Tell us your name, hometown and the tour we can find you on.
My name is Betsy Matz, from Washington, DC and I lead the Little Tokyo Gastronomy Food Tours.
Of the five tastes, sweet, sour, salty, savory and bitter, which one are you?
I am definitely a sweet taste lover, but can’t resist a sweet/salty combination! At the movies I pour M&Ms into my popcorn to get that sweet and salty mix.
I’ll have to try that! Any other guilty pleasures or sweet creations you have up your sleeve?
Sweets are my weakness and I must admit- when I bake cookies, the dough rarely makes it to the oven. I also love to lick the beaters when making cakes or brownies-something definitely left over from my childhood.
You’re on death row and it’s time to have your last meal, what do you ask for?
That’s so hard! Luckily I have thought about this question before (not because I expect to be on Death Row, just because I LOVE FOOD)! Here it is….fried chicken, spicy collard greens, truffled mac-n-cheese, fresh cole slaw and a chocolate/strawberry milkshake. If Six Taste creates a “Soul Food” tour I would be chomping at the bit to guide it!!!
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
My family has a tradition of doing fondue every Christmas Eve. Since my Dad is a hunter, we have had some strange meats for our fondue feast. Every year we at least have moose and venison, but the last couple of years my Dad bar-b-qued a goat to go with the meal. He doesn’t hunt goat, though, he orders it on the internet!
That sounds pretty interesting, so what DON’T you eat?
I don’t dig pate because of the treatment of the animals involved, but based solely on taste I would have to say I would NEVER eat the old southern breakfast favorite “brains and eggs” ever, ever, ever again.
What restaurant do you “dig” here in LA?
Right now I love Bottega Louie in Downtown. Great for brunch, drinks or dinner. It has an amazing open kitchen where you can see the “magic happening” and beautiful ambience. Also they have a great take-away counter so its an awesome lunch spot also.
Where can we find you if you aren’t chowing down on Bottega Louie or working as a tour guide?
During the week I teach drawing, painting and sculpture at a local college and several private schools. I also paint murals-indoors and outdoors-and serve on the board of several Los Angeles Arts Non-Profits.
What do you like most about being a tour guide?
I love taking groups to Little Tokyo because I have seen the neighborhood change so much over the past 10 years. Some people are scared to come to Downtown LA and they are so pleasantly surprised when they come on the tour and see how safe and beautiful most of Downtown really is. It’s especially satisfying when we have Angelenos on the tour, they are re-discovering their own city!
