Bin 239Wine bar, Restaurant, Gathering PlaceBin 239 is all about doing things that you can't do anywhere else in Prescott. Craving a Wood Fired Pizza - Bin 239 is the place.  Always wanted to try a couple of those "cult" wines but the astronomical price put you off - try the First Class Flight - 4 - 2 oz pours of 4 spectacular wines from the dozen or so offered. It still costs $65 - but you can say you have tried an Opus One and a Heitz Cellars "Martha's Vineyard" - and it beats the cost of any one bottle by a mile! Maybe you are looking forward to just hangin' with your friends or family, having a couple of appetizers, a glass of wine - just kicking back in a big easy chair and enjoying yourself - that works at Bin 239. Nice enough to take your date, casual enough that even if the doofus showed up at your door in Bermuda shorts and high tops he won't stand out - too much. Bin 239 started out in Prescott several years ago as a Wine Bar that served Wood Fired Pizza, Panini sandwiches, Bruschetta and salads - "Girly" food as I heard it called on more than one occasion. 
They still serve all of those items - and my wife loves it!, but the
proprietors listened to their clientele and added items to the menu which
cater to the carnivores among us. The lunch menu (served all day) includes numerous lighter, healthier offerings like bruschetta topped with Mozzarella, Tomato & fresh Basil ($12) and a couple of steaks and a steak sandwich ($18). The Evening Faire menu lists enough substantial items to please just about anyone. Located at 239 N. Marina, a block East and 2 blocks North of the Town Square, Bin 239 is easy enough to get to - you might even want to walk if the weather is nice! We parked on Marina, right across the street from the restaurant. This is another street with the 18" high curbs - so be careful. As we entered we were warmly greeted by the hostess and promptly shown to our table. Our server returned with the wine list - one of the better lists in Prescott. The main emphasis of Bin 239's wine list is on wines from California. Cabernets, Merlots, Pinot Noirs, Zinfandels, Syrahs, Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs are all well represented. In addition, there are a few selections from Australia, Italy and Germany. Wine prices are reasonable, if not cheap. I ordered one of that evenings specials - a 16oz bone-in ribeye(around $30). My wife ordered a North Beach Pizza - Tomato Sauce, Spicy Italian Sausage, Gorgonzola, Mozzarella and Kalamata Olives ($13). Our fast and efficient server returned in short order with our wine order and shortly thereafter our dinner orders.  The bone-in ribeye is all about presentation - there is something about that big ol' rib, charred to perfection and flanked by a green salad and a mini-cauldron of Baked Potato Pie that is just irresistible. Well, I didn't even try to resist. The ribeye was full of flavor - the seasoning and crust - perfect. I would have expected it to be a bit more tender than it was - but I'm not complaining - very good indeed! The sides were good as well - the baked Potato Pie could, in my opinion use a bit more seasoning - but I suspect that it was just as most people like it.  My
wife's pizza was, as usual, excellent. The ingredients were fresh and
the thin crust was crispy on the outside and chewy in the
middle - with just a hint of smokiness - really good. We lingered over our meal and our bottle of wine for an hour or so. The crowd was having a good time too - older couples, young people on dates, friends enjoying each others company. We discussed the wine, talked about our week, speculated about dining al fesco on the outdoor patio at Bin 239 the next tiime we were in, and laughed a lot. We had a great time. I couldn't and wouldn't ever ask more from a restaurant.
|
|
