his chain of restaurants recently made its Miami debut along the Miracle Mile where it fits nicely among the other high-end restaurants in the area. First opened by Dennis Max in 1991, the restaurant was intended to be a vehicle to bring the wine and cuisine of California to South Florida. While many restaurants these days claim to have your health in mind, Max’s takes the source of their meat and veg very seriously. Beef is imported from the Niman Ranch in California where it is allowed to mature naturally while vegetables are locally grown and harvested in ways that are good for the earth and for the people who eat them.

That being said, Max’s is an ever-evolving fusion menu enhanced by traditional favorites and contemporary delights. For example, the meal-sized Ceasar salad dazzles with applewood bacon, sliced avocado, tomatoes, toasted hazelnuts and grana padana cheese. This is Florida after all and any restaurant would be foolish not to take advantage of the area’s large basin of fresh fish. Here cod is served with a miso glaze, vegetable stir fry and ginger vinaigrette while the snapper (local of course) is herb sautéed with pan-roasted artichoke hash, toasted ciabatta & Italian parlsey salsa and lemon-caper vinaigrette. Other options include Jumbo White Shrimp Scampi and Caribbean Spiced Mahi Mahi.

Max’s house specialty, Radiatore pasta, is made with roasted chicken, balsamic pan sauce, goat cheese, pine nuts and San Marzano tomatoes from Italy that are grown in the rich, sun-drenched volcanic soil.

Long a mainstay for bistro-goers with an eye for contemporary cusine, Max’s is definitely going to be around for awhile.