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| - My husband and I had the pleasure of eating here this past weekend. It has taken me a couple of days to process our evening. It was hands-down the best dining experience I have ever had. It was absolutely beautiful, delicious in every way, and will always be a treasured memory of mine.
This place is not just a dinner out, it's truly an experience. My husband and I went for our Anniversary and I felt like we were transported to another place - the realities of life and kids, and home were set aside for that brief evening. It was all about that moment and the beauty of the food.
I think most of us don't appreciate the effort involved to produce our food (myself included much of the time). We purchase it from the store, throw something together and mindlessly eat it. We never see where the food comes from, the effort by the farmer to grow it, to nurture it...food has lost it's deep value because it comes so easy to us. Our family grows some of our food in an attempt to have an awareness of this process - but even then it's hard to be mindful. But on this night, I appreciated every single thing that went into my mouth.
The respect for each ingredient was evident in the plating, in the preparation, and in the eyes of Chef Binkley as he came out and talked about his inspiration for each dish. There were 21 amazing things to try, all totally different and unique. It was always the best when the chef was personally able to come and explain each dish (most of the staff did a good job when it wasn't the chef, but the passion wasn't the same for them). That would be one suggestion - that the staff work on their presentation and detailed knowledge about each dish when they are the ones to serve it.
The chef was excited about each dish, and I loved hearing why he chose each ingredient, where it was from or grown, and why he put each item together on the plate. I love that he supports a lot of local growers and farmers. He was so excited about his creations and it was contagious!
We chose to do the Chefs wine pairing with our dinner. It was an extra cost, but well worth it. The wine sommelier was fun, friendly, and knowledgable about each pairing. It added a nice element to the night and expanded every bite on my palate. Definitely worth it.
When you are brought to the dining room for your final courses, it's like the kitchen is the stage and you are watching a beautiful play. It might sound crazy, but I teared up at one point during the night, just feeling so in awe of the moment. Watching the kitchen crew was so cool, they were like a well oiled delicate machine. All working in unison, with such grace and ease. I didn't seem like an act just because we were all watching, but rather a true respect for one another and a joy for what they do. The chef invites you to walk around the kitchen and come in and ask questions while they work.
The overall service was superb. Every staff member was on it, and made you feel very welcome. There were 20 guests at our seating (the restaurant holds 24) and there were about 9 staff members...so the service was highly attentive and genuine down to every single detail. Things I would never have even noticed, but they did. Pretty amazing.
The ambiance is simple. Elegant. Modern. Minimal. Just perfect. I could have eaten a couple of the courses in the bathroom...it was so pretty! My only recommendation - and this is just because I am trying to think of something, anything to give them some constructive criticism - is the decor of the patio. The furniture is outdated and lacking. Underwhelming, is that a word? It does not go with the interior design of the house/restaurant or with the scheme of the entire evening. In the end, that doesn't even matter because the food and the service took the cake.
Thank you so very much to the Binkley's for an amazing night that my husband and I will never forget. The cost is high, but well worth it. We are going to start saving for our next anniversary!
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