Maxim's 22 Opens in Easton

It's called "Maxim's 22," with the subtitle "Bistro and Brasserie."

But the owner of downtown Easton's newest restaurant doesn't want people picturing uptight French waiters and food they can't pronounce. 

"We call it a French bistro. But it's more our take on it, said Josh Palmer. 

It was Wednesday afternoon, and Maxim's 22 had just come off a hectic night. Lehigh Valley Style had held a "happy hour" Tuesday, which drew an estimated 200 to 250 people.

The restaurant, housed on the first floor of the Pomeroy building at 322 Northampton St., is open for lunch this week, and begins serving dinner Saturday night.

Maxim's arrival is part of a larger effort to refurbish the long-vacant Pomeroy's department store building. A set of new loft apartments opened earlier this year, with more on the way. 

"I've always been a fan of this building," Palmer said. "It obviously has a great history to it. When we were approached by the owner, I was just excited to be part of revitalizing this building."

The menu includes crepes and Eggs Benedict for brunch, a French lamb dip for lunch, a half-roasted chicken at dinner. There's also a "late night menu," featuring selections that include a Kobe beef hot dog and the Pomeroy burger.

As for the "brasserie" part of the name?

"A brasserie is a brewery," said Palmer, who also owns Easton's Sette Luna. "It's like the equivalent of an Irish pub. There's one on every corner."

Here, you'll find 22 different beers behind the bar, with names like Old Rasputin Stout and Flying Dog Doggie Style.

Talk to Palmer and you'll find the number 22 is pretty important in his life.

The "22" is in his restaurant's name -- "Maxim" is his son -- because the number 22 seems to be a recurring presence in his family's history. On a wall of the restaurant, he's hung a series of photos related to this phenomenon.

There's his dad in football uniform, with the number 22. His mother running in a triathalon, the number 222 pinned to her back. His wife's twins, born on the 22nd. And so on...

"It all keeps coming back," Palmer said.

Maxim's 22 is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., with Sunday brunch served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Its phone number is -- as luck would have it -- 610-252-2622.