A celebration in Park City — Pendry style
One man’s experience enjoying Pendry’s many amenities
Winter/Spring 22-23
Written By: Michael Heil | Images: Courtesy Pendry Park City
In celebration of our five-year wedding anniversary and my 31st birthday, my wife and I spoiled ourselves with an overnight stay at Pendry Park City.
Upon booking, they asked if there was any special occasion for our stay. I didn’t think much about the question until we sauntered into the room. The first thing we saw were the handwritten cards and a tray of strawberries clothed in chocolate, nuts and sprinkles. But it was the homemade cake that really caught us off guard. The three-layer, honey-chocolate cheesecake came with its very own congratulatory message written in frosting.
After a few moments of giddy gratitude and enjoying the complimentary delicacies, we made our way to the rooftop pool. We melted into the open-air hot tub while enjoying 360-degree panoramic views and the soft light of the setting sun. We arrived at the pool too late to enjoy the offerings of The Pool House, which would’ve further enabled our staycation mode by delivering food directly to the hot tub — but between the Pendry’s in-room dining and on-site KITA, Dos Olas, Après Pendry, and Disco Pizza restaurant, we had plenty of options.
We ended up at KITA and were pleasantly surprised with the restaurant’s luminescent ambience. They tucked us away in a beautiful alcove that made it feel as if we had the place to ourselves. With five menus, it was easy to get lost in the possibilities, so we opted for the tasting menu — a seven-course meal with wine and sake parings.
As we dined, we were struck by how knowledgeable our server was. He explained that his training at KITA wasn’t just about delivering a five-star experience, it also included an extensive study of Japanese culture and cuisine.
To start, we enjoyed hamachi crudo, a raw yellowtail fish dotted with wasabi edamame puree and white ponzu foie gras, and the wood-grilled octopus, which was drizzled with shishito pesto and served on a bed of carrot-miso puree. After this, the sushi started rolling out: zuke sake, kaisen futomaki, bincho-charred maguro, and hirame.
And naturally, we couldn’t escape the evening without trying the infamous A5 Wagyu beef. Apparently, the Japanese ranchers who raise the cattle hire therapists to massage the cows from birth, thus softening and marbling the meat. Before delivering the Wagyu to our table, it was seared with a searing torch to ensure the crystalized pockets of fat would explode with flavor. We were not disappointed.
Our entrees — prime rib for me and miso-sake halibut for my wife — arrived with sides of wild mushrooms, oshitashi spinach, and black truffle mashed potatoes in addition to four housemade sauces that were out of this world: brown butter ponzu, yuzu kosho chimichurri, wasabi gyu dare, and bordelaise.
At KITA, what could have been a standard meal became an incredible culinary adventure that took our tastebuds on a trip around the world.
When we finally glided upstairs to collapse in the Pendry’s super-comfy beds, we couldn’t have been more satisfied. The following morning, we awoke to shifting shadows of color reflecting off the fall leaves into our window. As we gazed at the expansive ski resort and majestic peaks surrounding us, it was easy to come up with a way to cherish the rest of our stay: exploring the trails on electric mountain bikes from Compass Sports.
