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| - Have you ever taken a bite of your food and literally wanted to melt as the taste sensations satisfied everything you were craving?
Maxi's Ristorante serves up this feeling daily with every authentic and delicious Italian dish they prepare. It's times like these when I ponder how I'm not 380lbs of beastly-ness because, man...I can take down some serious pasta. This is especially true if it's from Maxi's.
So, you're strolling around Little Italy and you can't figure out where to dine. Well, I agree. It's truly difficult to pick one restaurant in that neighborhood because they're all great in their own right. BUT, there's just something about Maxi's that keeps me coming back. It's the food. Specifically the pasta.
My first Maxi's dinner was incredible. There were six of us at a table and we all ordered something different, but all pasta dishes. Everyone shared and with each new bite, it became more difficult to pick a favorite. In the end, I couldn't choose. I know I had the Goat Cheese Ravioli and my sister choose the Penne Pasta Carbonnara. Both were divine. It's literally the most painful experience in the world to watch me try to pick ONE dish to order though. Since the first trip I've added a new favorite to my list, which is the stuffed banana peppers. If I could live off this dish, I would. I'm not kidding.
There are only a couple of things that bring Maxi's down to a 4 star instead of a 5. The service is just so-so. I'm not the kind of person who likes to be waited on hand and foot, but there's a balance. Our servers always seem to be uninterested and eager to get off work.
My other issue is the price. I mean, some dishes I can understand a heftier price tag, but pasta dishes $20 and over? Really? It's PASTA. Damn good pasta, but still...I'm not ordering a prime cut of steak here! Besides, the atmosphere doesn't quite merit that cost either. So, it wouldn't really fall into my "worth it because it's the whole vibe" category. It better suits a normal night out for dinner, casual attire, etc.
I still can't hate on Maxi's though. I mean, their food is just so ridiculously good that it's nearly impossible not to want to spend the money. I mean, I can even forgive them for the service. All that's forgettable, but the food..well, that's the kind of pasta you dream about.
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