Guest blogger recommends Maximiliano’s for Mexican cuisine

Please welcome guest blogger, Carrie Grabowicz, who enjoyed her visits to Maximiliano’s at 569 W. High Street so much that she just had to write about it. Carrie Grabowicz is the owner of Hammi Jammi Jewelry and blogs about her craft here. She lives in Pottstown with her husband and two sons. Welcome and thank you, Carrie!

This is the second time I’ve been to Maximiliano’s Mexican Food in the past month. The first time was for a business lunch, and the restaurant, owners, décor and – most importantly – the fresh food pleasantly surprised me. I wasn’t overly familiar with the location, but after that initial visit, I decided to help out the owners in any way I could to promote this fantastic find. As a small business owner myself – of Hammi Jammi Jewelry, which I design – I constantly strive to expand my network and support them. Hey, you never know when you will need someone else’s services or help! On my second visit to Maximiliano’s, I brought a dear friend and my three-year-old son with me. Here is my attempt at informing the Pottstown public about this must-try Mexican restaurant.

Mexican cuisine (if we can even call it that) was introduced to the United States by that culinary haven known as Taco Bell, a fast-food stand that first appeared in 1962, offering hungry diners something called tacos. It made it seem like the essence of Mexican food was fried tortillas, bent into a uniform shape, so rigid that they seemed to have been shellacked. These prefab tacos became the culinary icon of what is actually a large, diverse nation. Mexican cuisine was defined as a rigid shell carelessly stuffed with shredded lettuce, grated cheese, crumbled beef and a red sauce of varying degrees of heat. If this is your idea of Mexican food, then Maximiliano’s is NOT for you!

Authentic Mexican cooking is way more subtle than that. According to Eve and Maximiliano Luna, the owners and gracious hosts of Maximiliano’s, different regions of Mexico have their own style of cooking, where different ingredients and methods of cooking produce different results. Additionally, in the Mexican household cooking is a planned, all-day event. This gave the young Maximiliano plenty of time to watch his mother, grandmother, and sometimes his father, cook different meals. This is how he learned the family recipes that he still cooks today at the restaurant.

On our visit, my friend, son and I sat at our table by the stained glass windows and were immediately given some homemade chips and salsa. I ordered the Enchilada Verde Platter with two cheeses – not that standard, shredded nacho cheese, but real Mexican crumbled cheese – and onion enchiladas with the best verde sauce I have ever tasted. The entrée came with a side of refried beans that had been boiled and crushed just that morning and some rice. As we were sitting and talking with Max and Eve, the table next to us got up to leave and said, “Sorry we don’t come in as often as we like, but we come from Boyertown on our lunch break and there’s just not enough time over lunch hour.” Maxmiliano offered for them to just call in the order and he’d have it ready for them when they came in.

My son had the cheese quesadillas. He occupied himself during our lunch by playing little peg games at the table and interjecting that he had to use the bathroom, which is small and quite nice, but I digress.

Maximiliano’s food was so authentic and fresh. Since I had a meatless entrée, I inquired about their tacos and was informed that they are made using steak and chicken breast and not crumbled meat. The food is prepped and made from scratch each day. They have a small menu but what they do offer is done right!

Eve and Maximiliano Luna are gracious hosts and it is my hope that Maximiliano’s Mexican Food becomes a staple in Pottstown. I am very grateful to have found this restaurant to fulfill my Mexican food urges….I wouldn’t want to have to go to Taco Bell ever again, now would I?

Maximiliano’s is offering up free sopapillas to anyone who mentions this blog. Just say you heard about them on Positively!Pottstown to receive this yummy dessert on the house.

Maximiliano’s Mexican Food
569 W. High Street
Pottstown, PA 19464
(484) 948-1681
Find Maximiliano’s on Facebook here.

Hours of Operation: Tuesday-Thursday 11-8; Friday 11-9; Saturday 12-9
Payment Options: Visa, Mastercard, Discover
Services: Takes Reservations; Walk-Ins Welcome; Good For Kids; Take Out;
Catering
Specials:
Taco Tuesday (Chicken tacos $1.50; Steak tacos $2.00)
Family Special (10 Chicken tacos, 2 Cheese Quesadillas, and chips and salsa $20)