With sunny weather having (finally) taken over Vancouver days, all we can think about is firing up the grill and getting in some serious beach time.
If you don’t have a grill at home – or aren’t so much into heading to the beach but have a hankering for beach-worthy fare – make your way over to this Cambie Street corridor gem… the next best thing when it comes to casual eats.
Family owned and operated by the folks behind Redpath Foods, Max’s Burgers offers up a simple, street front setting (just across from Whole Foods), friendly service and authentic, grilled-goodness with a decidedly deluxe twist to it. We sampled our way through a number of their top-selling items, squeezing in sips from their latest cocktail offerings on a recent visit.
First off, the menu leaves no burger to the imagination as they’ve pretty much got all your possible cravings covered. With about a dozen or so different styles on their menu (including vegetarian), it’s easy to feel a bit overwhelmed (in a good way). We found ourselves wondering just where to begin… Luckily for us, Max’s helpful manager, Marc Smolinski, was on-hand to advise us accordingly.
First off, we ordered up a trio of their beef sliders (chicken is available). These perfectly-plated bites came exquisitely topped – right down to the house made brioche bun they are served on. A selection of house specialty sauces were also available (we loved Max’s Chipotle Mayo and Black Truffle Mayo).
Next up: we ordered some onion rings and, of course, the poutine, because really – how could we not? More than just being our guilty pleasure, Max’s onion rings are perfectly battered and fried to crisp perfection. Lest we forget about the poutine… it’s smothered to perfection in just the right amount of seasonings, house made gravy and obligatory cheese curds. You simply cannot stop at one bite.
We followed this indulgence with an order of their house-smoked chicken wings. Two words: so good! They are perfectly coated with their own blend of BBQ spices and slowly prepared to perfection (no deep fryer in sight). The end result being that we were treated to the juiciest meat – minus the guilt-induced grease factor.
At the urging of Marc, we made a point of taste testing a few of Max’s signature cocktails as well. First off, we had to order one of their ‘grown-up’ milkshakes featuring Earnest’s Ice Cream, blended with liquor. Also on order was their Seasonal Whiskey Sour (seasonal in terms of the fresh berries they choose to infuse it with). Rounding out the mix we ordered the Liquid Lunch (Max’s decadent Caesar that almost drinks as a meal). It’ll give Sunday Funday Caesars a serious run for their money…
For a complete look at our Max’s Burgers adventures, be sure to take a look at the photos above or check out the entire menu here and let your cravings begin.