Chef Victor Garvey is behind Materia in Westbourne Grove.
It’s 5.55pm. I’m standing outside an all-blacked-out venue, marked only by a discreet triangle above the door. If you know, you know – this is the new Japanese restaurant Materia on Westbourne Grove, London. The temperature is dropping, the wind is howling, and I’m desperate to get inside. I’m politely asked by the staff to wait. “We want it to be perfect for when the guests arrive,” smiles the front of house – and, it turns out they mean it.
Chef Victor Garvey, who helms the Michelin-starred SOLA, has expanded his restaurant repertoire with Materia (also known as Materia Prima or Mater1a) – why settle for one name when you can have three or even a symbol? At the heart of the menu is seasonal produce, treated with the utmost respect and a sense of simplicity. Garvey shares: “It’s my own little world that I’d like to personally invite people into, one service at a time.”
Materia draws inspiration from Japan by the chopstick-load. The focus is on the tasting menus showcasing dazzling dishes. For lunch, the Reduced Menu starts at £99, and the Standard Tasting Menu starts at £169. For dinner, the Standard menu is £169, and the Carte Blanche is £214. Yes, it’s on the pricier side, but you’re paying for high-quality, seasonal produce. And while plenty of restaurants talk the talk, this one actually toasts the toasts and plates the plates. You get the idea.
We arrive through a dark corridor that opens into an equally dim dining room. We’re the first diners to step inside what feels like an exclusive supper club – it seats just 16 people, after all. There are glimpses of the kitchen in the background, and a remarkably attentive team in the foreground. Despite a DJ quietly spinning spa-like sounds, it's all hush-hush, and this isn’t the place for a heart-to-heart. The tables are positioned in such a way that it’s challenging to chat and easier to eat.
Each table holds an envelope embossed with the same triangle emblem, as though you’re being initiated into a secret society. The menu changes with the seasons, and we opt for the nine-course tasting menu. Don’t worry, the dishes are small and swift.
The experience begins with the Marinda Tomato, which makes you rethink the humble vegetable entirely. Served with miso and tosazu, it balances salt, vinegar and gentle acidity with fantastic finesse. Before the second course, a waiter wheels over a trolley displaying the ingredients we’ll enjoy throughout the evening. The passion is infectious, underscoring the care behind the creations – from the rare duck to the hand-picked strawberries.
Amadi features a cooked oyster topped with ikura roe and kabosu juice, creating a delicate yet creamy combination. The Segovian offers a deconstructed take on a Scotch Egg. A bowl arrives with an egg, lettuce and meat. A deeply rich broth is then poured over the top, and a glass teapot is left on the table so we can top it up as we please. It’s a moreish masterpiece – warming us up after that windy wait outside.
Native Lobster with Hokkaido Pimpli is soft, sweet and executed with an obsession for detail. Joselito highlights the kitchen’s playful fusion of flavours: duck liver and truffle come together in a Japanese-meets-French onion soup.
Dessert is the Kyo No Shizuku Strawberry. “Each strawberry costs £6.50,” our waiter explains, serving two on a bed of ice. We savour them slowly, letting the sweetness linger and indulging in a single strawberry for longer than we could ever have imagined. Afterwards come what is called Treats – a truffle here, a savoury bite there – though they almost feel unnecessary. Sometimes less really is more. Let us savour the strawberry a little longer.
As for drinks, the sommelier’s recommendations are spot-on. The pairings range from sake to Champagne, and the Riesling we sip throughout complements everything placed before us. Each dish arrives like a work of art, often accompanied by a story that traces the journey of the ingredients from field or sea to table and mouth. The storytelling had us hooked, and the meal provided the happy ending.
As the night falls, we step back out into the cold, certain of one thing: our patience paid off. Do as you’re told. Wait, and you’ll be rewarded. Trust the process. Trust the chefs. Trust Materia.
GO: Visit www.mater1a.uk for more information.