On the Cheap: Maximo's Takeout

Another worthy addition to Watertown's culinary arsenal
By LINDSAY CRUDELE  |  February 15, 2012

main_Maximos_480
Somewhere between the sub and the home-cooked supper, Maximo's Takeout offers salvation for the overbooked. These budget-priced fresh meals supply yet another entry into Watertown's growing culinary arsenal, and I don't mean the eponymous mall.

The menu is unfussy American with a mostly Mediterranean flair: think straightforward, nutritious fare perfect for a weeknight. Appetizers include roasted tomato bruschetta ($4.99), topping toast rounds with bright, concentrated tomatoes. Dumplings with ginger sauce ($4.99) offered delicate steamed wrappers around a simple filling of juicy, aromatic ground pork. Turkey burgers ($7.99) tend to set the bar low, serving more often as a substitute for those avoiding red meat, but Maximo's does them right, mixing tabouleh with the meat, adding earthy goat cheese and what they brand their "special spice blend." The cumin-laced burger, spread with djajiki (yogurt and cucumber sauce), marries well with the accelerated acidity of grilled tomato. Instead of French fries, Maximo's adds rough-diced paprika-rubbed potato home fries.

Maximo's is often one protein shake away from a bodybuilder's paradise, its menu a parade of steaks. Cilantro lime grilled tuna ($10.99) turned up a hearty cut of juicy, char-grilled fish with a blushing pink center. Fresh sides (all $2.49) — like diced and sautéed kale, redolent of cumin, and a cold quinoa salad spangled with black beans, tomato, and onion— tasted homemade. Sandwiches include Maximo's version of a BLT ($6.49), a somewhat schizophrenic cross between a breakfast sandwich and a BLT, including both a fried egg and lettuce. The heat wilts the greens, but the egg was an explosive delight, layered with mild, melted cheddar, thick slices of bacon, and sliced "country white" bread grilled to a right and proper crisp. While nothing stops you from making like the name suggests and taking dinner to go, Maximo's Takeout is also perfectly pleasant for eating in. The staff is earnest and accommodating; we even received table service. Both vegetarian and gluten-free eaters may request modifications.

How high do we aspire to dine on a busy weeknight? The flavors aren't new, but the variety injects some life into the price point. With a menu of lean proteins, whole grains, and fresh vegetables, Maximo's Takeout offers a high-quality alternative to the substandard sub roll.

Maximo's Takeout, located at 584 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, is open Monday — Friday 11 am–9 pm, and Saturday from 12–9 pm; closed Sunday. Call 617.744.5499 or visit maximostakeout.com.

  Topics: On The Cheap , Watertown, cheap eats, Sandwiches,  More more >
| More


Most Popular
ARTICLES BY LINDSAY CRUDELE
Share this entry with Delicious
  •   ON THE CHEAP: GRASS FED BEEF  |  May 09, 2012
    If you, like me, have ever found yourself pressing your nose winsomely against the window of the itty bitty "TT Bar" at Jamaica Plain's Ten Tables, you will appreciate the newly easy access to the restaurant's prize cheeseburger at its new adjunct spot, Grass Fed.
  •   ZOMBIES RIPPED MY FLESH  |  September 24, 2012
    I died too quickly in the zombie apocalypse. It was the last, fatal bite I remember most clearly: I had just zigzagged to safety through a grove of lurching undead. As I slowed to bask in my success, I felt the gruesome rip of Velcro at my hip — and it was over.
  •   ON THE CHEAP: GRIDDLER'S BURGERS AND DOGS  |  April 18, 2012
    With the news that former New York Times food critic Frank Bruni has gout, I write my latest dispatch to you between bites of salad, haunted by the Ghost of Lunches Future.
  •   ON THE CHEAP: SUYA JOINT  |  March 07, 2012
    A new Roslindale Square restaurant offers hearty stews, dumplings, and rice dishes prepared in home-style West African tradition.
  •   ON THE CHEAP: MAXIMO'S TAKEOUT  |  February 15, 2012
    Somewhere between the sub and the home-cooked supper, Maximo's Takeout offers salvation for the overbooked.

 See all articles by: LINDSAY CRUDELE