It's so hard to say a restraurant is amazing when the hype has been built up so much. It dares you to be disappointed. I am still not sure (a month later) which camp I fall into. I've heard such amazing things about Kai from so many people in the Valley - friends, husband, co-workers, clients. All of those amazing things people have told me are true. The service, drinks, dinner, dessert - they were all amazing. I guess I'm disappointed because they didn't stand out in their amazingness. Does that even make sense? I'll try to explain.
For example, the ambience & decor are top notch. Soft music, luxurious & spacious dining room, hip bar - but the place just feels like, I don't know, like it's missing its soul. Kai just feels & looks like another great Arizona restraurant. It's subtly southwest, but you could be at the Camelback Inn or the Pointe. You don't get the feeling you're at a Casino (although that's actually down the street, huh?) or on an Indian reservation - you could be in North Scottsdale or Downtown Phoenix. I don't know, something was just missing. It's hard for me to describe or even put my finger on. Look at their virtual tour & see if you agee.
Kai does better in the actual food & menu - it's pretty clear that organic farming & using good quality ingredients from the Gila River Indian Community are a cornerstone of the menu - it's written in every description. Our party enjoyed both surf & turf - so we had a good representation off the menu with appetizers & desserts. Every entree was wonderful & there were no leftovers! But, again, I was left feeling......something, what? The dishes were inspired by Native American culture, but in the end - I couldn't really tell the difference between the "inspired" tenderloin & one from Durant's or Mastro's. The difference between the local micro green salad & one grown in California. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if the dishes were more authentic to Arizona's various Native American tribes. Taking a real tribal staple or favorite dish & then giving it an amazing executive chef's touch or re-inventing it - that to me would truely make Kai unique. Serving lobster, dry aged rib eye, truffles, & scallops just sounds like every other expensive, five star restraurant in the Valley & probably in any large US city. What's uniquely Native American or Arizonan about that?
Some ideas - maybe if they changed the decor, hired an Arizonan Native American chef, created an avant garde signature dish from a tribal staple, or gave your party a handmade arts & craft talisman made by the local tribes instead of a hand written Thank you on stationary?? I don't know. I think Kai just needs to be more innovative & create a dining experience that a local or visitor can't get at any other restaurant in the Valley of the Sun. Take themselves out of the five star restaurant competition by giving the guest something completely different & cutting edge.
In short, I think Kai is just missing that 'je ne sais quoi'. After all the great reviews & hype, I felt Kai fell short. I was expecting an authentic, uniquely Arizonan Native American dining experience & got an amazing, delicious dinner at a five star restraurant. Great dinner, but not really unique or innovative.