Matta began serving "Vietnamese soul food" from a food cart in 2018.[2] During theCOVID-19 pandemic, owner Richard Le offered free meals to food industry workers who became unemployed after Oregon banned indoor dining, as well as hospital workers.[3][4][5]
In 2023, Matta stopped operating from a food cart and re-opened inLil' Dame.[6][7][8]
Krista Garcia ofEater Portland included Matta in a 2020 list of "Portland's Top Pandan Treats".[9] The website's Alex Frane included the restaurant in a 2021 overview of "17 Spots to Grab Amazing Breakfast Sandwiches".[10] Nick Woo andBrooke Jackson-Glidden included Matta inEater Portland's 2021 "Guide to Portland's Most Outstanding Food Carts".[11] Jackson-Glidden also included Matta in a 2021 overview of "Where to Find Weekend Brunch in Portland" and a 2022 list of "The 38 Essential Restaurants and Food Carts in Portland".[12][13]Portland Monthly included the breakfast sandwich in a 2022 list of "The 12 Best Breakfasts in Portland".[14]
In 2023, chef Richard Văn Lê was one of 18 Portland industry professionals deemed "rising stars" by the restaurant resource and trade publicationStarChefs.[15][16]
^Garcia, Krista (September 22, 2020)."Portland's Top Pandan Treats".Eater Portland.Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. RetrievedMarch 16, 2022.
