Today was a day of firsts but not really. In fact, today was like a day I would have back home in New Jersey: wake up, get ready for work, drop off the kids, take the light rail, go to the office, enjoy lunch including but not limited to a choice of either korean fusion, chinese food, mexican, latino, or a good ‘ol italian sandwich….then go home.
For the first time since I’ve moved to Austin, I opted NOT to drive to downtown Austin, instead, I opted to do the whole park-n-ride thing and take the Capital Metro Rail. It was a better version of my experience riding the Hudson-Bergen Lightrail in that, there were no crowds, it was more spacious, the scenery was better, and there’s free on-board Wi-Fi to enjoy. After hopping off at the Plaza Satillo station, I enjoyed a ride on a LIME scooter for the first time to get to my appointment at Shed. Awkward, at first (and you have to be mindful of bumps on the sidewalk); riding a motorized scooter was fun and pretty cool. I absolutely love how you don’t need a docking station and can park it anywhere once you’re done with it.
Ok, but the title of this post is La Matta?
Back home in New Jersey, it wasn’t difficult at all to find an Italian Deli where you can get a delicious prosciutto sandwich with Mutz. So, when I learned about La Matta opening last year; I anxiously waited for the perfect time to visit and enjoy one of my favorites. Today was a perfect time to visit as it’s located right across the street from the CapMetro Plaza Satillo Station.
See, there’s nothing “New Jersey” or “Jersey Italian Deli” about La Matta. (Fuhgettabout it!) In fact, La Matta delivers an authentic Italian experience. They serve italian sandwiches the way they would be served in Italy and present it as such. And this experience goes beyond the food, the aesthetic of La Matta is Italian through and through and for a moment, I forgot I was in Austin.
I thoroughly enjoyed my prosciutto di parma, mozzarella di bufala, arugula, sandwich on ciabatta. So much so, I ordered a few more to take home to my wife. If you’re a soccer fan, you’ll be pleased to see a soccer match being projected along the wall. I chose to face said wall while I enjoyed my sandwich.
So, if you’re craving an authentic Italian sandwich in Austin….look no further than La Matta and tell them Ace sent yah. OHHHH!
And of course, I can’t forget…my number 3.
