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| - In NYC, I would probably drop this down to three stars, but for tiny Cave Creek, Arizona, outside of Scottsdale, I think four stars is warranted.
We headed out to AZ for a mini-honeymoon and a conference Peter was attending. Peter did his meticulous research and for my birthday dinner took me to a Douglas Rodriguez restaurant called Deseo. We asked the manager for some more recommendations for dining in the area, and it turned out that he had worked with Binkley's, and sent us there.
Off the radar, and a half hour along cactusy single lane highways outside of Scottsdale, it is a place we never would have found without a local's help. Daily menus change with the seasons, the ingredients, and the mood of the chef, Kevin Binkley, who is young enough to be intrepid and old enough (five years at the French Laundry directly under Keller and then several years at the Inn at Little Washington with Patrick) to understand fine dining. Binkley takes the fine dining concept out for a spin and brings it home via the back roads, and the result is a comfortable, homey, small restaurant that can be dressed up or down. People sat at the bar and had beers, and people came in their Sunday best to celebrate anniversaries.
The menu can be arranged in several ways, served a la carte, in full portions, or arranged in tasting menus of various combinations, paired with wines, and smaller in size. We opted for the five course tasting menu with the cheeses in lieu of dessert ($82), and I ordered a half-bottle of Minor Viognier ($29) from their well-chosen, well-priced wine list, since Peter doesn't drink wine. On the menu, it states that the chef can and will accomodate dietary requests, which knocked us both off our feet....low carb, vegetarian or whatever, you're in good hands, and the chef actually welcomes your challenge!
Sent home with the menu (tied in a blue satin ribbon), I can tell you what we chose, among three or four options per course:
Peter's choices:
Bigeye Tuna Tartare with watermelon, edamame,l daikon, wasabi-coconut pana cotta, lotus root chips, lychee and chili oil
Soft shell crab with lime, fried green tomato, red onion marmalade, lemongrass ginger sauce
King Clip with wild asparagus, ramps, pattypan squash, roasted fingerling potatoes (we asked for those to be left off and they were), spring garlic and rouille
Ribeye steak with egg yolk ravioli, broccoli, maitake mushrooms, baby bulb onions and hollandaise
My choices:
Steak carpaccio with an heirloom tomato tart, mozzarella cream, cucumber, balsamic vinegar, basil and charred red onion
Corned beef TONGUE Reuben, with sauerkraut, thousand island "dressing", a cornichon, and french fries
Copper River King Salmon with giant gnocchi, sweet peppers, tasso ham, sea beans, orange and mustard
The same ribeye as Peter--we both had to have it.
We both had the cheeses at the end, and I can't remember all of them, but all six were outstanding.
Others have mentioned the plethora of amuses that come out prior to your courses, and while I did eventually find them a little distracting, most were very successful, with only the disco coaster presentation of a pineapple shooter failing to amuse my bouche or anything else. Others include a house-cured beef jerky with horseradish creme fraiche, a bacon and egg puff pastry bite, a melon and basil soup shot with pancetta dust rimming the glass and a date and chorizo bite that was nothing short of heaven. Most were savory and enjoyable.
Our food was very good, with the only failure of my meal being the overabundance of orange with my salmon. In sauces, in segments, all over, it distracted me from the other savory elements instead of complementing it, but the salmon was delicious. I would go into more detail about the food, since what is listed above is, in THEORY, what we were served, but in actuality was not, since Binkley is an adherent to the molecular gastronomy/Wylie Dusfresne/Adria/Michel Richard style of cooking. It defies description, so I won't. You'll be happy if you go with an open mind.
On our visit, there were three breads to choose from as they bring it around. We tried a sourdough ciabatta & a cracked wheat, both extraordinary, helped not a little by Normandy butter, served room temperature in a ramekin.
Service is from the left, French style, one waiter per person, with knowlegeable servers directing traffic and helping as needed in the small space. We were made to feel welcome and at home from the moment we entered for our 8:15 reservation. Young people learning the fine dining business are the norm here, servicewise, with three steady young women in black overseeing them and taking orders and discussing the wines with the diners as they are seated. I had no problem with the youth and inexperience of the servers but Peter found it a little offputting. Don't expect perfect French from these youngsters and you'll be satisfied, is my opinion.
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