L Moore
Google
We spend a couple of weeks each summer up in Park City, Utah, and I saw that a new restaurant called Matilda had recently opened. I decided to give it a go, and Matilda ended up delivering one of the best dining experiences I've had in years. This place has impeccable service and delicious food that's clearly crafted with high-quality ingredients.
From the moment we stepped inside, we were greeted by a bubbly, welcoming hostess. The dining room was bustling yet cozy, and beautifully decorated. The main kitchen is literally open and right in the middle of the dining room! I LOVED this, because I could watch the chefs cooking and crafting everyone's meals.
The restaurant was bustling, yet the staff was plentiful (perhaps it's fair to even say it was overstaffed) and a lot of employees just stood by the kitchen waiting for something to do.
Our server, Keiffer, set the tone with a warm, professional introduction. He was a terrific waiter from start to finish, providing service that was extremely attentive without ever feeling rushed or intrusive.
Despite the crowd, our hard-to-get 5:45 reservation was perfectly timed and the pacing of our meal was outstanding. Keiffer's instinct to check whether we wanted to relax over our appetizer before ordering entrées was a classy touch that elevated the whole experience. Plates were cleared only when appropriate, our water glasses stayed full, and service was prompt and efficient. Honestly, it rivaled or surpassed the service I've received at fine-dining landmarks like The French Laundry.
The menu at Matilda is small, focused, and gourmet. We started with the stracciatella and flatbread appetizer ($20 in total). The flatbread (essentially pizza dough fired in the oven) arrived a bit overdone (would've preferred it to be more golden browned than blackened). It still tasted good, especially when paired with the outstandingly creamy, high-quality cheese. The wine-by-the-glass options like my French red ($16) complemented the meal beautifully, and my husband's Old Fashioned cocktail ($16) was also well-crafted. I will say that the wine pours were very small and I would've appreciated a bit more in my glass. But you know...Utah (sigh).
For our main course, the pizzas were enormous. We should've shared one, except my husband wanted Calabresi (ricotta, hot honey, and salami) and I wanted a Margherita (basil, mozzarella, tomato sauce). Note that there aren't a lot of vegetarian options here, and the kitchen didn't do substitutions (maybe because the place is still so new, I don't know).
Each of us came home with more than half our pizzas as leftovers. The ingredients stood out: rich, creamy cheeses, bright and tangy tomato sauce bursting with fresh tomato flavor, and generous whole basil leaves. My husband loved his pizza but wished they offered chili olive oil for dipping the crust. We were too full to try dessert.
While the restaurant is tucked into an unassuming strip mall, the interior is classy and inviting. It's mountain casual, but definitely the kind of place where you might want to swap your T-shirt for a nicer top if you're dining in.
With operating hours from just 5-9 p.m., snagging a reservation can be tough, but it's well worth the effort. Pricey, yes, but every bite and every moment of service justified the cost. I can't rave enough about our meal at Matilda! Park City is lucky to have this gem.
