Kai is a “Cultural Dining Experience”

Kai prides itself on being the only restaurant in the state of Arizona possessing the distinctive AAA Five Diamond award.  Kai offers an extraordinary cultural dining experience honoring Native America in a peaceful and romantic setting.  This restaurant is worth the trip and the staff ambitiously works to ensure your experience is impeccable and culturally significant.

Kai resides on the upper level of the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort on the Gila Indian Reservation.  Your cultural experience begins as your meander through Wild Horse Pass to enter the grounds of the resort. The road takes you past bubbling brooks on the reservation surrounded by native grasses and plants.  Upon arriving at the resort, guests are welcomed by the soothing sounds of Native American flute music by renowned artists, such as R. Carlos Nakai.  On some evenings, the evocative flute music is performed live by local musicians.

The Kai menu is designed to lead diners through a culinary journey beginning with The Birth (starters) and concluding with The Afterlife (dessert). Each menu cover is unique featuring a painting from a local artist that demonstrates the beauty of the land and symbolism frequently seen in Native American art. The server will share the story behind each piece of art before an in-depth discussion about the menu and indigenous ingredients used by the Chef de Cuisine, Joshua Johnson.

The menu is American with elegant southwestern influences. Food is artfully prepared and synchronously presented to diners at each table by the attentive staff.   Menu options may include locally made cheeses, heirloom vegetables grown on the reservation, organic meats and wild game. The menu changes often but an example of something to expect may be grilled tenderloin of tribal buffalo accompanied by saguaro blossom soup and cholla buds or local pecan crusted lamb with native seeds.  A delightful starter is their charred pumpkin and squash soup. The sommelier is knowledgeable and will graciously assist with selecting the perfect wine to complement your meal.

The west facing windows in the restaurant overlook the Gila Reservation and Estrella Mountains. Kai is ideal location to watch the pink and orange Arizona sunsets.  During monsoon season, a storm may move across the reservation delivering a spectacular lightening show. Guests leave Kai feeling pampered and with an appreciation for the land and people that inhabited it before the sprawl of planned communities.