Matsy's Restaurant & Lounge

Matsy's has been doing catering for my family's special events such as anniversaries, birthdays, and reunions.  The food is always delicious,  abundant and at a very fair price.  I am from Portland and wish that Matsy's was closer so they could do my events up here.  My only reason for not giving it 5 stars is that I wish there was a more extensive wine list.

I read the only one review for this place and I don't think it should be on Yelp with just rating of 2.  This is a somewhat unique place as their other business is catering so I suspect they use the restaurant to try things out and see how well it flies.

I had a flatiron steak that was cooked perfectly with just a slight pink in the thick part.  Sorry folks, I'm not a rare guy.  The portion was ample but not a gigantic portion.  I had a baked (Idaho I'm sure) potato that was perfectly done and the correct flakiness for "bakers".  The fresh vegetables were ok but not perfect.  They consisted of carrot slivers, squash, mushrooms and onions and because the squash cooks quickly the carrots were hardly cooked and not very tasty.

The salad is served family style in one bowl with a vinegarette dressing already applied.  It was a very very delicious house dressing and the salad was very good.  We wanted more after we were done.

The restaurant is only open for a few hours for lunch and from 5pm to 9pm for dinner 5 days a week.  If I remember correctly they are closed Mon. and Tue.  The dinner menu had fresh salmon & halibut on this visit.  The halibut could be cooked any way you wanted.  The menu had other seafood dishes and many steak dishes along with BBQ ribs and prime rib.

I would go back in a heart beat.

Had lunch here, nice, bright, clean.   It was a Wednesday so the Lunch Special was Mafa Chicken, Fried Rice, and Fried Cabbage for $7.95.  I had to have the Mafa Chicken as the legend has the origin of that dish as a sister of an old family friend when she worked at the EastSide Cafe, many years ago.

I usually get my fix for Mafa Chicken at Lil' Orphan Annies in Caldwell, as the owners there came from The EastSide Cafe.    I have always considered that to be the "authentic" recipe, but, too be honest, I was quite young the last time we ever ate at the EastSide.

Matsy's Mafa was a bit light in colour, not real flavourful in the batter/breading.  Also, all white meat.  I think Orphan Annies has better Mafa Chicken, and, I think if one finds the old cookbook that is floating around Eastern Oregon/Payette/Washington County, the recipe is available for home preparation with more flavour.

Matsy's did serve large portions, good service, clean atmosphere.  No complaints, but, the search continues for the best Mafa Chicken.