Maxwell’s

Cnr Somerset and High Street

Review: The FooDude

Maxwell’s probably offers the most authentic Old Grahamstown experience of all the eateries at the Festival. It is has an enviable location on the busy intersection at the Drostdy Arch, and boasts a fascinating history which is outlined on the first page of the menu. The dining room has the comfort of a grandparents’ house, which is slightly undermined by a gallery of brightly, rather unsophisticated paintings.

Maxwell’s has quite a small menu, but offers a decent range. There is a refreshingly different breakfast menu which, instead of the standard variations on the bacon and egg theme, offers the visitor flapjacks and pancakes (in addition to omelettes). What also impressed on the menu is the fact that vegetarians do not have to scrutinise it for options because there is a separate vegetarian section which contains, among other dishes, an aubergine bake and what sounds like a devestatingly rich and decadent affair: pasta with camembert, garlic, rosemary and feta topped with parmesan.

For starters, Pozzo and I were tempted by a couple of soups and the ostrich carpaccio. Since the weather is such that Festival-goers are more likely to try the soups than the cold meat, I decided on the chicken and corn chowder, while Pozzo opted for the minestrone. The addition of bacon to the former was refreshingly different, and the minestrone, in my opinion at best a hearty peasant soup, ended up being a hit with my daughter, who’d tagged along as official Note Taker to the Anonymous Critic.

For our main meal we had a variety of baked and roasted meats to choose from (although we also cast a thoughtful eye over the vegetarian possibilities). The lamb shank and beef roll both looked good, but I decided to try out the pork belly, and Pozzo ordered the Moroccan lamb tagine. The pork was beautifully tender, but served with a gravy that was surprisingly bland. The tagine, on the other hand, was a winning combination of flavours, delicately spiced and served with couscous and yogurt. By the end of the main course, my overall impression was of hearty food, well prepared and served in a cosy and warm setting. Service was very prompt — perhaps unsurprisingly, since the waitress had the name of the Anonymous Food Critic written and underlined on the back of her hand!

My overall impression was slightly bumped up by desserts. I’m not a great pecan pie person, and would ordinarily never order it. However, when a waitress recommends something with the kind of abandon that ours did, it is worth investigating. The pie is much thicker than the usual confectionary because of a naughty little fudge layer that lifts this dessert into the category of the highly recommendable to anyone who considers themselves a Pecan Pie Person.

I still haven’t found the perfect espresso, but Maxwell’s comes closest so far because of a flavourful little brew that wishes it was a bit thicker and a bit hotter.

Popularity: unranked [?]

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