Matria

There are a lot of great steakhouses in Boston, like Abe and Louie’s, Mooo, and Grill 23. And now there’s a brand new steakhouse bringing some interesting flavors to the city, and it’s named Matria.

Set inside of the beautiful Intercontinental Hotel overlooking Boston Harbor, Matria is a Northern Italian steakhouse featuring dishes inspired by Piedmont and the Italian Riviera. So you have beautiful waterfront views right across from the Boston Tea Party Museum, and a truly stunning dining room. It’s big and open and bright, surrounded by windows. There are cool lights and a creative mix of wood and marble throughout the space.

As soon as you sit down, I’d recommend ordering their outstanding fresh-baked focaccia.  It’s baked fresh to order, so it’s served warm on a beautiful wooden board. It’s made with roasted tomato, red onion, and rosemary, and it’s generously sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Honestly, this is some of the best bread in Boston.

And to go along with it, you gotta get the Italian Cured Meats and Cheeses. This has everything you want in a great antipasto, with various hams and salumi, hard and soft cheeses, along with olives, breadsticks, fig jam, and their housemade Calabrian orange chili jam. And it’s perfect for making yourself a little pre-dinner sandwich.

Since Matria is an Italian restaurant at its heart, pasta plays a prominent role on the menu. And all of the pastas are made fresh in house. Just check out the Gnocchi alla Bava. They’re light and slightly sweet, coated in a rich and creamy cheese sauce made with fontina, parmesan, and black pepper. And throw on some toasted hazelnuts for a nice crunch.

And then there’s the Angolotti, which is one of the best dishes on the whole menu. This is a meticulously crafted pasta, stuffed with a combination of veal and short ribs. And it’s plated up with English peas, plenty of butter, and a reduction of pan juices. Absolutely mouthwatering.

OK, now it’s time to slice into some serious steaks.

Matria’s most popular cut is the Piedmont Ribeye. We’re talking very high quality beef, with a perfect char on the outside, and an intense beef flavor. And you can add on one of their signature sauces, including Peppercorn, Porcini Mushroom, and my personal favorite, the Italian style Salsa Verde, which really helps bring out the flavor of the beef.

On the side, there are high end options like Crispy Pancetta Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Mushrooms.

But you won’t even need any sides if you order the enormously delicious Westholme Tomahawk for two. We’re talking forty-four ounces of intensely marbled Australian Wagyu steak. It’s served sliced, but you also get that enormous Fred Flintstone bone on there. So don’t be ashamed to just pick it up and chow down! ((Assuming you have the strength to lift it!))

If you’re not in the mood for a steak, there are plenty of other options for your main course. One of the more affordable choices is the Eggplant Milanese. It’s basically an upscale version of eggplant parm, so it’s crispy and breaded on the outside, very soft on the inside, topped with San Marzano tomatoes and fresh basil. And the key is the burrata cheese on top.  So it’s even creamier and more delicious than the traditional mozzarella.

For something really special, order the Ossobuco. This is a classic dish, beautifully presented, featuring veal shanks that are slowly braised with fresh herbs and red wine, so the meat just falls apart. And it’s served over a bed of Saffron Risotto.

For dessert, there are some very intriguing options, including the Panna Cotta. It’s like a cross between a pudding and a custard, made with Nutella and hazelnuts with some chocolate shavings on top, and a chocolate biscotti crumble on the side.

I happen to be a huge fan of Affagatos, and Matria makes one of the best in the city. And it’s so simple. Just some creamy vanilla gelato with a little hole scooped out. And then they pour in some hot, freshly brewed espresso right in. So you get the mix of hot and cold, creamy and steamy. It’s perfect.

Now I want to let you in on a couple of off-menu items here as well. First of all, there are secret s’mores available… usually during the colder months… served outside by the fire pits. You get a beautiful wooden box full of everything you need, including chocolate, graham crackers, marshmallows, and even skewers so you can roast it yourself and make a sweet little sandwich.

And don’t tell anybody you heard it here, but there’s also a speakeasy next door called Loyall Counting House. If you ask your server, they’ll give you a special invitation that you have to slip inside a dresser drawer, and that will grant you access to one of the coolest clandestine cocktail bars in Boston.

So obviously, Matria is a different kind of steakhouse. But it’s definitely one worth visiting.