A Proper Elite Event

Favorite event thus far! I cannot say enough! Truly proper by every definition of the word! There was a beautiful drink that welcomed us called the Garden Party. It had carbonation (which I don’t do) in it so I declined. I was then without even thinking I had one in front of me without the soda water! So sweet and yummy!
The generosity and amazing tastes didn’t stop there! The Charcuterie board had some nice cheeses and tasty rabbit and duck! We moved onto a Kale salad I was amazed I liked! I am probably the most unhealthy Unilocaler! This salad had great texture and flavor.
The pairings all throughout of wine were great for a wine lover like me! Sliders and wings greeted us next and were very welcomed by my stomach! Now remember that wonderful generosity with my garden party drink? They extended that courtesy asking if there were any allergies or foods we did not like. I am not a fan of seafood. (I know, I know… never have been.) So they presented me with chicken instead of fish! They wouldn’t have had to and it still would have been an amazing! But let me tell you, this chicken was presented beautifully, full of flavor, and moist! Everything a chicken should be!
But like I said, I am super unhealthy and charged right through the Chocolate Ganache Tart like a champ. Most people seemed to think it too rich or were too full at this point, but I devoured this dessert! So amazing!
But besides the food. I loved the family style event. Singlehandedly this event was number one in allowing me to get to know some fellow Unilocalers. There was lots of quality talk, food, and fun! The ambiance of the restaurant was great! (I loved the use of rebar to hold wine!)
Thank you so much to Bella, Proper, and Unilocal for an AMAZING event!

Proper. What does it mean to be Proper? We each submitted our own definitions of this word and had to find out who wrote each definition. This was a challenging ice breaker, as each definition was unique and thought out. Prizes were given to Yeeps who found the proper matches!
We sat in the cozy booth, and the staff at Proper impressed us with their knowledge of the menu and attention to detail while we dined. We were treated to six courses with wine pairings. The cheese and meat boards were super yummy. The kale salad was fresh and flavorful. The risotto with mushrooms was delicious, as well as the gnocchi. We enjoyed asian wings, pork belly sliders, ahi tuna, and an amazing chocolate tarte that was paired with a chai tea latte. The appetizers and the desserts were my favorite courses.
After finishing dessert, I noticed that 3 hours had already passed by. 3 hours? I had no idea that we’d been there that long. What a time warp it was while we enjoyed the carefully-​planned courses and beverages, and what a treat!
Thank you Proper and Bella for an outstanding evening!

So I’m delayed in writing my review of this event because I have a tendency to gush about fantastic experiences. I wanted to be level-​headed. But here I am, a week later, and I still get warm and fuzzy thinking about this event! It was my second elite event, and more intimate than the first. I really liked the change of pace, and the opportunity to chat with different people; additionally, I got to really know my table mates and the staff (the perks of sitting in the same seat all night).
The food offerings were beyond generous and such a great way to get to know Proper’s menu. Several others have detailed the menu offerings, so I’ll stick to some other aspects. We had such genuine, wonderful interactions with the staff! The customer service was top notch. Different waiters and chefs came to talk to us throughout the meal, and were incredibly accommodating of any allergies and/​or preferences. We certainly felt Elite!
Another unexpected delight was the wine offering! My fellow Elites and I just loved the red and white wines that we were served! They were very generous with pours, and explained the best pairings for each course. It was so interesting to learn that they have their House Red made especially for them in Colorado — we were disappointed that we couldn’t exactly buy a bottle to take home the traditional way, but they actually found us a sneaky alternative!
The game was quite tricky this time (matching adefinition of the word «Proper» to a particular Eliter who provided it), as everyone seemed to be fairly guarded. But, as luck would have it, I picked correctly on my first try and was (and still am) so thrilled to have a gift card to Proper! I absolutely cannot wait to return — now I am spoiled! What will I order?! Guess I’ll have to bring a large group so we can order it all again :)

The Unilocal Elite event at Proper was a fabulous evening of delicious food, unique local wines, and fun conversation. Bella and the staff of Proper kept us well-​fed and happy! We started with a charcuterie plate that included a few interesting cheeses, even the blue, goat, and cheddar were different than you would expect. The duck rillete and rabbit terrine stole the show. Everything paired well with the white wine. The kale salad came next and it was the best kale salad I have ever had, earthy, tangy from the lemon garlic dressing, and a touch of sweetness from the raisins. Next came a pork belly slider and proper wings. The wings were the winner with their sweet and sour glaze. Between the risotto and fried gnocchi that came out for the next course, I was not sure I could eat any more. The risotto was creamy and satisfying. Then there was a lightly seared tuna in a sweet curry sauce with fresh, crisp veggies. I loved the wine with this course, I think it came from Cortez, CO. It was a full-​bodied white with a little sparkle. Finally, a small chocolate tart and with a short chai — somehow, I’m not sure how, it all fit. And for the food that didn’t fit, our server cheerfully boxed it all and brought it out after dinner was over. What service! And with a 10% off card for the next visit, I can’t wait to return to Proper!

What a great night of food, drinks, and camaraderie. The night started with a lovely and refreshing Garden Party drink (Tequila, Mint, Cucumber, Citrus, Peach Bitters). It was lovely to mingle and meet other local Unilocalers before we sat down for dinner.
There were 6 courses and three wine pairings. The first course was a meat and cheese board. Now this is what I call and «proper» board. There were some diverse meats and cheeses along with a rabbit terrine and duck rillettes (I could have eaten all the rabbit terrine but my parents taught me to share!!). The second course was a baby kale salad with golden raisins and faro. Kale is a super food and the salad was «super-​delicious»!! The third course was Prop Prop wings and pork belly sliders. I will go back time and time again for the wings and the sliders (but please more meat to bread ratio!). The fourth course was a ricotta gnocchi and risotto. A creamy sweet corn risotto with fried sage and goat cheese and the gnocchi was made with cheese instead of potatoes (loved it). The fifth course was a seared ahi tuna with coconut fume, sautéed broccoli, and sesame seeds. I’m not a big fish eater but it was good, light, and the fume complimented the fish nicely. And the final course and most anticipated was the chocolate ganache tart with chili and vanilla ice cream served along with a chai latte shot. A wonderful end to a fabulous meal. The tart was delicious and melted in your mouth. There was a hint of spiciness to it but not overpowering.
The three wines were two whites and one red. The first two wines were from Colorado and the third wine was from Arizona. I’m not a big fan of wine but I enjoyed the pairings and all the wines were subtle and light.
The staff were amazing. Henry, our waiter, was warm, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu. The manager was also on hand to help serve and answer any questions we had about the food and drinks. Chef Rafael came around to the tables to check on the food and our experience. They even gave some of us (who asked) doggie bags and treated each Unilocal guest with a jar of homemade pickle/​onions and a coupon for a return visit.
Thank you Bella and the staff at Proper for giving us a memorable evening and a reason to head downtown for another great dining experience.

What an amazing night! The other Unilocalers have said everything I need to say, but I was simply blown away by not only the unique food but also the impeccable service by the staff.
We had a very enjoyable and relaxing evening, sampling and chatting over tasty bites and great wine pairings. I definitely felt spoiled all night, and look forward to bringing my husband back to try Proper for a great date night!
Thank you Bella and Proper for an unforgettable evening!

Wow! Where do I even begin to explain the amazing meal we had at Proper last night that I’m still full from the next day? We were given the extensive 6 course menu a few days before the event so I knew we were in for a treat. Some of the courses even had multiple menu items so it felt more like an 8 course meal! A little surprise for us was that in addition to our initial welcome cocktail three of the courses had wine pairings. Each of the wines we were served are bottle especially for proper and one of them was local (from Cochise!). Starting off with the super refreshing Garden Party cocktail was perfect for mingling with a bunch of Unilocalers I hadn’t met before. I loved the thinly sliced cucumber that lined the glass — a very nice touch!
A short while later we were all encouraged to take a seat because the first course would be coming out. I love the charcuterie board and lavash. The waiter was very knowledgeable about where each item came from and explained them all to us as we started to dig in. My favorites were the creamy cows milk cheese and the cheddar. I was also pleasantly surprised I liked the duck rillettes and rabbit terrine so much! We kept our meat and cheese board on the table for the next course to keep munching. The second course was perhaps my favorite. I very healthy and super tasty Kale salad with a lemon dressing. I would love the recipe to recreate this little gem at home! Luckily they served the four of us a huge portion and we each took some home. I’ll be having mine for lunch today! Next up were the wings and sliders. I thought the flavor of the wings were excellent. Definitely not your average buffalo wing — more of an Asian influence but they were so good you didn’t even need or want a dipping sauce. They were flavorful and had just enough spice to them. I was really anticipating the pork belly sliders because our waiter had talked them up so much but I was a little let down because I felt the amount of bread overshadowed the delicious pork belly. We all agreed that we loved the spicy pickle on the slider though!
Next up was a sweet corn risotto which I wasn’t blown away with. it seemed a little soupy to me but I was really impressed that the chef made a special risotto for one of our fellow Unilocalers who has a corn allergy. They subbed butternut squash for hers and she said it was delicious. Throughout the whole night the Proper staff was great about making substitutions for those with food allergies which is especially impressive for such a large group of us with so many courses and so many individual dietary restrictions. Proper’s spin on the traditional gnocchi was definitely interesting and surprisingly really good. The gnocchi was made with ricotta instead of potatoes and was deep fried instead of boiled. They had nice flavor to them and really. what’s not to love about deep fried cheese? I thought the cream sauce and oyster mushrooms with the dish were excellent. We all kept fishing into the bowl for more of the mushrooms because they were so good!
Our last savory course was the seared Ahi tuna. It was a little overcooked for my taste by most of the people at my table preferred it that way actually. The Asian style coconut sauce underneath was really great and made the dish! Last up were a Chai latte and a chocolate ganache tart. Unfortunately, I don’t like chocolate so I didn’t try the tart but the Chai latte was amazing or as my new Unilocal friend said «life changing»! A nice touch was that they came around and asked each of us if we preferred cows milk or soy milk in ours. I chose soy and it was delightful!
For a final treat as if they hadn’t already impressed us enough, the Proper staff brought out house made pickled fennel and peppers for us to take home with a coupon for 10% off our next meal. Definitely an adorable touch! The whole evening the staff when above and beyond what I could have ever expected. I was especially impressed with their attentiveness and attention to detail but more so their passion for the food at their restaurant. You would think each member of the staff was a part owner because they really stood behind the food and seemed proud of the local and fresh ingredients they source. Overall, an amazing experience and I can’t wait to go back. Thanks to Bella and the staff at Proper for putting on such a delicious event!

My first Elite Unilocal event felt a lot like the first day of school, especially after just moving to Tucson two months ago. Am I going to make new friends? Are the other kids ( Unilocalers) going to be nice? Will I like it? Fortunately, unlike many first days of school, it was awesome!
When I arrived, the kind staff at Proper showed me where to go. Bella gave me the rundown on how Elite events work, and before I knew it, I had a delicious Garden Party cocktail in hand and was mixing and mingling with my fellow Unilocalers.
After a short cocktail hour, we sat down to enjoy a six course feast. The first course was an amazing Charcuterie board. I don’t really care for goat and blue cheeses, but the ones on the board were both very tasty. The duck and rabbit meats were by far my favorite part though. I would have been happy just having the board as a meal. As good as the board was, the kale salad might have been my favorite. If the kale salads I made at home were this good, I would definitely be eating a lot healthier. It was probably one of the best salads I’ve ever had.
Next up were the Proper wings and pork belly sliders. The sliders had a wonderful spicy sauce, but the wings… I could have probably eaten the whole plate myself. They were crispy with just the right amount of tangy sauce. And the wine pairing for this course was great! The only disappointing thing was you can only get it at Proper, but it’s not really that disappointing because it just means I’ll have to go back.
We then moved on to the gnocchi and risotto. I had never had fried gnocchi, and like most fried things, it was delicious, and the risotto was the perfect comfort food. I was starting to enter food coma land when our serve brought out the next course – seared ahi tuna on top of a creamy coconut flavored sauce. I’m not sure what was in the sauce, but I could probably have it as a bowl of soup.
Finally, it was time for dessert – chocolate tort and chai lattes. The tort was super rich, but even as a person who’s not that big on chocolate, I finished mine in record time. It had some spice to it too, which helped balance the richness.
One of the best parts of meal was definitely the entire staff at Proper. From the moment I walked in, I felt welcomed and the staff really went out of their way to ensure everyone had a great time.
Overall, my first Elite Event was a great success! Thank you Bella, Proper, and all the friendly Unilocalers I met last night for making me feel so welcomed to Tucson!

Last night at Proper was… wait. Hold on, lemme unbuckle my belt. OK, better now. What a feast! I’m still full from all the delicious offerings from last night’s «A Proper Elite Event.»
Unilocalers were treated like proper royalty last night and a bloody good time was had by all. Yeesh, enough with the proper speak, huh? Anyway — as instructed by our lovely Bella, I arrived right on time and was greeted warmly by the staff at Proper and shown to the area we would occupy for the evening. I immediately spied the beautifully adorned Garden Party drinks and sipped on the refreshing mixture of tequila (!!), some mint, cucumber and a splash of peach bitters. Super refreshing.
The food was abundant and amazing. Cheese and meat boards (A-​mazing and different from most boards you get in local restaurants… rabbit terrine — what?!, duck rillete — what?!); the best damn kale salad I’ve ever had that included farro, golden raisins and a bright lemon vinaigrette. I want this, no I NEED this salad again; a delicate corn risotto with mushrooms and an incredible bite of fried sage; gnocchi unlike any gnocchi I’ve ever had — no potatoes, just glorious cheese served on a bed of cream sauce; Asian wings (delectable) and pork belly sliders (tasty but not enough belly for my belly); seared ahi tuna which could have been a hit but was way overcooked — I like my tuna still jumping from the water. If all that wasn’t enough, we were treated to dessert too — a scrumptious chocolate tart with a hint of spicy heat to it topped with a small dollop of ice cream served alongside an exotic and delicious chai tea latte. And can you believe we also enjoyed generous pours of three different wines that were paired with our various bites? The house red and white are from Sutcliffe Vineyards in Colorado but the final wine was from Arizona Stronghold Vineyards — delicious fragrant pear Tazi wine.
What really stood out at this event is the staff. Our server Henry was knowledgeable and friendly. Our table really enjoyed the superior service he brings to the table — ha! Literally and figuratively!
Cody (manager?) was quick to fill our wine glasses and make sure everything was to our liking. Chef Rafael made his way to the tables as well and seemed really pleased to hear us all raving about the food.
It’s always fun to go home from any party with a treat bag and Proper’s party favor bag of pickled fennel & veggies was a fitting send off.
Thank you Proper and thank you Bella ~ thumbs up!

There’re so many meanings to the word «Proper», what does it mean to you? To me it means; to act right for the setting or occasion you’re in.
This event was beyond amazing! From the old fashion décor and lighting — to the fancy wine rack everything was top notch. I love that this place has an open kitchen! Gives it a more warm, homey feeling.
The wait staff was VERY knowledgeable on the items they were passing out. Refael (sue chef) stated that all employees have to pass a ten page test on the different kinds of food as well as wines.
The food was spectacular, our sue chef Refael did one hell of a job dishing out the tasty dishes as well as entertaining us with his food knowledge. My favorite dish of the night was the «ahi tuna» — the ahi tuna was slow cooked on a skillet and topped with a creamy orange sauce. Every bite was full of flavor.
Can’t hit a Unilocal event without alcohol! Over our 5 course meal — we shared some amazing red and white wines from Colorado. Out of the three wines my top pick was the «Proper Red from Sutcliffe Vineyards, Cortez, CO» — It had a very light settle sweet taste.
Aside from the great food and drinks one thing I do love about the Unilocal events is meeting all the new Unilocalers and conversing with the OGs as well.
Last but not least, Thank you Bella! You sure know how to put events together. Keep up the amazing work.
Till next time
KCYE…

Last weekend, my friend and I were walking back from a concert at Rialtor and passed the beautiful open windows at Proper, we were mesmerized and wondering what was it like inside. Then a few days later, I got invited to the Elite party.
Talking about dream comes true!!!
Let me first start with the service at Proper, which is beyond excellent. The Proper staff are super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. They are very personable without being too chatty. They take time to explain the food and the wine, and leave no glasses unfilled. I don’t remember the last time I’m at a party with so much alcohol, and by alcohol I mean GOOD alcohol. The service is definitely a big big yes for me.
Then the food. Without repeating the raves of the other Unilocalers, I would just say THANK YOU PROPER! The food concept at Proper revolves around being local, sustainable, and organic. Moreover, Proper serves heart-​warming, soul-​fulfilling, and mouth-​watering good food. My favorites from the night are the charcuterie board (with Serrano ham, dried fig, duck rillettes, and rabbit terrine), the kale salad (my first kale salad EVER), the pork belly slider, and the chocolate ganache tart. Everything is fresh and beautifully presented. It’s truly a dreamy and hedonic dining experience.
By the end of the night, the manager (who I read about from Edible) came to speak to us. Not only I got my kale boxed and tucked in a cute brown bag, I also found a jar of homemade pickle and coupon.
Talking about feeling warm and fuzzy.
Unilocal, how can you outdo yourself each and every time?
Proper, you have SERIOUSLY, PROPERLY, impressed me.
Next time I’m in downtown, I will find myself a window seat, order wine and food, and practice people-​watching, the Proper way.