Photos Courtesy of Amara Resort and Spa
Known as one of Northern Arizona’s top resorts, Amara Resort and Spa is perfectly nestled along the banks of Oak Creek to provide the ideal getaway for those looking to explore the famed red rock canyons and fabled vortexes.
Consistently named one of the “Best Hotels” by Conde Nast Traveler and U.S. News & World Report, Amara recently underwent a multimillion-dollar, property-wide renovation. The refreshed, “tree-lodge” aesthetic takes inspiration from the surrounding environment and centers around a central biophilic concept of bringing the outdoors in by encompassing the five elements of nature––earth, wood, metal, fire, and water––offering new and returning guests alike the chance to experience the renowned desert destination in an entirely new way.
After spending a day traversing along one of the town’s numerous popular hikes or window-shopping in Uptown Sedona, visitors can indulge in one of the award-winning Amara Spa’s Sedona-inspired massages, facials, or body treatments, specially curated to harmonize the mind, body, and spirit.
Visitors can also bask in the clear blue skies and the cooler mountain air while gazing out past the resort’s expansive, open-air courtyard and heated infinity-edge pool or by grabbing dinner on the patio of the signature onsite restaurant, SaltRock Southwest Kitchen, which recently debuted a fully revitalized fall menu in tandem with the announcement of its new Executive Chef David Duncan.
Duncan, a native Arizonan, has integrated seasonal flavors and autumnal elements into these classic Southwest dishes while creating a menu that still matches the vibrancy of the surrounding atmosphere and iconic red rock views. While many signature favorites remain, this is the largest menu refresh to take place since SaltRock opened seven years ago.
Guests will enjoy standout dishes such as the Lobster Al Pastor Tacos with blue corn tortilla, pineapple, and jalapeño crema; Summer Squash Relleno with roasted poblano pepper, grilled button-onion, golden raisins, pepitas, Oaxaca cheese and forbidden black rice; and SaltRock’s current best seller, the Tiger Shrimp Tamal with garlic lime butter, charred corn polenta, crispy kale, and chimichurri oil. In the Trout Vera Cruz, featuring enchanted black rice, tomato consommé, brown butter, Veracruz relish, green olives, tomato and onion, the rainbow trout is caught just 10 miles up the road from the restaurant.
“Each dish truly pops on the plate due to the vivid colors and the stunning presentation,” Duncan says. “My team and I have worked diligently to create a menu that is a personification of Arizona in culinary form. It incorporates a lot of flavors that I love, including black garlic, poblano peppers and chiles, while promoting local purveyors wherever possible. Being born and raised in the state gives me a unique perspective and appreciation for the desert and I want that homegrown love to translate into each dish.”
The new menu complements the recently revamped cocktail program, created by SaltRock’s Assistant Director of Food and Beverage Ardi Dulaku. With libations that bring the beloved dining destination back to its roots with Mexican and Sedona-inspired flavors, visitors can pair their dishes with drinks such as the Vortex Therapy with turmeric infused Tito’s Vodka, passionfruit, inner-peace flower elixir, agave, lemon, and pink peppercorn; the Botanical Bee with Suncliffe Gin, ginger-thyme infused local honey and lemon; and the Oaxacan Negroni with cacao infused mezcal, Campari, vermouth, mole bitters, and earl gray cube.
“Throughout the brainstorming process, our team strived to ensure that the updated menu would complement SaltRock’s extensive beverage program,” Duncan says. “When you dine with us, you can feel confident that there will also be a variety of cocktails to choose from that cohesively pair with your dish and further elevate your overall culinary experience.”
To learn more about Amara Resort and Spa or to book a stay, visit amararesort.com or call 928-282-4828. For more information about SaltRock Southwest Kitchen or to make a reservation, visit amararesort.com/eat-drink or call 928-340-8803.
