If you are looking for a fine dining experience while in Phoenix, Arizona you can’t beat Kai Restaurant.
Kai is a Native American-inspired AAA Five Diamond/Forbes Five Star restaurant that will prove to be one of the most magnificent dining experiences you will ever have.
Location
Kai is located inside the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in southern Phoenix. Located right in the heart of the Sonoran desert and in the Gila River Indian community, the resort is surrounded by undeveloped land and stunning desert views.
As you walk into the main entrance of the resort and into the lobby, head to your left and you will be greeted by the friendly Kai hostesses who will already know your names.
Service
The service at Kai is top-notch. It is so rare to receive service like this nowadays and it really makes you feel special. I’m talking about the kind of service where the hostesses and servers already know you by name when you walk up. You are seated at the table and they push in your chair for you and place your napkin on your lap.
When you are served your dishes, all 4 servers swoop in and serve all 4 people at the table at the exact same time. The same thing when they clear the table – all dishes are removed in unison.
Cutlery is pre-warmed and you are given a fresh set before each new dish. The servers also clear the crumbs off the table between dishes.
When you are finished dining, your car will already be waiting for you at the front, no need to ask for it. Upon entering your vehicle you will find cold water on each of your seats and a personalized thank you note from the staff with complimentary gifts to bring home.
The service here just blows you away and I would say it is half the reason why Kai is such a fantastic restaurant.
Shout out to our head server, Jeremy, for making our birthday dinner extra special!!
Menu
Each menu at Kai has a unique watercolor painting on the front which was gifted from the local tribe. Every painting has a story which our server so perfectly recited to us before handing each of us our menus.
My menu had a Maricopa painting. It was explained that the word maricopa derives from the Spanish word mariposa meaning butterfly. This painting depicts the butterfly dance.
The Kai menu is meant to be a journey through the cuisines of two local tribes: the Pima and Maricopa. Two local members of each tribe taught the chef about all the local edible plants in the area. Chef Ryan Swanson forages for the ingredients in the desert and features them on the menu depending on what he can find and what is in season.
The menu is divided into 3 sections: The Birth, The Beginning and the Journey. Each of us chose one dish from each section. However you can also choose one of 2 set menus: the Short Story or the 13 course Journey.
If you want to go with the Journey, note that you will have to order it before 8pm due to the amount of time it takes to make it through all 13 courses. Also, everyone at your table will need to order the Journey, whereas if you go with the Short Story, it’s alright if just one person orders it.
Drinks
First we were served our drinks. Since I don’t drink alcohol Jeremy asked what types of flavors I enjoy and brought back a surprise virgin cocktail. It was a blackberry, lime and cucumber concoction and tasted amazing!
We were each poured either still or sparkling water. Then a server came around with a plate of flavorings: cucumber, lime, dragon fruit, etc. I went with the dragon fruit. I’ve never been somewhere that they give a choice of water flavorings!
Amuse-bouche
To begin our meal we were each served the amuse-bouche. It consisted of black cod with a local onion puree, compressed cucumber, garlic and mesquite honey. Each taste was very rich and prepared us for the unique flavors to come.
Bread
Next came freshly baked bread made daily in-house. We were served 3 different types, including a flatbread made of mesquite meal and a seed bread with agave glaze (my favorite!) Along with the bread came a dish with crushed seeds and nuts over which they poured olive oil. The olive oil is made locally, 30 miles away, exclusively for Kai. The taste was very distinct and delicious.
The Birth
I selected Ha:l for my starter. It was a delicious, perfectly spiced squash soup. I wish I had taken a photo of it when they first brought it out to the table – it looked like a work of art. Pieces of squash were carefully laid out in the bowl along with a pile of agave cotton candy and dots of puree. After careful explanation of each of the ingredients, one of the servers poured the soup over top and I watched as the cotton candy melted and all the flavors melded together.
If this had been the only dish I had eaten I would have left happy! It was so satisfying.
Ryan chose the Escargot, Wild Mushrooms and Caramel Goat Cheese. The dish was brought out to him and after explaining each of the ingredients, Jeremy placed the frozen slice of goat cheese on top of the dish. It was a unique contrast of the warm escargot with the frozen cheese on top which slowly melted down. Ryan especially enjoyed the black truffle shavings on top.
Below the mushrooms sat a slice of French toast which added a nice texture and sweetness to the dish.
The Beginning
Next came my Duo of Goose and Rabbit. Not only was it beautifully presented, the servers appealed to my sense of smell as well. After the dish was set down in front of me, one of the waiters lit a bunch of sage on fire and circled it around my head to add to the aroma and flavor of the dish. That was a first for me!
Ryan went with the Fois Gras and Onions. The outside was nicely seared and the inside was a very rich and creamy texture. The onions tasted slightly pickled and provided a burst of flavor with each bite.
Before our main dish we were served an intermezzo of banana praline sorbet to cleanse our palates. Even this was delicious.
The Journey
Finally it was time for our main dish.
I love duck meat so I went with the Fly South. The meat was so perfectly tender, the mole perfectly flavored and the tamale perfectly spiced. Those white things you see – they are actually popcorn! The presentation, combination of flavors and textures came together to create one outstanding dish.
Ryan went with the Three Sisters: a trio of scallops, caviar and pasta. The scallops were soft, not chewy, while the pasta had a unique texture. A smokey flavor was added by the caviar and the squash sauce added a hint of spice.
Ryan’s parents both got the Grilled Tenderloin of Tribal Buffalo. Apparently this dish is hugely popular and Ryan’s parents said it did not disappoint! The meat was so tender a knife wasn’t even necessary. It was perfectly cooked on the outside and rare on the inside.
Dessert
Jeremy surprised us with some dessert, compliments of the chef.
Ryan received a chocolate souffle with creme fraiche. It was perfectly rich and chocolatey to make any chocolate-lover happy.
We also enjoyed sharing some fry bread with an assortment of compote. Perfect for any fried-food lover and those who prefer a fruity taste.
To finish off the meal I had a shot of espresso and Ryan’s mom had a decaf coffee. Even these were made special.
Experience
Our dinner experience did not only appeal to our sense of taste, but also to sense of smell, hearing and sight. Throughout the evening Native American music played softly and the decor was Native American as well.
To conclude the evening, a beautiful, aromatic sage plant, complete with dry ice effect, was brought to our table.
To take home, we were given some house-made chocolate truffles with unique flavor combinations. When we walked out of the restaurant we were told our car was already waiting. Upon entering we found a cold bottle of Voss water on each of our seats. On the dash there was a personalized thank you card from the staff along with a jar of house-made local honey and a signed menu from the chef.
It was totally unexpected but what a special touch!
Restaurant Info:
Reservations are recommended. Online or by phone 602-385-5777.
Hours:
- Tuesday – Thursday from 5:30pm – 9:00pm
- Friday – Saturday 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Dress Code is Business Casual. No hats, t-shirts, jeans or shorts. Women are allowed dress hats. No open-toed sandals for men.
Adult-oriented. Guests must be over the age of 13.
You can find the current menu here.
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How cool! I’ve always wanted to try Native American cuisine, and now I know where we’re going if we ever make it out to Phoenix!
Yes, same here! It was interesting to try all kinds of ingredients we had never heard of before. You should definitely check it out if you are ever in Phoenix 🙂
Wow, that is some great service, and what a sweet birthday surprise! I got family in Phoenix that I visit every Christmas, so I’ll definitely keep this place in mind.
It definitely was the best service we’ve ever experienced! They know how to make their diners feel very special.
Oh that’s right, you were just there, I remember! You should definitely check it out sometime when you are back in Phoenix 🙂