In the trend of gourmet American cuisine, there are awesome restaurants and then there’s MAX’s Wine Dive. This is one restaurant and wine bar that kicks it up a notch and a half with food, great wine, knowledgeable staff, cool decor and a sublime jukebox.
Michael Pellegrino studied under 2 James Bear Award-winning chefs, graduated from the Culinary Academy of Austin, stood out as a sous chef at The Tasting Room Wine Cafe in Uptown Park and landed the role of Executive Chef for both MAX’s Wine Dive locations in Houston. And boy did owners Laura and Jerry Lasco make the best decision of my life when they offered him the job.
The concept behind MAX’s Wine Dive is an “unpretentious,” homey kind of wine bar—the header on their website is “Fried Chicken & Champagne? …Why the Hell Not?!” That kind of devil-may-care rebellion against the often stuffy view of a ‘wine bar’ is really what allows MAX’s Wine Dive to shine: letting the sophisticated food speak for itself in a casual atmosphere. This place might actually be the happiest place on Earth for people who like to eat, drink wine and share family moments or have a nice date.
The first time I walked into MAX’s Wine Dive I recall deciding that the host who seated me was a babe. A beardy, hipster babe in a flannel: Luke Danes but shorter (seriously, go watch Gilmore Girls, it’s on Netflix!). So, you know, MAX’s was doing well straight out of the gate. There was some song on and this really cute little kid was dancing up a storm in her seat and a man at a neighboring table was making her giggle.
My waitress was sweet, personable, knowledgeable and attentive. I opted for Champagne instead of wine and my waitress recommended a great one that I hadn’t tried before. AND YET, all of this could have been overlooked had not the food been absolutely spectacular! There are two menus—one for MAX’s Wine Dive classics and one for a seasonal menu by the executive chef.
I had the MAX & Cheese with truffle cream sauce. That was a mistake because I can now never eat another thing on earth without wishing it were covered in truffle cream sauce. I think truffle cream sauce might be the answer to world peace. The Roasted Cauliflower Piccata with saffron was the next and I had an inner struggle with whether I could live without Truffle or Saffron for the rest of my life. Luckily, I don’t have to pick! If you like decadent flavor in familiar food, stop by one of two MAX’s Wine Dive locations in the Houston area for a night to impress!
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