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Executive Chef Jason Holmes is working wonders in his new Downtown digs. A graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and an understudy to some of the best chefs in town — Deborah Scott, Bernard Guillas and Susan Sbicca — this 29-year-old is definitely up-and-coming in his first role as executive chef.

Max Steakhouse and Seafood, formerly named “Max Fusion,” is a great find for a foodie looking for a diamond in the rough. While the interior design is still a bit off (the owners are making changes while remaining open), the room is pleasant and has a big-city feel. The extraordinarily high ceilings and oversized artful chandeliers create a whimsical contrast to the serious mahogany wood bar and white tablecloths.

Holmes’ appetizer list is lengthy and has some terrific choices. It includes the traditional steak house selections like shrimp cocktail, oysters on the half shell, beef carpaccio and fried calamari, but his strongest work is demonstrated on his more sophisticated offerings.

The “Marinated Portobello Mushroom” ($10.50) is not to be missed. It is not at all what you expect based on the menu description — and what a great surprise it is. A balsamic marinated Portobello is roasted and topped with a salad mixture of shredded radicchio, diced pancetta and Gorgonzola cheese. It is bound with a light basil vinaigrette and molded in a timbale for a beautiful drum shaped presentation.
The “Maine Lobster and Blue Crab Cakes” ($13.95) is a combo plate of sorts. Two hockey puck-sized cakes are beautifully presented on one plate. One is lobster, accented with a tarragon aioli, and the other is blue crab, topped with a smidge of chipotle remoulade. The cakes, which are flash-fried to a nutty brown, are just as they should be — nice and crisp on the outside and moist on the inside.

Many salad choices are offered, including a Caesar, mixed green and a spinach, as well as the innovative “Max Shrimp Salad” ($10.50), which is comprised of new potatoes, green beans, pear tomatoes, grilled scallions and a mustard vinaigrette.

Although tempted to order the “Black Pepper Fettuccine” ($17.95), served with sautéed tenderloin, spicy marinara and caper berries, I felt I should stick with the steak and seafood house specialties.

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Max Steakhouse and Seafood
827 Fifth Ave. • Downtown
(619) 235-8500

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The “Natural Beef Cowboy Steak” ($32.50) did not disappoint. Given the price, I expected the dish to really wow me, and it did just that. Natural beef is a new term used to describe free-roaming beef that has been raised on a strictly vegetarian, hormone-free, antibiotic-free diet. The result is healthier, tender and more flavorful meat. My perfectly cooked medium rare steak was accompanied by chive-horseradish mashed potatoes and a medley of fresh cooked baby vegetables.

The menu lists many excellent diversions from red meat — the grilled salmon with tomato-basil mashed potatoes, an 8-ounce macadamia nut crusted halibut, and an almond-caper crusted sea bass are all worthy selections. For my non-meat selection, I chose the “Jumbo Prawns and Sea Scallops” ($24.95). A combination of hunky U-10 jumbo shrimp and fleshy day boat scallops rest on a pillow of creamy prosciutto and spinach risotto. Mascarpone adds an extra layer of creaminess to the risotto, which is finished with white pepper and a lemon-scented beurre blanc.

By this time, I was a bit too full to indulge in dessert, but Holmes’ “Housemade Banana Foster” ($6.50) was worth the discomfort. It’s not on the menu so be sure to ask for it, as it’s a perfect ending to a wonderful meal.

— Terryl Gavre