How do you even begin to describe a place so wonderful as Maxine’s on Shine? How do you capture the comfortable feeling of walking into this stylish restaurant? How can you begin to tell the story of the experience you had shared over a plate of Chicken Maxine and a dish of Tiramisu? Where do you even begin?

How about with the charming couple that runs this beautiful little place. Welcomed by Kirt upon entering, he immediately made us feel as though we were at the home of a good friend. Offering up a tasty cold beverage to us, we pulled up the bar stool and began to hear the tales of how Maxine’s came to be. Kirt Earhart is a passionate yet extremely peaceful man who clearly loves what he does. His knowledge of the food they serve and how its made in-house by their chef is truly astonishing. Also, his knowledge of beer and wine is  something you don’t find too much anymore in small restaurants.  As we sat there sipping on a glass of Maxine’s own Rebellious Red wine, we laughed at the stories he told and we were astonished at the thought of all he brought to the table at this establishment.

Before long, we were greeted by the beautiful and welcoming Maxine. Wow. She is the perfect hostess! With rad retro glasses and some pretty red hair, she had everyone staring at her! I could see how it would be hard to take your eyes off this beauty but moreover when she began to share the story of how Maxine’s on Shine was born, I could see a light in her eyes that I rarely see in business owners anymore. As she told us the remarkable story, she smiled and looked at Kirt who happily finished her sentence. Yes, the two are married and as I watched them interact I was impressed with the way they looked at each other. They clearly adore one another and that made me have even more warm fuzzy feelings than the wine was giving me!

They signed on the dotted line and made Maxine’s theirs on Halloween 2011. Ever since then they have been going strong and making some real waves in the Orlando food world. Having been featured in numerous articles already they are getting the recognition they absolutely deserve.