A Love Affair with Restaurant Max

It was our first valentines day as a married couple, so of course my husband and I had to go out for an evening of fine dining despite the cold Minnesota weather, the possibility of crowds and a long wait. We decided on Restaurant Max, a newer restaurant located adjacent to The Hotel Minneapolis in downtown.

We hadn't heard a thing about the restaurant but had walked past it several times and were impressed with what we saw (modern decor yet the old framework of the bank which used to reside there). We made reservations and I crossed my fingers that they'd be able to work with my dairy-free dietary restrictions.

Despite being valentines day, we were seated within minutes of arriving in a cozy booth where our server was quick to say hello. We mentioned to him immediately that I was severely lactose intolerant and asked if this would be a problem. He smiled reassuringly and said they can work with me and that if I wanted suggestions from the chef, he'd be happy to go back and talk with him. I immediately felt at ease and began to look at both their regular menu along with the special aphrodisiac menu they had put together for the holiday.

I'm huge on ordering fish when dining out and was excited to find many different options such as Sesame Scallops, Roasted Black Cod, Shrimp Angel Hair and Broiled Arctic Char (which I was told is the cousin of Salmon). I was especially interested in trying something new, so I told the server that if the Arctic Char could be prepared without dairy, that would be my choice. Despite the full dining room, he went back immediately to confirm with the chef that this was possible. According to the chef, this dish is usually prepared with butter, but that they would be happy to leave it off given my condition. My husband was happy to see that the menu included many red meat selections and decided on the pomegranate marinated rack of lamb.

While we waited for the food to arrive, we ordered from their menu of specialty drinks and yes, they had some fun ones!! My drink, which ended up being one of the best cocktails I've ever sipped, was named Gatsby's Daisy. This included green tea vodka, lavender simple syrup, tarragon and both red and white cranberry juices. I was tickled to find real cranberries floating in my glass! My husband ordered a straight up martini which he says they got "just right".

I was flabbergasted when the food arrived not 10 minutes later....on valentines day?! I can recollect in years past waiting for close to an hour, even with a reservation. The food was simply to die for and the portions were just right. If the server hadn't informed me of the relation between Arctic Char and Salmon, I would have thought that the fillet on my plate was Salmon without a doubt. The fish was accompanied by roasted white asparagus and artichokes covered in sauce that was so good I had to double check that they hadn't snuck in a little dairy. The server explained that this special sauce was made by pureeing lobster, egg and chives together. It was one of the most delicious sauces I've ever eaten...to me, it almost resembled caramel. No butter, you say?!?! I couldn't believe it, and I secretly wondered if I would be sick later. I am happy to report that I remained free of any stomach upset for the rest of the weekend. According to my husband, the lamb was also incredible and he wished I could share in it's delight if only there wasn't the butter...
What valentines day doesn't include a little indulgence in dessert?? I had to hold back the tears as I read over the desserts I would have jumped on in the past...butterscotch oatmeal cookie or the chocolate peanut butter whopper cake?! According to the menu, these options are presented in a shot glass - so fun! My husband was quick to choose the creme brulee and I was pleased to find a nice selection of sorbets - watermelon being my flavor of choice.

The only glitch of the night was when my sorbet came out dressed with white clouds of whipping cream and placed upon a suspicious looking ice cream cone. The server apologized and mentioned that the cream was there before he could stop it. I was a little disappointed that he hadn't requested another bowl to be made of uncreamed sorbet, but it was okay...I shrugged it off and ate around it.

Overall, a nice restaurant with a chef that is willing to be flexible and work with food intolerances and allergies. Note: They advertise that during the week of your birthday, you can get a bottle of wine at the price of your age. To check out the menu at Restaurant Max, go to: Restaurant Max and if you do happen to try the place, let me know how it goes!