Max Downtown
Formerly known as Max on Main, Max Downtown has moved to downtown Hartford and it's quickly become one of that city's top move and shaker type restaurants.
Atmosphere(9)
Discreet power feel. Comfortable yet upscale bar is separated from the dining room, and there's a place for cigar lovers as well.
Menu(9)
Steaks, chops, sea bass, lamb, scallops, salmon, all the bases are covered. Token pasta dish and token chicken dish are good but be brave and try something a little more exotic.
Portions(8)
A la carte menu makes some portions seem smaller than they really are. Four dollar side orders and enough for two.
Appetizers(9)
Diverse group of selections are all fabulous. Smoked codfish and potato cakes, black angus carpaccio, portabella mushrooms equally delicious.
Food and Drink(10)
Beautifully prepared, mouth-watering creations. New York strip smothered in gorgonzola cheese is a must for meat lovers. Grilled Asian style yellow fin tuna a wild ride for your taste buds.
Desserts(9)
Wonderful to look at, even better to eat. Apple pie so good that it makes both Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich proud to be American. Chocolate cake tort with raspberry sauce and whipped cream, sinfully scrumptious.
Service(8)
Helpful, friendly, and efficient. Slight coat check delay mildly annoyed the Phantom.
Cleanliness(10)
Phantom loves nothing more than a good crumb sweep of the table before dessert after he's made a mess of the table cloth.
Parking(9)
About ten paces from the Civic Center with valet.
Value(8)
Fantastic food usually doesn't come cheap. Average entree $19, and don't forget, we're talking about an a la carte menu.
