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

Cafe Bink is a casual but somewhat upscale restaurant in beautiful Carefree Arizona. Cafe Bink was opened by James Beard Nominated Chef Binkly who is now giving full attention to his fine dining restaurant Binkley’s in Phoenix. Talented Chef and Partner Chef Justin Olsen is currently running things at Cafe Bink. They have been offering many specials off all sorts. The specials that brought me in were the Tomato Dinner, The Chef’s All Things Summer Date Night Dinner and the Mediterranean Date Night Dinner with Wine pairings……so far……..

For Mediterranean Night they started us off with the crispiest fluffiest falafels I ever had anywhere.

The falafels had a flavorful moist interior too and came with creamy labne filled with extra virgin olive oil and sesame seeds. It was an unexpected delicious treat! 2014 Tedeschi Soave Classico was the pairing for this and the next plate.

Next plate was Seared Halloumi with almonds, almond butter, sweet and spicy pickled peppers, arugula and seasoned pita crisp.

Delicious all together. It was light and not too heavy so we had room for the next course.

 

Third Course was some really AMAZING CRIPY Eggplant! It was the crispiest ever and also seemed free of oil. It was so good! I wish I could get this plate again sometime. The eggplant inside was so tasty and meaty. Home made pomegranate molasses, dried pomegranate. feta and za’taar were flavors that all went together just right and it only got better with 2015 Domitia  Picoul de Pinet. This course was simply pure bliss.

Fourth Course was an Imtermezzo of Lemon Granite.

It was intensely lemon with another small hint of a note of flavor…………I guessed it correctly…Sambucca. It was not too sweet but great flavor that was refreshing.

Fifth Course was Local Chicken with onions, olives, raisins, herbs wine and cous cous.

The chicken was flavorful and very tender and was carefully SoueVide at 135 degrees F and then seared. The Chewy Cous Cous was tasty and I really liked the sweet pops of flavor from the golden raisins. Paired with 2014 McMurray Pinot Noir

Sixth Course – The Dessert – was surprisingly delicious ………It was Yogurt Mousse with local honey, pistachios, dates and phyllo paired with Cave Brut Spanish Sparkling.

I don’t know how but some sort of chef wizardry happened here. Somehow they made yogurt taste good. Magically it became Whipped goodness and when you hit the bottom you got citrusy dates and up top were the nutty pistachios with honey. The phyllo was turned to almost something like a toffee crisp. It was pretty darn impressive.

Another Amazing Dinner at Cafe Bink with friendly informative service and great wine parings too!

Cafe Bink is Certainly Worth a Fork!