A Dance in Culinary Art: KAI, at Arizona’s Gila River Indian Community

KAI restaurant, located in the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass on the Gila River Indian Community, is a fine dining experience that brings light to the Native American culture through the eyes of the Pima and Maricopa tribes. Moreover, the service is impeccable, and the food is as valiant as it is delicious.

Tribal tradition is celebrated upon the resort’s entrance with soft Native American music. After you check in with the hostess, you will be within the cozy ambiance of the lounge. The fireplace, comfortable cushioned chairs, and southwest décor invite you for a pre-dinner drink. I recommend you imbibe because a proper night out should always start at the bar.

The staff warmly escorts you, by name, into the dining area, where there is a sense of admiration amongst the tables. Moreover, seating is etiquette perfection; there is remarkable attention to detail, yet the staff is beyond unassuming.

The dining room is decorated in warm tones and has large wooden beams on the ceiling. The mood is much like a high-scale lodge. Intricate woven baskets hang on the walls, and clay pots are nobly displayed on tables and shelves. Furthermore, the windows unveil the spectacular mountain views from all angles.

While there is a team at your beck and call, our primary server was Jeremy. He told us about the indigenous people and how their past and present influence the restaurant’s cuisine. His captivating ability for storytelling parallels the Pima and Maricopa cultures. Both tribes are prideful people who respect their words and heritage. The staff at KAI are like-minded souls who keep their traditions alive.

The menus themselves are a work of art. The large wooden-framed covers encase watercolor paintings that express scenes of tribal activity with meaningful messages within the strokes. Inside, the menu consists of 4 courses, each with a choice of 1 of 3 options. Jeremy explained each item and graciously offered his expertise.

Honoring the Pima and Maricopa tribes, as known gatherers, farmers, and hunters, most courses incorporate ingredients that grow on tribal land. Therefore, foraging from their mountainous ground is essential to KAI’s culinary treasures. Chef de Cuisine Drew Anderson shares the outlook of using produce, herbs, and flavor-enhancing components they find seasonally on their soil. “I love working at KAI because it gives me the creative freedom to explore and showcase the indigenous ingredients of the southwest while incorporating these into the cuisine of the O’odham people. The community has provided me with amazing partnerships and a sense of camaraderie that allows KAI to continue to grow and flourish.”

With every dish, Chef Anderson creates a delectable taste for the palate with an elegant presentation for the eyes. In many ways, he is a kindred spirit of the Gila River Indian Community. His finesse and vision resemble tribal precision in their artwork and ability to design for purpose.

The courses are laid out in sections called the Birth, the Beginning, the Journey, and the Afterlife, keeping you enlightened and in the moment. While The Birth is your hors d’oeuvre, vegetable, and small salad choices, the Beginning offers appetizers with meat, seafood, and specialty delicacies. Further, The Journey acts as your entree: beef, game, shellfish, or seafood options. Finally, the Afterlife is dessert. However, the menu will constantly rotate depending on the season’s bounty.

Moreover, you are free to pick your wine(s) or go with their suggested pairings per course, which we decided to do. Since James Beard Nominee Darren Greenspon runs the wine program, we knew we were in good hands. Additionally, KAI has a beautifully crafted cocktail program; I encourage you to try the refreshing sage gin.

My husband and I ordered different dishes to try each other’s selections. However, the decadent prequel to the evening was up first:  the Amuse Bouche, pickled huckleberry, and rhubarb with mesquite and cooked cream.

My Birth choice, Pee-Posh Garden, which looked like a dainty little flower plant with candied pecan soil, was a lovely blend of confit of baby potatoes, pickled Chioggia beets, sunchoke cream, and fermented white asparagus. The miniature garden had a nutty sweetness with an extraordinary balance of soft and crunchy textures. A beautiful 2021 Emmerich Knoll Gruner Veltliner Federspiel from Wachau, Austria, nicely accompanied the dish with its herbaceous, zesty mouthfeel.

My husband’s Birth choice, Celebration of Arizona Mushrooms, a wheat berry and black garlic risotto with parsnip and apple puree, gave purpose to celebrate. Our server poured a broth of fungi and herb tea over the dish, offering an abundance of earthy aromas. The mushroom ensemble paired wonderfully with the 2019 Produttori del Barbaresco from Piedmont, Italy. A Nebbiolo’s velvety tannic structure is a natural match for dishes with hints of forest floor, like dried leaves and crushed rock.

Following the Birth, there was a surprise intermission of honey-glazed bread and herb-infused butter—an elegant touch of sweetness before the Beginning.

 

The Berkshire Pork course was one of our Beginnings. The braised pork ragout with i’itoi onion chemist, brown butter delicata squash, and gastrique with a caramelized sweet and sour sauce danced harmoniously with the 2019 Alvaro Palacios, ‘Les Terrasses”, from Priorat Spain. The Garnacha-dominant wine with flavors of cooked berries, toast, and orange zest emphasized the glazed pork and peppery influence of the i’itoi onion. (I’itoi onions grow wild in Arizona, and the vegetable has significance in tribal cooking).

 

Our second Beginning was seared foie gras with brown butter tart, caramelized onion puree, and pickled ramp with an onion demi-glace. It paired superbly with Rare Wine Co.’s “Savannah Verdelho” from Madeira, Portugal. Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese-owned island of Madeira. The wine of Verdelho grapes exuded hints of fig, marmalade, creme brulee, and citrus that sinfully melted together with the savory foie gras.

As if we weren’t already well into our journey, next came The Journey. We chose the U’uwhig, seared duck roulade with fermented leek, confit rutabaga, and celeriac puree, with a pour-over of duck consomme. The tender duck rolled up with tangy herbs exquisitely paired with the dusty truffle notes of the vibrant 2017 Bouchard Pere & Fils Nuits-Saint-George from Burgundy, France.

The Pisin, grilled tenderloin of American Bison, was also part of The Journey. The succulent meat fell apart with the touch of a fork and sat upon a bright yellow 60-day corn puree. The dish comes with oxtail and scarlet runner bean cassoulet, cholla bud, and saguaro blossom syrup. And Arizona’s 2020 Wild Syrah from Rune Wines in Willcox was indeed a clever pairing with its complexity, inky texture, and flavors of game, olives, and Mediterranean spices.

Before our ascent into the Afterlife came another bread course, they call Gi:sho. The fry bread, known as Wamichta, was perfectly crispy on the outside yet light and airy inside. For dipping was a whipped crow’s dairy chevre, pichuberry mostarda, and Peterson honeycomb foam. A beautiful NV Pine Ridge, Chenin Blanc & Viognier Sparkling from California was a lovely complement. The wine’s zippy acid, tart yellow apples, ginger notes, and slight effervescence also made it a delightful digestif.

 

At this point, we are unsure if we are dreaming or fully immersed in The Afterlife. To be sure, we indulged in the Creator’s Mountain, a cocoa sponge, dark chocolate mousse, saguaro and wolfberry foam, pine cream, prickly pear gel, and caramelia ice cream. The raisined and luscious dessert wine pairing, Yalumba Winery’s ‘Antique Muscat’ from Yalumba, South Australia, was an exceptional treat for this rich sweet.

Our second choice was the sweet corn custard, blueberry compote, husk ash crema with vanilla cake, and juniper berry streusel. The dish came with a burst of incredibly engaging flavors that popped with its pairing of a 2017 Royal Tokaji, “5 Puttonyos”, from Hungary. Tokaji is the infamous dessert wine of Hungary. Further, the 5 Puttonyos tell us the intensity of its sweetness from the distinct Aszu grapes. The wine’s dried apricots, caramel, and honey notes are a match made in heaven for this corn dessert.

Dinner at KAI is like a dance where the food will lead, and you will follow. For approximately 3 hours, the sensational and charming staff gracefully moves about the tables, ensuring every step is flawless. Upon leaving, Jeremy gave us a parting gift of chocolates, honey, and olive oil. And as we said our goodbyes, everyone acknowledged us again by name. The valet was waiting to bid us farewell, and a thank you card was on our car console. It is no wonder KAI is Arizona’s only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star Restaurant. Dinner is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. I marvel at the commitment to excellence on every level. And I hope to share my story of KAI as well as they told theirs to us.