08/23/09

AC broke- owner has not and will not fix- don't go!

by howdyhouston

We went for resturant week 2009 and while the food seemed to be ok and the wine I think would be ok, I am not sure, because it was beyond uncomfortable and HOT! 1 of the 2 AC units broke in the resturant and it was SO hot in there. I couldn't enjoy my food and wine only made me more hot, which was a huge loss for Max and Julie becuase I would for sure ordered more wine because the wine list was very good and diverse. But I will for sure not go back until the owner returns to his senses and fixes his AC problem. This is Houston- it is hot here! This is not a new thing. Get it fixed or loose customers. I will for sure warn my friends of this place.

• Pros: Food is ok and nice wine list
• Cons: Atmosphere and temprature

03/23/09

Fantastic French Fare

by Queenie77

I've had the chance to visit Brasserie Max & Julie for both lunch and dinner now, and each visit was lovely.

On a rainy, cold day for lunch, a friend and I stopped in to check it out. The place hasn't changed structurally since Aries, but quaint antiques are now placed appropriately throughout the restaurant. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable about both the menu and the wine list. Here's what we had:

Coffee & Cappuccino (free refills!)

Roasted bone marrow - melty beefy fatty goodness with a pinch of salt - if only the toast didn't have so many holes - I enjoyed using the bread basket bread for this instead

French onion soup - well balanced, not too salty

Veal sweetbreads - soft and not overdone, not too mineral-y, very nice mushroom sauce

Veal kidneys - chewy on the outside, creamy on the inside, delicious mustard sauce

(both dishes were served with a vegetable medley and fried potato croquettes)

Tarte Tatin - served with creme fraiche so it wasn't overly sweet, great apple and cinnamon flavor

Creme Caramel - again, not too sweet (yay!) and had a smooth texture

Great lunch! So great, I decided that's where my birthday dinner would be. Only minor issue - I think our server was very, very new. There was some confusion, but through a group effort the other servers assisted with no problem. Here's what we had that night:

Roasted bone marrow (yes I know, again...)

Foie gras - a beautiful smooth pink tureen style served with toast, dried figs, and watercress.

Steak tartare - a raw ground beef presentation with a raw egg, bright raw onion flavor, served with toast and fries

The fries deserve a mention on their own - perfectly crispy and seasoned

Skate wing (stingray) - fabulous texture served with a light but very flavorful lemon/butter/caper sauce on a bed of rice to help absorb all that good stuff, served with a vegetable medley

Creme caramel (again!)

The diverse French wine list caters to all tastes and pocketbooks. This may very well become our new French favorite :)

• Pros: FOOD! portions, pricing
• Cons: limited parking (there is valet though), no RSVP <8 ppl

02/15/09

Valentine's Day Disaster

by erikhouston

We joined another couple at Brasserie Max and Julie for what we had planned would be a delightful Valentine's Day 2009 celebration among four close friends. The plan was dashed however. All four of us either are European natives or have lived in Europe previously so we have a clue about what fine French dining should be. Oh my! The Valentine's Day menu was set with a few choices built in for appetizer and main course. Our dinner's courses ranged from mediocre to awful. The appetizers were varied. The Petite Salade was just okay, but both the Salmon Terrine and the Pate were coarse and not especially flavorful. The Oyster Bisque was quite good, and frankly we all had the notion at that point that we were heading for a wonderful meal that matched the one we had for Valentine's Day 2008. Wrong! Main courses included Honey and Thyme Roasted Chicken (average but we have had better even at home), Flounder Almondine (again average at best), and New York Strip amidst Peppercorns (tougher than leather). Potatoes were overly salted, and we were all dismayed at how much this [place had declined in a year. The dessert was Baked Alaska, and it was acceptable but nothing great. Because we ordered champagne (which was excellent -- HOORAY!), our tab was $300, a ridiculous price to pay fro what ended up being a meal of average bisque and champagne; truly, the rest was pretty bad.Needless to say, we shall not be returning here.

• Pros: atmosphere
• Cons: dreadful cuisine