Post by red on Aug 25, 2008 7:57:24 GMT -8
www.sgvtribune.com/highlanders/azusa/ci_10045093
Homestyle dining at Max's
On any given day, I figure my chances of being struck by lightning are exponentially greater than the likelihood that I will come home to find a fresh, cooked-from-scratch meal sitting on my dinner table.
And the odds that I would be responsible for putting such a meal on said table are even more pitiful. For the most part, when I consume anything resembling a homestyle meal, it is usually thanks to my personal chefs, Mr. Stouffer and Uncle Ben.
Perhaps that's why I find a meal at Max's Mexican Cuisine in downtown Azusa to be such an appealing proposition.
For starters, husband-and-wife team Max and Martha Arteaga have been serving up their homespun Mexican cuisine in the city for years, and they recently celebrated the grand opening of their new, state-of-the-art location on Azusa Avenue. It's just around the corner from their former Foothill Boulevard restaurant - Max's Rancho Los Magueyes - where customer demand had outgrown the available accommodations.
A simple taste test makes it obvious why crowds from all over the San Gabriel Valley have been turning to Max and Martha when a craving for enchiladas or menudo takes hold.
And most of the hundreds of items on the menu also pass budgetary muster, with a majority coming in under or just slightly over $10 a pop.
Deeper discounts are available during lunch hours, Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., when specials are served ranging from $5.95 to $9.95.
At a recent dinner, I was nearly ecstatic to see my favorite Mexican dish - mole de pollo - available for an affordable $10.75. I've seen it listed at other high-end restaurants for twice that price.
The tacos de carnitas ($8.99) also came highly recommended and didn't disappoint. The portions are big enough to order a la carte and still be sated, but I suggest going for the combo plate with rice and beans and tacking on a side of flour tortillas. All the sides are unbelievably fresh, and you won't want to miss out on what's become a rarity among Mexican eateries - arroz con frijoles that are just as delicious as the rest of the meal.
Oh, and Max's specialty margaritas definitely don't hurt the dining experience either. Starting at $7.25, the classic and the Cadillac make it all too easy to follow the owners' oft-repeated motto to "Relax at Max's." If you're debating whether to imbibe or not, Max will be happy to dole out some more of his sage advice - an emphatic "Why not?" - and that part comes for free.
Max's catchphrases are a longstanding tradition that locals will be glad to see continue at the new location in the heart of Azusa's up-and-coming downtown district.
The new Max's, once a shuttered coffee joint, underwent massive renovations and now includes a spacious dining room, a lofted area with even more tables, a handcrafted tortilla station and a separate room for the bar.
The warm, Baja-rustic decor is complemented by a series of murals composed by Los Angeles-based artist Silvana "Jeyd" Parades.
But even more appealing than the restaurant's outward trappings, a meal at Max's is literally and figuratively a family affair. In fact, some of the kitchen and wait staff have worked with the Arteagas for decades, loyally following them from one venue to the next.
Even customers quickly feel like part of la familia, with warm greetings and service that are never canned - and neither is the food. Max's is more than homestyle; it's home.
Max's Mexican Cuisine is located at 635 Azusa Ave. in Azusa. Hours are Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, call (626) 334-9695.