[Seattle] Maximus Minimus

By Jess Wednesday August 24, 2011

Mike and I are addicted to the food network, so when we saw Maximus Minimus on an episode of Eat Street, we knew we had to make a pit stop there on our visit to Seattle. The pig-shaped truck is usually parked in a lot just a few blocks from Pike Place Market, making it easy to fit this destination into our schedule.

Maximus Minimus food truck

We arrived when it opened around 11am and found that there was no line. Not surprising, given the cold and wet weather (even though it was the middle of summer!). There was a person standing just outside the truck who was taking orders. She was very helpful and provided recommendations since she knew it was our first time here. However, having watched the show, we already knew what we wanted.

I went with the Grilled Chicken Sandwich ($6.36). You have the option of ordering it with chipotle or pesto mayo but I went with the chipotle. Customers can also add some “Hurt” for extra heat at no charge. I opted not to… we still had a whole day of exploring and I didn’t want to be hurting for the rest of it. The sandwich looked pretty simple – a bun with a piece of chicken and a large bunch of cilantro on top. The chicken was tender and juicy, like all chicken should be and the chipotle sauce gave the sandwich a nice little kick.

Grilled chicken sandwich with a Maximus slaw

Mike ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($6.36), of course. For this sandwich, you have the option of the Maximus sauce, which is spicy and sour, or the Minimus sauce which is sweet and tangy. Mike decided to go with the Minimus since he wasn’t sure how spicy the Maximus would be. Similar to my chicken sandwich, the pulled pork also came with a large bunch of cilantro in it. If you’re not a fan, I’d ask them to leave it out. The sandwich was pretty good, but certainly not one of the best pulled pork sandwiches we’ve had. The meat was quite tender but I found it to be a tad dry. I would’ve preferred it to be saucier.

If you order a sandwich, you can add a side of slaw for only $1.37. Similar to the pulled pork sandwich, there are two variations: 1) Maximus – with a chipotle vinaigrette, radish and cilantro; and 2) Minimus – with a honey mustard vinaigrette, cranberries, sweet onion and mint. We ordered one of each and we both preferred the Maximus slaw. Since it wasn’t very spicy, it was a nice refreshing side. I’m glad it didn’t taste like regular coleslaw, which I’m not a huge fan of.

Pulled pork sandwich with a Minimus slaw

As for the Minimus slaw, I just didn’t care for the combination of the honey mustard with the cranberries and mint. I don’t really like cranberries and mint on their own, so I’m a little biased. However, Mike thought it was a decent slaw.

To supplement our meals, we shared an order of Ginger Lemonade – with ginger and rosemary with a lemon finish ($1.82). We served ourselves the lemonade which came out of a fountain on the side of the truck. It was definitely what we needed since it was so refreshing. I couldn’t taste much rosemary… but that’s probably a good thing.

Overall, Maximus Minimus serves up some pretty decent food. I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here, but if you’re near Pike Place, it’s definitely worth a visit. I’d recommend visiting Maximus Minimus for a snack since the portions aren’t very big. I easily finished my sandwich and still had room for chowder and other little snacks in the Market later on.