Liverpool is a utopia for food enthusiasts. Whether you are on Allerton Road, Lodge Lane or Castle Street, you will be overwhelmed with dining options.
If you want Ethiopian, you've got it. Greek? No problem. Lebanese? Have your fill. But what happens when you want to bring a slice of the culinary heaven you've experienced home?
Well, you could head to your nearest supermarket and spend half the day hunting for ingredients they don't have or you could go to Matta's on Bold Street.
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Unlike the conglomerate-owned chains, Matta's roots are firmly in Liverpool. The gourmet grocery shop is owned by Dalip and Deepak Matta, who took over the business from their parents.
The sons’ father and late mother, Kirpal and Kanta Matta opened Matta’s in the 1960s on Granby Street before moving to their premises on Bold Street.
And for food and produce lovers, it doesn't get better than Matta's. Last Friday, I visited Matta's for the first time. Through word of mouth, the shop has a stellar reputation, so admittedly, I was expecting big things.
But nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to experience.
Upon entering Matta's, I was bombarded by the colours and arresting scent of the fresh fruit and vegetable display. It had been a pretty dull day in Liverpool, so to suddenly see the spectrum of the rainbow, and smell exotic fragrances, was quite a shock for my senses.
As well as the aforementioned fruit and veg, Matta's stocks international goods including fish, spices, pickles and the widest range of peanut butter and seaweed snacks I have ever seen.
It was fairly obvious I was a newbie to Matta's. Other customers, devoted and loyal, knew exactly what to look for and where compared to myself who stood wide-eyed in front of a dragon fruit for five minutes before doing four laps of the independent grocer marvelling at everything on offer.
After finishing my tour(s) of the store, I wanted to see what I could get for £10. Of course, I went straight back to the dragon fruit I'd been ogling for god knows how long before spotting the king of tropical fruit, the mango (£0.90).
Wishing to expand my horizons and taste buds, I picked up a sachet of Tropical Sun pumpkin soup, that for 50p, needs no other ingredients to create a delicious broth.
Below the soup was a packet of Bin Bin rice crackers costing £1.99. After a quick Google, I discovered they are a popular Thai snack made from jasmine rice. And having now tasted (devoured) them, I can see why the savoury crackers with a caramel twist are so revered.
Sticking with the snack theme, I was delighted to find Anna's Ginger Thins (£1.70). I'd previously bought these biscuits on a trip to Stockholm and they were superior to the ginger snaps we have in the UK.
Despite spending close to 15 minutes already in Matta's yet only having four things in my basket to show for it, I got speaking to a fellow shopper in-store.
She told me that Matta's had some of the best noodle and ramen options in Liverpool, so I was pointed in the direction of Mama duck-flavoured noodles (£0.49) and Demae shrimp-flavoured ramen (£0.65).
Towards checkout, there was a rack with a selection of pastries and baked goods. I opted for a loaf of fresh white sourdough (£2.99).
The bread had a soft creamy crumb and a thick crust. While it was the most expensive item in my basket, compared to some supermarkets that charge upwards of £4 for a loaf, this was a steal.
Primarily, Matta's is a grocery store, but they also sell miscellaneous items from around the world including toothpaste, journals and shampoo bars.
Before I left, I spotted a bar of Oliva soap. I'd previously read how olive oil is a natural source of vitamins B6, A, E, and K, minerals, and amino acids, which leaves your skin soft and moisturised.
In Holland and Barrett, Oliva soap retails for £1.99, so I was delighted to see it in Matta's for £1.75.
In total, I spent £9.22 on food, and £10.97 with the soap, so 97p over budget, but I was pleased with my haul and felt it offered good value for money.
It was also a relief to know there was somewhere in the city I could go in the future for specialised ingredients that supermarkets are seldom able to accommodate.
So, next time you're on Bold Street pop into Matta's, whether it be for a snack, lunch or your weekly shop, you won't go wrong.
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