Max

Pasta, to no surprise, has been a long-time favorite of New Yorkers. Good, consistent pasta, though, is still not easy to come by. At Max, pasta lovers can rejoice. There are currently three Max'es in Manhattan -- Upper West Side, Tribeca, and East Village. Max Tribeca and Max East Village are under the same ownership, and Max Soha (Soha= South of Harlem), near Columbia University, is separate (previous rumor of a falling out between management). Truth is,the menus remain nearly identical.

Restaurant: Max
Rating: ♔♔♔♔

Out of the three locations, Max Tribeca (down below) has the most refined, romantic setting, perfect for dates. Max Soha is the smallest unit, with tables of Columbia students packed tightly next to one another, and Max East Village has the largest space and even a garden in the back, but is perenially packed with party'ers filling their stomachs in preparation for the long night ahead.

The bread at Max is accompanied by its celebrated tomato olive oil dip, which simply consists of fresh tomato paste immersed in extra virgin olive oil. TIP: go light on the bread to make room for the delicious pasta ahead.

We started off with a classic Italian antipasto, Prosciutto e Mozzarella di Bufala. Slices of prosciutto are layered neatly on a bed of field greens, garnished with some freshly cracked pepper. The mozzarella di bufala is excellent, with a creamy filling inside that melts immediately in the mouth.

The Fettuccine al Sugo Toscano (w/ MAX's tomato meat sauce) is the reason for my love affair with Max. The creamy, chunky meat sauce is complemented by the sweetness of the fresh tomatoes, leaving a lingering aroma that seduces you into taking another bite. The fettuccine, its partner in crime, is cooked to preserve the perfect consistency, allowing you to indulge in devouring the entire plate.

To complement the rich Fettuccine al Sugo Toscano, we ordered the Chilean sea bass special, pan-seared and served with green beans in a white wine sauce. The sea bass, both tender and fluffy, did a wonderful job cleansing and rejuvenating the palate.

For dessert, we elected the Tiramisu, which was good, but not stellar. (The Tiramisu at Supper is amazing, but that is for another entry). The pasta, as always, was the winner of the night.


Though the signature pastas can be found at any of the three Max'es, each restaurant has its own unique character. If you are a big enough fan of pasta, you will probably eventually find yourself at all three.

Max (Tribeca)
181 Duane Street
(b/t Greenwich and Hudson)
New York, NY 10013
(212) 966-5939
www.max-ny.com