The Spot: Bink's Midtown 2320 E Osborn Rd, Phoenix www.binksmidtown.com
The Hours: Happy Hour is offered everyday from 2:30 to 6 p.m.
See also: French Fries from Cafe Bink, Bink's Midtown, and Bink's Scottsdale: 100 Favorite Dishest
The Interior: Located in a residential area, Bink's Midtown is sort of like having dinner at someone's house -- a really fancy second gentlemen's farm-home with white linen table-clothed house in France with original wood floors. And fabulous napkins. When it's not overly crowded the restaurant has wonderful acoustics, yet tricky parking. Complimentary valet is offered. The decor pays attention to the details, and it shows. It's welcoming, yet upscale -- a lot like the menu.
The Food: A bit hungry, we opted for the cheese board ($12) and spring vegetable fritters ($5). The board included three cheeses, country pate, jam, pickles, whole grain mustard and crustini. It was lovely, but we would have preferred more cheese and less pate and jam. But, c'est la vie. We somehow managed to love every bite.
The fritters were piping hot and delicious, a bargain for sure. Binkley is known for his use of local produce. Light and fluffy, they were served with romesco sauce and lots of parmesan; it's an item found on few menus. Bink's nails it. In addition to our happy hour order, our server brought Bink's signature buckwheat biscuits, which served as sort of a dessert to our mini-meal. The menu for happy hour also includes burgers, salads and seafood dishes.
The Drinks: Well drinks, wine and beer are all half price during happy hour. Sadly this means the signature cocktails are out, but luckily it includes a bunch of great local Arizona options. We sipped on the "rotating" handle from a local Arizona brewery, which was a refreshing raspberry blend ($3) and Dos Cabezas "PINK" rose ($4.50). Some of the "bubbly" options looked refreshing, as well. The large selection of local options gives us another reason to return.
Conclusion: At under $30, we like this option for an out-of-the-ordinary happy hour. The food is a little different, yet comforting and satisfying. If you like local Arizona brews and wines, Bink's Midtown delivers. All of this in an upscale environment with attention to details means this happy hour is a great time to bring your boss, a date or a good friend to Bink's Midtown.
Grade: A-
