by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
Matthew’s Market was briefly shut down for a revamp. It’s back now, and according to co-owner/manager Chad Labenz, it’s better than ever.
With a small patio and about three seats inside, Matthew’s Market is the choice for a deli-style, yet upscale lunch. The prices are still reasonable, with most sandwiches ranging from about $6.50 to $8.
You can order their scrumptious Chicken Salad to go, or you can just enjoy it out on their patio. Their chicken salad has proven to be the vice of choice for many customers, who, owing to the addictive properties of the salad, order a few pounds of the stuff each week. It’s that good. Chock full of chicken, with finely diced celery, toasted almonds and red grapes; it can easily be comfort food to fall in love with.
I also sampled their Cobb Salad, a decent blend of bacon, cheese, the usual quarters of hard boiled egg and high quality salad greens.
All of their sandwiches are served on artisan Panini bread. Their selection varies from day to day, but you’re sure to find a sandwich you like. I tasted their version of a Cuban sandwich, which had a slightly piquant mustard. Their Portobello Sandwich included baby spinach, cambazola (a kind of creamy blue cheese) and a shallot vinaigrette on Ciabatta. Their Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil Sandwich was a clear hit with me—the pesto sauce soaked into the bread just made this sandwich something special, along with a little prosciutto and onion.
The priciest sandwich I tried was the Lobster Roll, at $14.50. It was a lobster salad piled on a gourmet toasted hotdog bun. While it was tasty, it was a little on the tough side, so I’d stick to their delectable deli sandwiches. Don’t just order at the counter though, make sure you take a look at their cold deli case, so you don’t miss some of their most popular treasures.
The place is a market as well, there to meet your exotic, at-home culinary desires.
“We’re building on… [Matthew’s] flavor and his preparations,” says co-owner Chad Labenz,” …so that people can create a variety of different dishes at home…We want to supply things that you don’t see everywhere; that add those nice touches to a dish.”
On their shelves you’ll find truffled sea salt, gourmet pasta and preserves canned in-house, such as strawberry basil, apple butter, blueberry butter and a saffron onion marmalade.
In their cases, you’ll find the finest meats and most interesting cheeses. They also have a seafood section. It isn’t as impressive as their finely marbled steaks and pre-seasoned pork loins, but they do carry Mayport shrimp and perhaps the largest Alaskan King Crab legs I have ever seen in my life.
Their freshly ground coffee has a local flavor, supplied by local roaster Martin Coffee. The coffee blends available at Matthew’s Market is the first time Martin Coffee has been available for take-home retail. They also carry Illy Coffee for all those espresso junkies out there.
The wine selection stretches across the globe, with a much more diverse selection of wines than they used to have. Prices for wine bottles go from about $11 and up, with many selections sensibly falling in the under $20 range. Some of the labels, such as Crazy Legs, Steele and Foley are vintners with some kind of local connection.
If you aren’t in the mood to cook, why not pick up one of Matthew’s ready-made side dishes or rotisserie chicken? They even have classic pot pies you can pick up for a great dinner at home or a side dish. The pot pies include a seafood shrimp and clam, a chicken pot pie and a mushroom pot pie. Their mac and cheese goes a bit uptown, with a blend of fontina, bleau, asiago, aged cheddar and parmesan cheeses.
Take-home desserts include tasty pies, tarts and cookies. Their bread is the real deal, supplied by French Pantry, a wholesale bakery that makes fresh bread for some of the finest eateries in town.
Whether you’re looking for a cold or hot deli meal, Matthew’s Market is the place to go in San Marco. And if you happen to feel a little lazy on your way home from work, pick up one of their ready-made meals. Just pretend that you cooked it.
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