While walking my dog through my neighborhood recently, I saw a delivery van with the logo of Maxine’s On Shine on the side and the words Maxine’s On Demand.
I was intrigued.
I liked the idea of having Maxine’s food delivered for an evening meal. But as I looked into it, I found that the process wasn’t intuitive or self explanatory. I ended up ordering my dinner for curbside pickup, which worked out fine. Later, I found out more about the delivery option and I’ll share those details in a moment.
But first the review of takeout from Maxine’s On Shine, not on demand.
My food was really quite good, in fact it was some of the best food I’ve had from the little cafe in some time. The last couple of times I dined at Maxine’s B.C. (before covid), I was frankly underwhelmed. I had come to the conclusion that the draw of Maxine’s was its atmosphere and its bonhomie. The food was just something you had while you were enjoying the experience.
But even without the surrounding on the little cafe on Shine Street, the food I took home was delicious and special.
My companion and I started with an appetizer of fried green tomatoes, dense disks that had been macerated in buttermilk then coated in a mix of parmesan and panko crumbs and given a crispy saute. It was served with a side balsamic glaze for us to drizzle at will.
We also shared the meatballs Wellington, a blend of pork and beef, the big balls were coated in pastry that also had blue cheese and spinach. They were served with a side of jalapeño aioli (which actually tasted pretty good on the fried green tomatoes).
For my entree, I chose the mahi amandine (or almondine on the menu). The filet was pan seared and topped with slivered almonds that had been delightfully singed in butter. It was accompanied by sliced roasted potatoes and a melange of vegetables that included onions, tomatoes and Brussels sprouts.
My friend had the cioppino, the seafood stew, with mussels, hunks of fish, shrimp and a couple of big scallops in a wine-tinged broth. Some penne pasta was included for a twist, and it was all quite good and filling.
The phone ordering process was easy, the food was ready when promised and the staff member who brought the order to the car was masked and wearing gloves. And all the containers were labeled.
As for the Maxine’s on Demand, it doesn’t seem to be quite that. The service is through the Fleat Network, a service that allows brick and mortar businesses to go mobile. With Maxine’s on Demand, customers can sign up to be alerted to when the delivery van will be making rounds in their neighborhoods. For my area, I had the option to preorder for Friday or Sunday between the hours of 5 and 9 p.m. Whether I could pinpoint that time further I cannot say – I could not go further on the website without creating an account, which I did not want to do.
But I will say that the ordering website is clean and has apt descriptions of the food, including pictures. So it’s a good way to order.
But to me, “on demand” means right now. So if you’re craving some Maxine’s, pick up the phone and call.
By the way, Maxine’s outdoor dining area, including newly created tented areas in the small parking lot on the side, is open. The small dining room inside is not.
Maxine’s on Shine is at 337 N. Shine Ave., Orlando. It is currently open for dinner Thursday through Sunday and for brunch on Sunday. The phone number is 407-674-6841.
