Cuisine:

• Sea food
• Bar
• Brew, Pubs, Microbreweries
• Pub
• Italian

Maximo's Description:
Maximo's was one of the lingering question marks in the post-Katrina recovery of the New Orleans restaurant scene. It remained boarded up for nearly two-and-a-half years after the disaster. But finally, a new group of owners reopened the longtime destination for northern Italian cuisine in the lower French Quarter and even brought back its former chef, Paul Cattoche. His specialty remains a fire-roasted rack of lamb, and it does not disappoint. The generous serving has a crusty and herb-flecked skin, while a spicy pepper jelly proves a more than suitable substitution for mint jelly. Straightforward presentations such as this dish are the hallmark of the menu, from tender sautéed calamari to a combination of fire-roasted chicken and sausage, which both prove juicy under crisp skins. The exact composition of the mixed seafood grill changes frequently, but this dish can be relied on for its simple preparation that lets the flavors of fresh scallops, shrimp and Gulf fish stand on their own considerable merits. The still-rebuilding Italian wine list has a way to go before it recaptures its previous excellence, though most diners should be able to find something interesting. There has been a significant renovation to the building, but Maximo's still has its distinctive high-backed booths and its long "dining bar" facing the open kitchen, a perfect perch for solo diners.


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