Morsels of Délice: Restaurant Matera - Beautiful Gastronomic Dream

Dining here really feels like living a beautiful gastronomic dream. Enjoying the beautiful taste of uniquely curated food and beautiful scenery by the river, this is one beautiful experience that bon viviants and foodies need to experience.

The food here, marrying the best of European and Asian cuisine (this is why I love fusion food), holds so many beautiful flavours in precise proportions that surprise and spellbind the senses.

Situated in a Waterhouse by the river, the place offers a panoramic view of Bayfront landscape. Looking at the scenic world outside, sitting in the classy, modern restaurant laced with the theme of white romance and enjoying excellent food, ah, this is truly one of the enjoyments of life!

The service is impeccable, friendly and professional. I also love the extra mile they go to cut the bread, pour the sauces and special preparation of the dessert in front of me. Absolutely perfect, definitely Michelin Star standard.

The first Amuse Bouche looks so beautiful. The moment I eagerly pop this into my mouth, my eyes widened at how refreshing, unique and awesome the taste is. It feels like a spectrum of nuanced flavours dancing in perfect unison on my palates. The glistening Pomelo sacs packed with bittersweet juices juxtaposes so well with the umami of anchovies.

The second Amuse Bouche comes in a cute puff filled with egg yolk and duck sausage that take the taste buds on a different adventure that is more intense and savoury. The well-balanced combination of umami and creaminess is so good.

Ricotta Cheese with a beautiful huge slice of Truffle is a nice snack to whet the appetite.

Olives with Szechuan Oil has that mild aromatic spiciness that goes so well with the vegetal tanginess of olive.

Homemade Foccacia Bread is so fresh and best of all, is freshly cut right on spot and served warm. I immediately caught whiffs of the lovely aroma of freshly baked bread when it is placed in front of me. The interior is unbelievably fluffy with an iota of stretchiness for a good bite. The exterior is super crispy, creating a perfect juxtapose with the fluffiness.

Another thing I love about the bread is that there are five ways to enjoy.

First way: with whipped French Butter laced with anchovies and Japanese toasted rice. This is so full of umami and unique that it is worth it to specially come here to just try this.

Second way: with green olive oil that has spicy notes and a distinct vegetal aroma. This actually accentuates the natural flavours of the bread.

Third way: with whipped French and green olive to enjoy a spectrum of flavours. It works actually.

Fourth way: with milder olive oil and Chinese vinegar. This is the one with more bombastic taste and I love it.

Fifth way: with olive oil + Chinese vinegar + whipped butter. Bombastic flavours laced with creaminess and umami, I enjoy this too.

CEVENNES ONION with Scallop tartare, Caviar and Pumpkin Puree hits all the right spots gastronomically. The juicy, refreshing onion, briny sweet scallop, earthy sweetness of pumpkin puree and the little pops of intensity of caviar results in this unique, exciting and nuanced taste that I absolutely love. Definitely one of my favourite dishes.

FOIE GRAS here is the most silky foie gras I ever have. The rich, buttery, savoury flavours of this incredibly smooth morsel is punctuated by the zest of Sour Papaya and Grape, introducing the excitement in taste. Love this too.

SPAGHETTINI with Shellfish, generous amount of Uni and Tomato is such a hearty and luxurious dish. The spaghettini is al dente and thicker than the usual spaghetti, thus featuring a good bite. Probably the best spaghetti dish with uni due to the delicate taste of uni shining through the sweetness of carbs and the sheer amount of uni added.

WHOLE RED PRAWN is an optional add-on and I’m so happy with my choice to include it in my meal. I actually only added it on halfway through the meal since I was so satisfied with the prior dishes and I felt my tummy can take in an extra dish.

The fresh, sweet, succulent prawn with firm, springy fkesh is the biggest prawn I had ever seen. Brushed with Smoked XO sauce made with prawn shells and topped with ebi, the briny sweetness is intensified. And the smoky aroma adds depth to the taste. The prawn toast is a lovely snack to have with the giant prawn. A must-order for seafood lovers.

PIGEON with Koji, Hibiscus, Szechuan and brushed with Foie Gras sauce is surprisingly good. The medium rare pigeon is tender and juicy while tastes somewhat like duck, which is my favourite poultry meat. Rich in flavour but not gamey in taste, this pigeon is so well-prepared. The foie gras adds complexity to the taste and the earthy flavour mushrooms go so well with the meat.

WAGYU BEEF is unbelievably tender while still featuring a good bite. On its own, it is a very hearty feast. When paired with the Cabbage and Lingonberry, the taste develops into something amazing and special: sweet savoury meaty goodness. Tofu in agedashi form does well to cleanse the palates between bites of luxurious meat.

I love the presentation of dessert.

JAPANESE MELON is so refreshingly sweet. It is like condensed honey water! Limoncello Tofu and Ice Cream Burrata adds varied flavours and texture to the melon, making it taste even better. Definitely a very memorable dessert.