Quiessence Pros: Amazing and inventive food. Fresh flavors from a combination of unique and everyday ingredients. Portion sizes are perfect and food was served at the absolutely correct temperature. Highly recommend the Chef's Tasting Menu. Wine list heavily features local/Arizona wines. Servers are very well versed in their menus and friendly. Interestingly, men and women are served some different food/wine during the tasting. Take advantage of your server's knowledge and communicate any likes/dislikes regarding food/flavors.
Cons: Pacing is ridiculously slow. Plodding even. Our six course tasting took just over 3 1/2 hours. After the plates from our 4th course (an amazing pasta!) were cleared, our server brought out the wine pairings for the 5th course, then 45 minutes later the fifth course arrived. Needless to say, the wine was gone. That said, even with the extremely slow pacing, the food was worth the visit and we will come again. I am hoping that our slow service was an anomaly since the table across from us sat down 1/2 an hour later, ordered the same tasting menu, and finished 30 minutes before us. With the faster pacing, the tasting menu takes a more reasonable 2 1/2 hours.
Bottom line - the food is excellent but, be prepared to make an event of the night. Do not make plans that can't be broken to be anywhere after dinner.