Barbecue has never quite fit in Seattle. It needs a dirty sweaty slowness, big slabs of pork cooked over smoky hickory for hours tended by a soot-covered pitmaster. The northwest just isn’t dirty enough. Instead it rings with clean flavors: salmon with a lemon wedge, ice cold oysters, hoppy IPAs.

I had high hopes for the Maximus/Minimus truck, the new pig-shaped pulled pork van from Kurt Dammeier of Beecher Cheese. It reminded me of the tank from animal house, it looked like a big sweaty animal.

My first sampling left me optimistic, the pork not the most tender or the most luscious, but the mix of pulled pork with northwest flavors (cilantro, fennel, tamarind, good cheddar cheese) seemed to work, it made something new.

My recent visit was less successful. This time the sauce was cloyingly sweet, trumping all other flavors. It needed more smoke, more spice, the taste of pig fat. Hibiscus nectar was the most gorgeous red, but its sweetness was too much for the already sweet sauce. The vegetarian sandwich just left me confused, as it seemed to consist mostly of barley and barbecue sauce with little else.

The side of homemade chips, on the other hand, were impressive and sparked a few passerbys to ogle my lunch.

“Where’d you get that?” a construction worker asked, his eyes wide.

The mix of thinly sliced vegetables, hot peppers, and green beans had been fried till crispy and coated with Kurt’s own fennel-laced spice mix. They were addictive. I finished them all despite barely touching my two sandwiches.

The pig has only been open a few weeks now and they’re just finding their way. Even the location is tough, with few benches nearby to plant oneself when trying to down a barbecue sandwich. I think if they dial up the smoke and the spice and cut back on the sugar, they might find their niche. If we can’t do southern style barbecue in Seattle, maybe we can find our own style– barbecue with a northwest flair.

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Maximus/Minimus

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Not only was it a stunning view from the Maximilien deck, our waiter spoke french.

“Vould zhou like to wayt anozer 15 meenuts for ‘appy ow-er? Eet tis no problehm.”

It was like we’d stepped into the french riviera. But with happy hour specials–4$ french martinis, 3$ kronenbourgs, 3$ plate de fromage, 3$ moules mariniere.

The cheese plate was simple, but respectable: mimolette, roquefort, aged goat cheese, marcona almonds and fresh fruit. We also tried the charcuterie, mussels, oysters, a fresh (and warm) baguette and frites. All very solid, very french. I even splurged and bought a non-happy hour glass of wine, a stellar white burgundy.

After a few hours on that deck, a couple of french martinis, some roquefort—all visions of work melted away.

Highly recommended. But get there early. Those view spots fill up fast.

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Maximilien in the Market

http://www.maximilienrestaurant.com/

81A Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206.682.7270

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