When in Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, a must stop place is Matam-ih authentic Kapampangan restaurant. It is located along Manuel A. Roxas Highway almost opposite Oxford Hotel & Casino.
The restaurant is really "authentic" in the sense that its waiters, entertainers and other employees are aetas from the Mount Pinatubo area.
Its different eating venues are named after specific places in Mount Pinatubo. Aside from the main dining hall, it has a second floor for those who come after office hours and simply drink the night away. It also has airconditioned dining areas at the wings of the main dining hall.
The interiors are very much native much like what one might see in the hinterlands. Native furnitures adorn almost the whole restaurant.
Menu is varied from the usual to the exotic Kapampangan dishes. Price is reasonable. Despite the native interiors, it was a delight to see colored plates which await the diners. A must-have is their tamarind shake. I was amused to note that the waitress used an iPad to take our orders.
Customer recreation and environmental awareness seem to be the concern of the owners of Matam-ih as evidenced by some indigenous game facilities and a composting bin both located at the side entrance of the restaurant.
I thought that Matam-ih is another restaurant which would exploit the indigenous people in the community. It was not just a gastronomic delight eating there. It was also an educational one. The mere thought that the owners gave the cultural minorities a chance to have jobs and be part of the mainstream is reason enough to give it a try.
When in Clark, drop by MATAM-IH Authentic Kapampangan Cuisine!
