Tag: Max’s Restaurant

Max’s Restaurant Vs Aristocrat Restaurant

Food Blog & Review

Max’s Restaurant Vs Aristocrat Restaurant

Before we left the Philippines we held von voyage parties and treated our family to a couple of dinners.

Prior to Marilou’s departure for Los Angeles, on 7th July, we went to Max’s Restaurant in Malate.  We thoroughly enjoyed the meal, the service was good and the venue was family-friendly.

The food was so good.  We had sinigang na hipon (there were lots of shrimps on the two pots provided, Max’ signature dish of fried chicken was delicious.  It was soft and moist in the inside and crispy at the outside.

The kare-kare was to die for.  It was so delicious in itself, the bagoong that went with it was almost redundant.

The fried pork bellies were so  crunchy and good portion.

The fried bangus came with the most sour vinegar I have ever tasted that send me coughing for a little bit.  It was delicious though.

The glasses of pineapple juices were very much appreciated.

For afters, we had a very cooling, very colourful buko pandan.

The amount of the food was too much for the nine of us that we had to have doggie bags for some of the leftovers.

Anyway, fun and full stomachs were had by all.

On the eve of our own departure for London on the 12, we decided to bring the family we were leaving behind in the Philippines to Aristocrats Restaurant, also in Malate adjacent to Max Restaurant.

I was feeling unwell then so I was unable to go.  Instead, Peter went with the Family.

After the meal, they came to the hotel full of negative comments about Aristocrats.

They said it was so different from Max.

The service was atrocious.  They had to remind the restaurant staff about their orders a few times.  The food was okay to be fair but nothing special.

I think Aristocrat had become a victim of its own success.  Once upon a time, it used to be the haunt of the moneyed class.

But due to Filipinos having more disposable income, there are more customers and potential customers wanting a bit of the Aristocrat’s reputation of long ago.  Unfortunately, the staff can’t cope with the increased demand, thus the service is now rudimentary.  The waiting staff appears rather indifferent.

Peter was so annoyed that he wished now that he did not leave any tip, as the waiters did not deserve any. 🙂 🙂 🙂

So if I had to choose which restaurant to go to?  I would definitely go for Max!

Max’s Restaurant Bon Voyage To Marilou

Customs and Traditions Etiquette Philippines REVIEW & RECOMMENDATION

Max’s Restaurant, Bon Voyage To Marilou

After 3 weeks, Marilou is going back to Los Angeles, California tomorrow!

And as such, we had a family celebration at Max’s Restaurant in Malate, nearby Aristocrat.

Though we remembered our Mother dearly, the reason why we are here in the Philippines,  Marilou and I as well as Peter that is, the dinner at Max was also fun, filled with laughter and food galore.

The family were in full force.  There were Jon (my youngest brother), Alma (his wife), Ella May (their eldest), Michael (their middle child) and Jomari, their youngest.  Our lovely Dayday was also there, Marilou, Myself and Peter, are of course in attendance too.  We were missing our other brother, William, but his situation can’t be helped at the moment.

Anyway, we had a really sumptuous meal.  We had a starter of Lumpiang Sariwa (fresh lumpia) made from finely chopped ubod, garlic, lettuce with sweetened sauce.

For mains, we had deep fried bangus with vinegar dip ( I must say their vinegar is really potent, it was so sour if almost blew my sinuses away), there was roasted crackling of loin pork with lechon-like sauce, there was sinigang na hipon (large shrimps in sour tamarind base soup), there was also kare-kare with a complementary shrimp bagoong. And of course, we had Max’s signature dish, their own recipe of roasted chicken.

There where so much to eat that we were all struggling in the end only to be given a dainty glass full of emerald-like jelly and tapioca/sago called buco pandan pudding.

These were all washed down with glasses of delectable pineapple juice and gallons of iced water.

I can’t fault Max in any way, the food was truly good and the service was exemplary.

I supposed it comes from experience.  It all started in 1945, when Maximo Gimenez, a teacher, started serving chicken and drinks to American troops he befriended stationed near Quezon City.  Maximo’s niece, Ruby, more fondly known as Nanay Ruby was part of the making of the brand according to a caption on a picture proudly displayed in their restaurant.  She created the now-famous Max’ chicken, which is tender and juicy on the inside but crispy outside.

The dinner celebration is a fitting homage to a wonderful, beautiful sister.  This is not goodbye but an au revoir, Marilou.  We will see each other again soon.

Be safe on your trip back home!

Our love from us all.