Matū
There’s something inherently charming about a great cheesesteak. It’s an aggressively masculine sandwich. BEEF. CHEESE. ONIONS. At the same time, it’s soft and gentle – squishy even. It congeals into a cozy hot water bottle of a meal. Heavy but delicate. Rich but textured. There’s something unique about the tactile sensation of wrapping your hands around a crunchy hero roll with a molten core. You’ve got to handle it with a blacksmith’s dexterity lest you burn yourself. I hope this overwritten opening tells you that I have a deep reverence for the humble cheesesteak and I think Matū in Beverly Hills has by far the best one I’ve ever had.
Matū has a much more expansive dinner menu but I came here for their simple lunch menu. Lunch is served from 11:30am-2pm daily and the only seats available are the dozen or so high chairs at the dimly lit bar. When I arrived at 11:40am, it was already packed. These people already knew what I was about to understand. The cheesesteaks are made with Wagyu beef. Matū only sells grass-fed Wagyu from New Zealand.
You can build your own cheesesteak or get the “Matū Philly Cheesesteak” which comes with, “Eight ounces of 100% Grass Fed Wagyu Ribeye and Sirloin, Cooper Sharp cheese with grilled onions and a roasted Long Hot pepper on our freshly baked sesame roll.” You should get this preconstructed version. It’s perfection. My friend working the bar told me that the long hot peppers vary in intensity depending on the time of year but right now – in early summer – they’re very mild. I was taken aback by the quality of the semolina roll they use (something you can’t find outside the East Coast) and while they don’t bake it in-house, their provider down in OC sends them up fresh every morning. The combination of the super high-quality beef that’s been charred on the flattop, plus the sharp cheese, plus the perfectly rendered onions, and that sesame-seeded roll? I could cry. Add on their “47” Salad (little gems, in a tomato vinaigrette with shaved parm) and their potato chips that are fried in Wagyu beef tallow and you’ll see the light.
(Tip is included when you pay FYI.)
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That’s all. See you next week!