Max's Restaurant: The House That Fried Chicken Built

They say everybody loves chicken and though I am aware that I am quite allergic to it, my appetite tends to be stronger than my will (haha!). Miracles do happen and thanks to my once in a while crazy cravings, it seems that I have become immune to it (finally! not completely but who cares! It's chicken-all-you-can! It's Max's Fried Chicken! ^_^)

Max's Restaurant has been giving us the best Filipino-style fried chicken for over 65years now. It has been over 6 decades as well that they have amazed and inspired every Filipino family to eat and enjoy this wonderful treat together. In my case, I remember having my first taste of the famous Max's fried chicken when I was about 10, at their Sct. Tuazon branch, near Roces in Q.C. if I'm not wrong. Years have passed and that homey fried chicken recipe still haunts my taste buds, making me crave and long for that distinctive taste over and over again.

Then there comes their Chicken-All-You-Can eat promo which allowed every chicken lover to pig out and enjoy what Max's has been known for. It was the first and biggest promotion that Max's has offered. Imagine having dinner (the promo starts from 6:00pm to 10:00pm) eating a bunch of Max's sarap to the bones fried chicken in quarter parts for just 165php; what a bargain!!! Oh! And not forget that just by adding 39php you can avail bottomless Pepsi products - perfect accompaniment for such big appetite. I tried it with some of my friends, making it as a game wherein the person who eats the most gets a prize. As expected, I only consumed 3, enough for me to savor and satisfy my cravings. We all had so much fun; not just because of the great tasting chicken but also with the warm service that we got and the new comfy ambiance of the resto.

The promotion ended last July. I wasn't able to blog about it because I don't have an account yet that time. Good thing a good friend of mine, B'ley of http://www.blogalag.com/ invited me to join her in attending the Max's Chicken-All-You-Can Thanksgiving Party & Bloggers' Night held at Glorietta 3 (finally! I will be able to blog how sarap to the bones the experience was). It's amazing how consistent the taste of the chicken was - it remained juicy, tender and savory not just through time but also from each branch that I've been to - a great evidence of how careful Max's is in preparing their well-loved white meat. Aside from allowing us to devour as many chicken as we could (I had 4... ^_^), they also offered us two new heirloom dishes that can really change one's perception of what Max's Restaurant can offer.

First on the list is Max's Pork Binagoongan - pork cubes sautéed in a rich, mildly sweet and salty shrimp paste sauce placed on a bed of fried eggplants. Garnished with tomato wedges, fine julienned green mangoes and sprinkled with chopped spring onions. This dish is stellar and is one of my favorites. I cannot help not to love the balanced flavors that play in your mouth while chewing the very tender meat. It’s amazing that the bagoong doesn't over power the flavor of the pork. I also wanted to take note of the julienned green mangoes that adds a certain sourness and kick to the dish (wish they could've topped ours more... hehe...) as well as the sweet tomatoes that added a layer of freshness into it (FYI, I so love tomatoes! ^_^). I can actually finish a plate of this just by having it as a salad or much better with a hefty serving of warm rice! (I am not a big fan of fried eggplants but this dish changed my perception, very astonishing!). I adore how Max's turned a well-loved, classic Filipino dish into a meal that everyone will be craving for.

Next, is the Max’s Chicken Caldereta. A hearty chicken stew in a thick tomato-based sauce and garnished with chunks of potatoes, carrots, red and green bell pepper and green peas. This dish has the right level of spiciness and is a perfect pair for steaming white rice. The sauce is exceptional especially when you eat it with the tender chicken meat and potatoes. I must say that the potatoes and carrots are cooked to perfection - not too hard and not too mushy - just a right bite and taste to complement a very rich sauce. I tried to have it as it is but it is even more delicious with the rice (very Pinoy! ^_^).

And to complete such great gustatory experience, when you dine in at any Max's Restaurant nationwide from August 15 to October 15 and ordered any of these two new dishes, you can avail a complementary serving of white rice and a Pepsi softdrink – absolutely free!

My experience with Max's is not just exquisitely delicious but is also truly memorable and exceptional. As for me, Max's is not just a regular restaurant but is also one of the pillars of great Filipino cuisine and tradition. Through time, they have continued to transcend and remind every Filipino of how good our food is and that we should always be proud of our culture and of who we are. Thanks Max's for giving us such great food and inspiration. May the House That Fried Chicken Built and its sarap to the bones chicken continue to evolve and transform usual Filipino dishes into something different yet very familiar to the Pinoy palette.

Max's Restaurant

Location:
Max's Restaurant Marketing
Makati, Philippines, 1231
Phone:
dial 7-9000 for Max's Delivery (Metro Manila Philippines only)

Be part of the Max's Online community by reaching them through the following:

Order & Pay Online
www.maxschicken.com

Email
customercare@maxschicken.com.ph

http://twitter.com/maxsrestaurant
http://www.facebook.com/maxsrestaurant

Credits: Special thanks to Max's for providing good pictures of the dishes (you saved me and my battery empty camera... ^_^) and to http://www.panoramio.com/ for the Max's Restaurant Sct. Tuazon Branch facade pic.