to answer your request and they have facilities like bathrooms and Wifi. This place is beyond perfect for a nice weekend family lunch or a romantic evening date where you can have good food and a serene view of the lake.

Stefanie Febriani

4.0

Their food is phenomenal! I love the rib eye steak! I'll surely come back there again. But I think you need to train your staff about the foods you served, so when your guests are asking, they know what to say.

Irmina Valdez Iya

4.0

Matis is located at the outdoor area of Festival Mall in Filinvest in Alabang - they have a varied menu of comfort food and drinks. The first thing i noticed when i walked in was how bright and homey the place is. Our group was greeted with a nice plate of baked fresh oysters and wine. I liked the way the subtle flavour of the oysters were enhanced by the cheese. Their flatbread pizza are also worth trying if you come here. The base was perfectly baked, and topped with nice balanced ingredients like beef, shrimp, and even anchovy. The steak was very tender and seasoned perfectly. I really enjoyed it with the garlic rice. Other noteworthy items were the seafood pasta and fruit shakes.Overall, Matis is worth the drive over not only for the ambiance, but also for their hearty and delicious food.