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DESTINATION DINING
Kai Kai, the Pima word for “seed,” has great relevance to the people of the Gila River Indian Community, including their reverence for nature and the belief that the land provides them with everything they need. Located at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass on the Gila River Indian reservation, Kai has become one of Arizona’s most celebrated dining experiences. Kai is the only AAA Five Diamond, Forbes Five Star dining experience in the state, and it has made history as the first Sheraton- and Native American-owned property to receive this exclusive combination of awards in the world. At the helm of Kai, Chef de Cuisine Ryan Swanson incorporates the essence of the Pima and Maricopa tribes into his menu, while drawing many foraged elements from the surrounding community. Kai’s menu features ingredients from local partners, such as Gila River Farms, and items from Native Seed/SEARCH, which is a foundation that preserves ancient Native American seed lines that would otherwise be extinct. www.wildhorsepass.com.
Gastronomy worth the gas BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ
H
ow about a road trip? Or, at the least, a food trip! Turns out the north and central parts of the Valley are not the only culinary hot spots in town. Here are three restaurants that – while not exactly in your backyard – are more than worth the drive.
SO SCOTTSDALE! |
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| MAY 2017
Quiessence Quiessence, located at Phoenix’s Farm at South Mountain, is an award-winning farmto-table restaurant nestled at the end of a 10-acre pecan grove. Known for its seasonally and locally inspired menu, Quiessence uses fresh produce, herbs, edible flowers and fruit picked from the property each day in the ever-changing menu. If not grown on site, Chef Dustin Christofolo sources from other local farm and purveyor partners. Customers can walk through the culinary gardens before taking a seat on the patio or inside the original farmhouse that is now the Quiessence restaurant. If you’d like an exclusive garden table, the Brick Oven Experience is available for one reservation per evening. This table lends a romantic vibe with a lit fire in the brick oven, and guests experience a chef’s tasting dinner with eight courses. Each week, the menu is rewritten depending on the season and availability of the local ingredients. www.qatthefarm.com. Litchfield’s Named after Paul W. Litchfield, then Goodyear Tire & Rubber executive and founder of Litchfield Park, the West Valley’s top-ranked restaurant pays tribute to the local community, supporting it with a menu crafted from farmto-table and locally sourced produce. A blend of old school (the restaurant is located at the nearly 100-year-old Wigwam Resort, after all) and new (especially since Arizona icon Jerry Colangelo took the helm in recent years), guests can enjoy anything from a nostalgic cocktail on the patio to a communal, interactive meal at Chef de Cuisine Jason Paterno’s chef’s table – where he even uses a fireplace to cook a treat or two. www.wigwamarizona.com.