Continuing our Filipino Restaurant Month adventure, we ventured to the iconic Max's Restaurant, a name synonymous with delicious Filipino comfort food. Their set menu for the event offered a delightful taste of their culinary repertoire.
Appetizers:
Max's Restaurant Month menu differed from Goldilocks' in its focus on curated choices. We began by selecting an appetizer each:
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| Calamares and Lumpiang Shanghai from Max's Restaurant |
- Calamari: Tender squid rings dipped in a light batter, then deep-fried to crispy perfection. The accompanying vinegar garlic dip added a delightful tangy touch.
- Lumpiang Shanghai: Spring rolls filled with a savoury blend of ground pork and vegetables are deep-fried to a golden brown. The sweet and sour dipping sauce provides a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
Both appetizers were delicious, and by choosing one each, we got to share the delightful experience!
Entrees
For the main course, we opted for contrasting yet equally tempting choices:
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Lechon Kawali Kare-Kare: This dish was a symphony of
textures and flavours. Crispy Lechon Kawali (deep-fried pork belly) sat atop
a bed of vegetables, all bathed in a rich and creamy peanut sauce. While I
would have loved a slightly more generous portion of the kare-kare sauce,
the overall flavour profile was divine.
Lechon Kawali Kare-Kare (Crispy Pork Peanut Stew) from Max's Restaurant
A classic Filipino stew with a thick peanut sauce topped with a mix of vegetables and Max's very own Lechon Kawali (Crispy Pork Belly). Served with Max's bagoong (shrimp paste).
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Dencio's Pork Sisig: This sizzling plate of chopped, crispy
pork was a true crowd-pleaser. Generously sprinkled with minced onions and
served on a hot plate, it offered a delightful play of textures and a burst
of savoury flavours.
Dencio's Pork Sisig from Max's Restaurant
The famous Dencio's sisig, made of chopped crispy pork generously sprinkled with minced onions and served on a sizzling plate with rice.
Sweet Endings
No Filipino meal is complete without dessert, so we finished our Max's Restaurant experience on a sweet note:
- Saba Con Yelo: This refreshing dessert featured sweetened saba bananas (plantains) nestled in a bed of shaved ice, drizzled with milk, and topped with a scoop of ice cream. While a touch more banana would have been perfect for me, the overall taste and texture were delightful.
- Mais Con Yelo: This vibrant dessert showcased a classic Filipino favourite – creamed corn and sweet corn kernels. Shaved ice, milk, ice cream, cornflakes, and a sprinkle of cheese transformed this simple combination into a textural and flavour explosion.
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| Mais Con Yelo and Saba Con Yelo from Max's Restaurant |
It had been a while since our last visit to Max's Restaurant, and this Filipino Restaurant Month experience reignited our love for their classic dishes. Each bite was a delicious reminder of home, and the generous portions ensured we felt happy and satisfied. Max's Restaurant's curated menu perfectly introduced its culinary specialties, making it a must-visit for anyone embarking on a Filipino food adventure.
