It had been awhile since I had set foot in Hemingway's.

An anchor in the South Gaylord historic neighborhood, the bar named for one of America's most famous authors/drunks was a Floridian getaway nestled amid upscale dining establishments and boutiques.

The piped-in music could have been Jimmy Buffett's greatest hits and few would have minded; the real- estate values of its Washington Park neighborhood would have provided a clientele of Parrotheads. Younger patrons would have chalked it up to "theme."

The Keys-influenced décor offered polished wood, aquamarine colors and fishing gear recast as bar décor. The only thing lacking for an authentic Atlantic feel was the freshness of the sea fare.

Max Gill and Grill, which took over the old Hemingway's spot a year ago, has corrected that problem and added a little something extra here and there.

I'd never been to Hemingway's for brunch; I'm not sure if it had one. But after a raucous wedding the night before, we were seeking a spot with enough proverbial dog hair to kick-start our Sunday and fuel a birthday celebration for Mrs. Buzz, who is holding at 27.

Max hit a home run on both points, thanks to its sublime Bloody Mary bar, serene patio setting and excellent food.

The Bloody Mary bar is a little-known phenom that should be embraced by any place serving brunch. At Max, the expansive bar boasts a fine collection of seasonings, hot sauces, olives and garnishes.

Our sweet, patient waitress Brandy (brunch with Ma and Pop Buzz can be a trying experience) brought my glass of vodka (Pearl, I think), stiff enough to pack a $5 punch. I opted for straight tomato juice instead of the house mix, added Worcestershire sauce, Ass-Kickin' Hot Sauce (a picture of the donkey on the label), celery salt, onion powder, cracked pepper and three onion-stuffed olives. I'm naming it the "Buzzy Mary." Enjoy.

We returned to our seats on the patio, under a canopy of trees and surrounded by a stream (tables 56 and 57, the best seats in the house - ask for them as long as I'm not there). We enjoyed a tasty collection of brunchtastic items: the breakfast quesadilla, Bananas Foster French Toast and a decadent Belgian Waffle with strawberries, walnuts and cream. The showstopper was the Parmesan truffle fries, which I've been daydreaming about since.

Max Gill and Grill took a neighborhood fixture and turned it into something worth crowing about. Brunch here is far better than just a cheeseburger in paradise.

Max Gill and Grill

1052 S. Gaylord St.

303-722-7456

• Happy hour 3 to 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; $3 domestic/$4 premium draughts, half-price appetizers, $2 well, $3 call and house wines

• Starting today, check out the Friday Afternoon Crab Club; beginning at 4 p.m., they'll roll out the butcher paper and slap down some mallets, bibs and freshly flown-in Maryland blue crab, paired with plenty of pitchers of beer. $28.50 gets you a half-dozen sea- crawlers; call ahead to reserve your space (and tell them how many crabs to fly in).

• Brunch weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; $5 Bloody Mary bar