*****UPDATE CAFE BINK IS NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS********

Cafe Bink in Carefree AZ is a casual full service restaurant that offers a mostly American Menu of foods prepared with some French Techniques. Cafe Bink was opened by Arizona’s James Beard Nominated Chef Binkley who is now paying full attention to his fine dining restaurant Binkley’s. Cafe Bink (a more casual restaurant) is now ran and operated by his partner Chef Justin Olsen. Lately Cafe Bink has been serving special dinner events such as the 4 course Tomato Dinner with Wine pairings. They also have been offering a Friday and Saturday Night 6 course “Date Night” Dinners with Wine Pairing. I do note reservations are needed for these special events and the Date Night Dinners.

We were lucky and got a reservation in for one of the Date Night Dinners.

They started us off with HOT Focaccia bread toasted on both sides, made with potato, fresh herbs, and chili pepper. They served the bread with a fresh tasting lemony ricotta cheese that contained olive oil for dipping. It was a little indulgent and just delicious! It sure was a great start! 2015 Raeburn Chardonnay was served for the 1st and 2nd course.

The next course was Octopus and Calamari Salad with white beans, arugula, lemon, fennel, garlic, olives and Calabrian Chili Peppers.

My husband said that this was the most tender octopus he ever had anywhere. The seasonings in the salad were so refined and wonderful. Tasty and it woke up your mouth. It was delicious and light making you anticipate more.

Third course was Fettuccini that contained sweet tiny heirloom tomatoes, crisp capers, charred endive in a parmesan cream. The pasta was to the tooth and prepared to perfection. This dish was interesting and with good flavors. I never had charred endive in a pasta dish…It added something interesting to the pasta. Another layer of flavor was added with tomato powder. It was a delight with just the right flavors and textures. 2015 Campuget Syrah/Grenache Noir was pour for this dish.

In-between this dish and the next was Cantaloupe Limoncello Granite.

It was a little scoop of heaven……like the best cantaloup you’ve ever tasted and then just turned to snow for you. It was incredible!

Dinner was seared Bisteca crusted with yummy garlic crumbs. The steak was tender, a perfect medium/rare and delicious! The plate also included tasty pickled peppers, roasted mushrooms, cauliflower, herbs, pureed eggplant. Each vegetable was detailed with flavors. The cauliflower was carefully seasoned and the mushrooms were so delicious…..Who knew pureed eggplant could tie the vegetables together in another delicious way….Everything was prepared carefully , so detailed and delicious.  Very very enjoyable…….2014 Offering Gren/Syrah/Mouvedre/Vigonier stood up to these flavors here.

Dessert was this really moist..(maybe soaked)..Polenta Cake. The cake was topped with a rich smooth zabaglione cream that was topped with candied pistachios, orange two ways and peach preserves. It was full of all kinds of interesting flavors. It was Forking Scrumptious! Really FORKING Scrumptious!

Last pour was a Vovetti Proseco.

All the food was FORKING Amazing. The service was engaging. Even the chef served most of the plates to us and described them to us. Pricing was surprisingly reasonable too.

It was a Forking Fabulous Dinner. They really knocked it out of the park again!

www.CafeBink.com

Cafe Bink is Worth a Fork!

I do note everything is subject to change and your experience may…or may not differ.