Maxed-out! (Album)

Max's Restaurant
Greenbelt 1,
Makati City, Philippines

I was unbearably hungry after some errands.

The nearest restaurant I could think of was Max's..which is also three stones throw away from where I reside.

Hence, one Sunday afternoon last November, I found myself visiting this place. I only had my cellphone, so the pictures below concentrated on what I had for merienda or rather early dinner. I normally do not like chicken except for crispy chicken skin, but this time I made an exception as I was feeling nostalgic. I thought I could almost smell in the air the fragrance of roasted chicken stuffed with lemongrass......

'course I couldn't finish everything, so I took home the leftover chicken and made Cat's Surprise Chicken Miso soup ("surprise" because I don't know what I will put into it unless I check my ref - I only knew for certain that I had miso paste in my larder).

Max's has long ago been filed in my mental catalogue of restaurants along with Sunburst Fried Chicken (more known in Visayas and Mindanao) and Tropical Hut (ah, the good ole days when my dad treated me to a juicy hamburger for no reason at all!).

For Pinoys though, I think Max is not just synonymous with comfort food, but for happy memories dining out. The service in this branch is very good, and I never have any cause for complaint in all the times that I brought myself or my parents to eat here.

Check out their website: http://www.maxschicken.com/

Origin as listed in their site:

Max’s Restaurant’s beginnings started in 1945, after World War II. Maximo Gimenez, a Stanford –educated teacher, befriended the American occupation troops stationed at Quezon City. Because of this friendship, the soldiers regularly visited Maximo’s nearby home for a drink or two. Later on, the troops insisted that they pay for their drinks. This prompted Maximo to open a café where the troops could enjoy food and drinks.

The café initially served chicken, steak and drinks. Maximo’s niece – Ruby, who managed the kitchen, created a special recipe for chicken that became an instant favorite for the GIs. Soon, the Filipino public heard about the delicious chicken – tender, juicy and crispy – and they came too! Max’s Restaurant was born.

Over the years, Max’s Restaurant’s popularity grew and became known as “the house that fried chicken built”. It has expanded in Metro Manila, Southern and Northern Luzon, Cebu and California, USA.

- Dec 15, '08 4:05 AM