Ko’sin Restaurant

Ko’sin Restaurant, the casual dining venue, at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort has changed all that.

Located just south of Phoenix on the Gila River Indian Community, the resort is well known for its sister restaurant, Kai.

This fine dining venue which features a unique Native American-influenced cuisine with emphasis on tribal and locally grown ingredients, and has been lauded from coast to coast.

Both restaurants and their menus were designed with as much attention to detail as the rest of this Native American resort.

Looking towards the lobby and restaurants at Wild Horse Pass Resort

We think their efforts really paid off. The restaurants are definitely worth the 15-mile drive from downtown Phoenix.

Ko'sin has a Southwestern / American style menu that changes seasonally and takes inspiration from the locally grown and indigenous ingredients.

With beautifully composed plates and a well-trained, attentive staff, Ko’sin Restaurant hits all the right notes for a delicious yet casual gourmet meal without any of the fuss.

A Note About Wild Horse Pass Resort

Although Sheraton manages the resort, Wild Horse Pass is part of the Gila River Indian Community, which comprises two indigenous Arizona tribes: the Pima (Akimel O’odham) and the Maricopa (Pee Posh).

The tribes consulted on every aspect of the property, from the architecture right down to the smallest design details.

Sweeping desert and mountain views and a 2.5-mile replica of the Gila River make for a scenic and relaxing location.

The entire resort reflects the rich and ancient heritage, culture and spirit of these peoples.

Ko'sin Restaurant's huevos rancheros and fresh fruit smoothie

Their cuisine combines native ingredients with sophisticated preparations and artful presentations.

The menu is divided into four categories...

• From the Soil,
• From the Water,
• From the Land,
• From the Sky,

For instance, the "From the Soil" section, which offers a variety of appetizers, includes a golden and ruby beet carpaccio with "Purple Haze" goat cheese (flavored with lavender and fennel pollen) mousse and micro tumbleweed ($8.50).

"From the Water" offers a spiny lobster tail corn dog accented with a buttermilk corn purée and a shaved fennel and watercress salad ($15)

Another unique dish "From the Soil" is the trio of game lollipops ($12) which include:

• Cheyenne River Sioux buffalo with “Fair Trade” coffee and mole rub
• venison with curry and sandalwood dust
• Colorado lamb with guajillo and ancho chile dust.

The "lollipops" are accompanied by a verdalogas salad.

Verdalogas is the Mexican name for purslane (Portulaca oleracea) - a succulent green native to North America with small, round, fleshy leaves that have a slight citrusy taste when raw.

Ko’sin Restaurant’s variety of entrées continues the fusion of American and Southwestern themes with dishes such as:

• pan-seared Cheyenne River Sioux buffalo tenderloin with wild boar bacon and three sisters ragout ($34), "three sisters" being the classic trio of Native American crops: corn, squash and beans
• chicken breast filled with Oaxaca cheese and wrapped in prosciutto over creamy polenta and "Fair Trade" coffee red eye gravy accented with buttered asparagus ($24)
• hand picked jumbo lump crab, Gulf shrimp and Bay scallop cakes with native tepary beans, baby spinach and Mexican papaya salad ($32).

For the kid in all of us, there’s the dessert of a tower of cotton candy and caramel popcorn accented with Native Seed Search nougatine and wild berry coulis ($7).

Ko’sin Restaurant is also open for breakfast and lunch.

Lunch dishes include a cast iron charred ahi steak salad ($13.50) and a wild turkey pot pie with rattlesnake beans ($12), as well as burgers and sandwiches.

For breakfast, they offer traditional American dishes as well as Southwestern spins on familiar breakfast specialties.

There is a decadent-sounding cinnamon bun French toast ($12), dipped in vanilla egg batter, cooked on the griddle and served with prickly pear butter and Vermont maple syrup.

If you have the time to linger over breakfast, try the Breakfast Tasting Menu ($28) - a five course sampler.

You'll get smaller portions of menu favorites such as the huevos rancheros as well as unique breakfast preparations like the doughnut lollipop and the smoked salmon taco with chive ceram cheese.

On Sundays, Ko’sin Restaurant also offers the Wild Horse Pass Breakfast Buffet ($17 per person), which includes all of the traditional breakfast items along with cooked-to-order omelets, breakfast burritos, croissant sandwiches and biscuits and gravy.

Ko’sin Restaurant’s dining room takes its design inspiration from its desert surroundings

Ko’sin means "kitchen" in the Pima language.

While that suggests a homey atmosphere, Ko’sin Restaurant’s dining room has a contemporary yet airy feel with its tan and dark brown accents inspired by its native desert surroundings.

The walls are painted a warm golden color reminiscent of a desert sunrise and the floor is of multi-toned terracotta tile.

The dark wood tables and chairs have arms and legs that resemble branches.

A cluster of auburn-toned manzanita branches set atop wooden half circles, like columns created by nature, serve to segment one dining area into quarters creating little islands of semi-private dining.

Pottery, basketry and carved figures by Pima and Maricopa artisans grace the alcoves.

Looking towards the outdoor patio at Ko'sin Restaurant

It was a very refreshing salad with a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors.

We loved the pan-seared salmon ($19).

The perfectly cooked filet was marinated in Gila River citrus juices and basil pesto and served over a warm verdalogas salad.

Finished with a slightly spicy chipotle butter and accompanied by fingerling potatoes, it was one of the best salmon dishes we’ve ever had. The blend of flavors and textures was perfect.

The South Mountain chicken ($19), named after the towering mountain range north of Wild Horse Pass, featured a mesquite-grilled chicken breast served over a corn risotto and finished with a roasted red pepper coulis.

This dish also captured a perfect balance of flavors with the roasted red pepper providing a good counterbalance to the sweetness of the corn.

Ko’sin Restaurant has a short list of desserts all of which are $8. We couldn’t pass up the prickly pear cheesecake with prickly pear purée and queso fresco cheese.

The cheesecake came as a small, molded round with a base layer of prickly pear gelée and a topping of burnt sugar, similar to a crème brulée.

Presented on top of a shortbread cookie half-dipped in chocolate, garnished with a sculptural slice of chocolate and a scattering of berries and surrounded with the ruby-toned prickly pear purée, the plated dish looked wonderful.

The dining room at Ko'sin

The cheesecake had a decadent, rich taste which was balanced by the slight tartness of the prickly pear.

Sweet without being cloying or overwhelming, it was so good we were tempted to order a few more servings.

We enjoyed our dinner at Ko’sin Restaurant so much we returned for breakfast.

Huevos rancheros ($12) is one of our favorite dishes.

At Ko’sin, they place two fried eggs on a toasted corn tortilla and top it with smoked chiles, chorizo, queso fresco and fire-roasted salsa and serve it with bacon-scented charro beans.

The Estrella frittata ($12) was also delicious. This omelet-like Italian breakfast dish was dotted with smoked ham, mushrooms, roasted red bell peppers, baby onions, cheddar cheese and a chipotle aioli.

Another another visit, we tried the intriguing-sounding mesquite grilled pancakes with tart apple butter and Vermont maple syrup ($11).

The pancakes were huge and topped with 3 large wedges of grilled apples. They were light as a feather and had just a hint of smokiness.

The Estrella fritatta at Ko'sin

If you stop in during the day, be sure to try the fresh fruit smoothie ($5). It's a luscious a blend of raspberry, mango, banana, prickly pear and Gila River citrus juice. It was just as delicious as it was colorful.

Although Ko’sin Restaurant is a casual venue, the wait staff conducted themselves like servers at a 5-star establishment.

They greeted and seated us promptly, made sure our water glasses were refilled and removed plates quickly and at the appropriate time.

As is the custom in many high end restaurants, our waiter explained the menu in elaborate detail during the dinner service. He was fully conversant in the cooking methods and ingredients of each dish. He had tasted the dishes and was able to make helpful recommendations.

High Points: Inventive menu, delicious food, good service, scenic location

Low Points: About a 15-minute drive south of Phoenix, however it’s easy to reach from Interstate 10. The resort can be very busy on weekends, during the winter season or due to conference attendees. Make reservations well in advance.

Location: Gila River Indian Community, 15 miles south of downtown Phoenix off of Interstate 10. Exit right at Wild Horse Pass Blvd. (Exit 162) and follow signs to resort.

Address: 5594 West Wild Horse Pass Boulevard, Chandler, AZ 85226

Google Map Directions: Click on "+" and "-" signs on Map Controls in upper left hand corner to zoom in and out on the location.

Phone: (602) 225-0100

Hours:
Breakfast: Monday-Friday 6:30 am – 11:00 am
Saturday - Sunday 7:00 am – 11:30 am
Lunch: Monday - Friday 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Saturday - Sunday: 11:30 am - 2:00pm
Dinner: Sunday - Thursday 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Friday - Saturday 5:50 pm - 10:00 pm

Reservations: Accepted and recommended.

Dress: Casual

Vegetarian Options: Limited

Good for Families/Kids: The atmosphere has a serene feel but it’s a resort restaurant, so kids are welcome.

Wine List: Varied list categorized by type and intensity; primarily domestics from California.

Smoking Policy: No smoking.

Parking: Ample parking outside the resort. Note: The non-valet parking lot is a short walk from the hotel.

Credit Cards Accepted: Yes

Prices: Dinner: $$$-$$$$
Breakfast: $ - $$
Lunch: $$

Pricing Key:
($) Inexpensive: entrées $10 and under
($$) Moderate: $11 -$15
($$$) Expensive: $16 - $25
($$$$) Very Expensive: Over $25

The information in this review was accurate at the time of our visit. All contact information, availability, access, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the resort, golf course, restaurant or spa before making reservations and/or travel plans.

Legal Disclaimer: Arizona-Vacation-Planner.com accepts no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.