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Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: East Village1st Ave-14th St (L)
Mon-Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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Matilda has some unique qualities that sets it apart from other restaurants in the city. First and foremost, the story of how it became an italian/mexican fusion restaurant is pretty cute. Makes you feel like you have a personal relationship with the owners. The atmosphere is equally as charming as its story.
Second of all, and more importantly in my eyes, when it came to dessert, my friend and I were surprised to find that the dessert menus were right under our noses the entire time! They were on little wood planks that slid into the table top! Now that is what I call thinking out of the box! I always say that I appreciate when waiters bring dessert menus without asking first. Regardless of whether or not I save enough room for dessert, I always want to check out the options to see if anything strikes my fancy! Good work Matilda; way to set yourself apart from the rest!
Matilda was a peachy-cute little place that seems like it would be awesome for dates (I state this generally, as I've never had a date there). It was quieter than the places we'd walked past on Ave C, so a friend and I ducked in for some supper after having drinks at The Sunburnt Cow. The paparadelle with oxtail ragout was tasty but hearty as all get out--don't order it unless you're up for a very filling meal. Given that it's thick-cut homemade pasta with a ragout made of one of the meatier meats that's out there, you'd think that this would have occurred to me before I ordered it. My fella finished off my leftovers after I got home and gave them two thumbs up.
I'm not a big fan of cash only restaurants and I would've preferred a cheaper drink option, but wouldn't be opposed to going back. The Mexican dishes sounded fantastic, so a follow-up trip to try the braised pork with peaches may be in the cards.
Tuscan - Mexican fusion, whaaaaat?
It boggles the mind, but once you've tried it, you'll start to see why Matilda is a gem of a restaurant--a chic inside that doesn't look like it's trying too hard, friendly and attentive waitstaff, and amazing food that they can all describe and are more than willing to explain to you if you're unfamiliar with an ingredient (or a few ingredients, in our case!).
Tuesday night is ladies' night, which I think meant that all drinks were half off for us!
As for the food, I had the oxtail ragout with papparadelle, which was AMAZING. The gnocchi with cilantro and basil pesto (how innovative! Cilantro in BASIL?) was tasty and handmade, and the mushroom pasta also was quite delicious.
It's pretty affordable, as EV dinners go. Highly recommended!
This is a very cramped restaurant with very little space and no flexibility from the staff.
I would not recommend any group larger than 2 to go - unless you like eating off your lap and jarring with the maitre d' over the use of empty tables. A particularly amusing moment occurred when the maitre d' came by and asked me curtly "do you know anything about running a restaurant?" Why is that question even relevant - I am your customer, not your employee. How about giving your customers enough space to eat! Make use of your empty tables! Don't give the impression that our party of 12 (and our bill of over $500) is better off somewhere else. If you can't accommodate big parties, you should have said so when we made the reservation.
The food is underwhelming at best. Overpriced and small portions. Guacamole at Chipotle is ten times better. The spaghetti with prosciutto & calamari wasn't much to rave about - the proscuitto didn't have any flavor and the calamari tasted frozen. The Gnocchetti had a bad aftertaste and the oxtail pasta had a weird texture. The drinks were fruity and fizzy - nothing spectacular about mixing fruit bits with seven-up.
My overall impression of the restaurant is that they think too highly of themselves. This is avenue C, not Park avenue.
What a chic restaurant! I went here with my boyfriend, best friend and her boyfriend last Saturday night as part of my City Shuffle/Diners Deck card. We arrived at around 7:45 and there were many open seats, although we were told we'd have to vacate by 9:00 because a large party was going to use up the 2 remaining inside 4-person tables. There were 2 4-person tables outside, but we wanted to sit inside, near the window.
The food was yummy, though I had a hard time figuring out the Mexican/Tuscan mix. The four of us split the spicy guacomole, which was plenty for all of us. I ordered the gnocci with basil, which was delicious and very filling. I haven't had gnocci in a long while, so it was great to have it again with basil and pine nuts. I didn't even finish the whole thing. My boyfriend got filet mignon tacos, which were an appetizer, so I ended up sharing some of mine because it wasn't that big. My friend got the scallops which were very tasty, and her boyfriend got steak which I didn't try because I don't eat red meat.
We also all got their prosejitos, which were very tasty. My friend got the blackberry prosejito, which was very sweet. I would probably get that next time, but since they are $11 each, I opted for just one.
The restaurants ambiance was great, and the music was great. Our server was very quick to get what we needed, and left us alone most of the time. The restaurant wasn't too loud either, despite having almost a full house. I definitely recommend checking it out if you're in the East Village and looking for something classy.
I'm a 3 1/2 star kind of girl regarding this spot. So very cute, great music went on Tuesday which is ladies night thank gosh cause the drinks were expensive so half off was nice.
The food was really good the guac used basil instead of cilantro GENIUS, not sure I like the foccacia instead of tortilla chips (those were provided as well) had the tacos and the zucchini panini (which was flavorless btw) which me and a friend split.
It was still kind of pricey and I left full but wasn't the most memorable delicious meal. The guac was amazing and the veggie tamales were amazing but literally it was 3 bites.
So in other words, the place was delicious minus the zucchini panini, but I didn't leave being like that was AMAZING, i left being like that was good and different, I like.
Third time's a charm, isn't it? My first two visits here were great, but my third was nothing short of excellent. The deliciously inventive prosejitos are reason enough to come to Matilda, but adding to its appeal are the welcoming, generous, & accommodating owners/staff, phenomenal desserts, and decor that I can best describe as crisp, clean lines with a dash of South Beach vivacity.
In terms of food overall--some of the flavors meld quite well together and others not as much. The items I highly recommend are: steak tacos, shrimp tostadas, and veggie tostadas. The ones that didn't pop quite like the rest are the gnocchi and tamalitos vegetarianos. The tequila tiramisu (on special during 3rd visit) was a culinary amalgamation gone absolutely right---I'm not sure that I can ever eat traditional Italian tiramisu again. Even the simple sorbetti are exquisite. Service has generally been slow, but we've never minded because it really seems like the staff is trying their best. Bill has always been under $50/person.
Promise me you will not leave without trying the ever so fresh prosejito (strawberry is my personal fave)---it is one libation you will not soon forget.
I really really wanted to love this place since it looked so cute & the concept was so original, but the food was disappointing. I went here for a light dinner before going out for my friend's birthday. We shared the guacamole, it was okay, the basil was a little over powering, definitely didn't compare to traditional. I also had the shrimp/ fish tacos. The filling for 3 tacos only had 3 dime sized pieces of shrimp and the rest was a bland white fish that was shredded until it was an almost paste, you know like the stuff that's left in the tuna can? Out of 7 girls at the table only one had something positive to say about her meal. She ordered the homemade pasta with a cream mushroom sauce, which she said was phenomenal. The sangria was pretty good, but the best part of the meal was the cilantro, mint chocolate chip ice cream they brought out with a candle for my friend's birthday. The ice cream was so fresh and light! Don't think I'll be back for a second try...
This place is certainly the charmer. Tucked back all the way over on 11th & Ave C, Matilda is really incredible. The atmosphere, the food and the service were all top notch. Two stand outs for me were the guacamole and the prosejitos--both of which were superb. I only hope that they continue to stay in business because when I went we were one of two groups in the place on a Thursday night.
Anyway, our server also mentioned that on Tuesday's they offer a ladies night which includes I believe a complimentary glass of wine with dinner. So please if you haven't already, check this little gem of a restaurant out.
The night started with Michael Jackson tunes, spicy guacamole and a pitcher of red wine sangria. As we perused the menu, covertly (or not so much) tapping our feet to "the way to make me feel", the friendly waiter came by to list the specials. While he was rattling off the specials, all I could really think about was how incredibly delicious the guacamole and the sangria were.
When the music changed to Queen, we ordered our mains. Two lamb shanks, the pork tenderloin special, smoked salmon, and pesto gnocchi w/pine nuts for the table. The lamb shanks were braised perfectly and served with a delicious chipotle & orange sauce and garlic fries. The pork was very tender and served with a mystery (but good) tangy sauce. The smoked salmon had a sweet glaze on it, which complemented the slightly salty fish. The gnocchi was outstanding. The basil pesto was quite certainly homemade (you never find pesto like that even at Whole Foods) and the pine nuts added a very unique touch. Every dish was carefully cooked and seasoned, and portions were on the larger side, which worked well for us hooligans.
When the music changed to Bob Marley, we knew we had to order another pitcher of sangria.
Matilda was an absolute hit. I'm still not sold on the Italian/Mexican fusion part - the mains certainly seemed mostly Italian to me. However, that does not take away from the fact that they put out six great products on our table. Yay! I'm a fan.
I came here when I was visiting my friends who live in NY, and while I was a little skeptical about the fusion--I couldn't really see how Italian and Mexican cuisine could be married gracefully, they really pulled it off! Everything we had was delicious. I had the oxtail, which was highly recommended, and it was scrumptious. However, the mexican chocolate gelato was the real star of the meal.
It's pretty cramped, which I guess to be expected downtown. It's also a little bit of a walk from the subway, but well worth it!
Great. Normally I would run screaming from such idiotic concepts as fusion dinning, but I have to say I really enjoyed Matilda. The guacamole with Basil was awesome. I had a pasta dish that was just the right size and tasty. It's a little pricy for a place that doesn't accept credit cards. All in all a good experience.
Pozole fagioli.
Guacamole.
Sangria.
Proseccjitos.
Lately I feel like I have been going to the same three restaurants over and over again. I don't know what it is about old habits but they do indeed die-hard. Anywho, last nite in attempt to be spontaneous and step out of my proverbial box I ventured into Matilda which is located in the gentrified section of Alphabet City. The restaurant's concept is genius, a menu boasting a fusion of Mexican and Italian cuisine. I was intrigued, both cultures are famously known for their hearty meals and robust taste. I thought to myself, could this be done? The answer is yes it can.
Taking advantage of the balmy night my friend and I decided to sweat-it-out in the limited sidewalk seating area, and ordered a delicious bottle of cold Rose. For me half the dining experience is the booze. My friend and I split the Al Prosciutto Quesadilla appetizer, which was amazing; I would never think of combining those ingredients but they work well together. For my entree I had the Piccante Con Gamberoni a shrimp, avocado on foccacia take on the traditional torta. While tasty I found the bread to be a tad too thick and the contents a little scant.
Still this did not subtract from the excellent service, which should be applauded. Overall Matilda is an excellent addition to growing East village restaurant scene that delivers an enjoyable and eclectic dinning experience.
Oh man, I was so curious how Matilda would pull off tuscan+mexican, kinda like how I wonder how you can pull of patent leather without looking like a hooker. Well, there is always a way. And, Matilda -- you have pulled it off from decor, to drink, to food...
The hosts and servers are very friendly and accommodating and the crowd is very eclectic, which creates a very upbeat vibe. Each time I visited, there was a birthday being celebrated, (clearly I'm not the only one who digs the vibe.) I enjoyed the appetizers a bit more than the main courses that we sampled, hence my vote that this is a great place for DRAPPS to start off the night right. They make a few cocktails with Prosecco, which are pretty amazing and unique! Sometimes bar service is a bit slow though, so get your order in pronto/prontisimo. :)
Great atmosphere, great service and good value!! Come prepared with Cash though, because Matilda ain't about the plastic!
Matilda is not just a neighborhood gem but a NYC gem! Try and find a Tusc-Mex somewhere else! i moved away from the East Village over the summer but this place is so great my partner and I go back there regularly. The food is awesome - my favorites are the Mari Monti Quesedillas, the Papardelle and the soup which has giant corn in it, amazing! I just read a review by A.F - I was sitting close by and heard everything that night : I know this because I recognized the comment "do you know how to run a restaurant" which was, in my opinion, completely justified under the circumstances. Some Princess who couldn't count her own friends thought she could just steal tables as more friends arrived beyond what she'd booked. The owner did everything she could to accommodate her but she continued to complain and make unreasonable demands as if it was her own private dining room. She made an absolute nuisance of herself not just to the owner but other customers like me. People like that should learn some manners and respect before going out in public, it's a shame they get to post pseudo-reviews that tell lies about the food and the service so all I can say is, look at the reviews on here, on Zagats and other places then judge for yourself. It's a great restaurant!
Proseccjitos!! Please go here and try them. Skip brunch it is a mess but dinner is delightful and totally unlike any meal you have had. The pink decor makes it perfect for a girls night out. And if Matilda is there pinch her cheek and tell her I say hi.
Matilda definitely won me over. Went recently with some friends for a birthday, and we were wowed by the excellent combination cuisine of Tuscan-Mexican, and the great drink menu. The guacamole and the gnocchi, both which were mixed with Tuscan influences such as roasted red peppers and Italian spices, were incredible. Combine this with an incredible wait staff and a relaxing atmosphere, I'd definitely be back again and again.
Also, our server mentioned that the bar has a ladies night on Tuesdays that offers, I believe, complimentary wine with dinner, but don't hold me to it.
Combining Italian dishes with a host of mexican ingredients and vice versa is a strange but fantastic idea. The cocktails are killer too.
Went last Friday and it was a little crowded and the place itself is small, so probably better to go on a school night.
Classy and fun.
Sangria cannot be beat.
Refreshing atmosphere.
Friendly, clean, chill.
Very well priced and clean, flavorful food.
What more can you ask for.
Loved it! =) Went there for a friend's bday, and fell in love with the place. The owners who were also the waiters were a couple who had named the restaurant after their daughter, and they were just great!
Since we had just gotten screwed over at Cafecito around the corner, we went in (as a group of 6) without reservations and they accommodated us right away.
The service was so warm and friendly -- I spoke with the father about bringing out a birthday cake when we were done with the food, and he was more than accommodating; brought out the whole staff with a candle on top -- loved it!
Also the functionality of some of the decor was pretty darn cool -- the desert menu was IN the table (a wooden slot was cut out and the menu placed in a wooden block, very creative).
When I heard it was fusion, I had my doubts. I've never been a fan of fusion, thinking that traditional cooking was better, but this fusion of Italian and Mexican actually went very well. I enjoyed the homemade pasta, and the tacos were delicious. =)
Very charming. I was greeted by a woman and a child, who happened to be Matilda herself. The decor was nice and quirky, but a little rough around the edges. The food was really good. I suppose they are shooting for a hybrid of Italian and Mexican cuisine. It wasn't over-the-top good nor did the service blow my mind, but it was good and decently priced for the experience. The best thing I had was a calamari cream based pasta with chunks of prosciutto. It was very flavorful and filling.
An eclectic mix of Mexican and Italian food. The venue has a modern design that's very colorful and funky.
You should try the prosciutto quesadillas for a unique fusion of salty and spicy. Guac was ok, nothing to write home about.....the oil they serve to dip the bread/focaccia in has jalapeno grinds at the bottom, so be careful if you don't like spice.
Service was amazing, they made the experience fun and easy for our group (10 of us).
*Cash Only*
Ate here with a group of 14 and took advantage of the 10% Yelp discount. One word of caution - they do not have a full bar here. They do serve wine and beer. Overall the food was decent, I am not sure I was following the whole "tuscan-mex" thing - seemed like Mexican food to me. The best thing I had was the rissoto "farrotto pomodori e cilantro". Delicious. Overall the decor is nice, the staff was friendly and the food was fine. Maybe would have gotten an additional star if they had a full bar.
what a great dinner! aside from the food, which i will get to in a minute, the service was great. it is very laid back, they do not rush you in the least. the owner is adorable and came over making sure we loved everything (which we did!). the server was not pushy or overbearing. the ambiance was very cool and chill, with some great tunes going. the food was great! hubby had the lamb shank, which came right off the bone and melted in your mouth (i tasted it just to be sure). i had the spaghetti with prosciutto and calamari, it had a little heat to it but not overpowering. we split the guacamole as an appetizer, small but good. portion size was just write (which is always rare) and you were full but not gross. perfect! i will be back when i am in the neighborhood. make sure you get one of the proseccojitos (mojitos made with processeco). so good!
Such a perfect dining experience. Rocking (but not too loud) 80s music. Fantastic, attentive waitress. Outdoor seating (which at least on a Sunday night the street was pretty quiet) Excellent guacamole. Awesome mango mojito. Scallop quesadilla (which I'd never had anywhere but was deiicious). Great tiramasu. All my friends got equally delicious things. And they didn't rush us out. I wish I'd found this place years ago!
I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but the food was amazing...as was the Sangria...Definitely check it out.
Deelish. Losing one star for smallish portions of their yummy food. I'm such an American.
The sangria is reason enough to make this a regular favorite, lots of fruit, and lots of kick. Great food, good vibes, warm service and one cool couple (Maristella and Esteban) running the show.
Delicious food, wonderful sangria, great service, very cute interior surroundings. Three of us had the gnochetti with cilantro-basil-pesto, and it was fantastic. The other two girls were happy with their entrees as well. The food prices are very reasonable, but they get you a bit more on the sangria pitchers ($30 for about five glasses worth) - all in all not a bad deal. I definitely recommend making reservations - the place is tiny. For booze, they do beer and wine (including the aforementioned sangria, as well as prosecco-mixed drinks).
All I gotta say is Proseccjitos! These are mojitos made of prosecco and they are to die for. I must've had 2 or three, and could've kept on going. Ambience was very cute and inviting. I loved our waiter - funny, personable, friendly. I was a bit disappointed with the food, though. Homemade nachos were amazing, but other than that think everyone in my party thought food was bleh. I had a chorizo panini which was way too hard and salty. My bf was the only one who liked his dish and he got the lamb shank. I would say go just for the drinks and nachos and call it a night.
This place is great. The very best dessert in the world! You MUST try the chocolate ice cream. The spicy fish tacos are tasty as are the steak tacos. Their guacamole is to die for and perhaps he most uniques flavor I've had in years. Chorizo panini...yummy. Sangria...yummy.This is a true marriage of flavors that goes so well with the marriage that brought these owners together! The decor is just lovely. Ok the place is small...deal with it! The servers are super friendly in a neighborhood where the trend is becoming...well...trendy and obnoxious. I am from the neighborhood and remember when no one would venture down here for anything other than illegal stuff...so Matilda is a true sign of how the LES has really grown up. Eat here...but bring cash they don't take cards.
Happy Hour All Night Sunday
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
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