I guess Malee's has been around 25 years, but it seems like fifty, and I mean that in a good way. The restaurant is both venerable and hip enough to comfortably pass as Scottsdale "special occasion" - without breaking the bank.
Is it as uniformly "special" as the finest resort dining room. No. Nobody here is going to fold your napkin into a swan and there's no focal Dale Chihuly wine rack or glorious mountain view. But if you play it smart, a memorable and exotic meal can be had in a charming locale.
Here's my advice, lemongrasshopper:
Make a dinner reservation. Table location and service are better when you do. True most places, but moreso here .
Get the pot of soup. Tom Ka Gai is a warming, communal ritual and helps smooth over slow Fri & Sat nite service.
Solicit server recommendations. Most of the menu resonates and Malee's tailors spice level to individual tastes well, but some dishes are consistently better than others.
Do all that, and I'm pretty sure you'll have a nice experience. Walk in cold, take a blind stab at the menu, and you're apt to be less impressed.
I like the atmosphere, especially in the main dining room. It's an older building, with low ceilings and residential style rooms. Dimly lit, but not clubby and masculine like Don & Charlies. An unseen piano gently tinkles in the background. Older couples, younger out of towners, packs of gay foodies, the occasional family celebrating a birthday. A pleasant, bustling mix.
There are art galleries and holiday lights on Main Street (which is more of a quiet side street at night) and plenty of parking at dinner time. Fine choice for a date or before a show,when you're trying to impress someone special with your inscrutable melange of bold yet traditional values - rather than simply with your wallet.