When you have noodles on the mind, you can get your fill with a trip over to AMA Restaurant. Set in the center of paradise known as Hanalei, this North Shore Kauai eatery goes big on flavor in everything they make. Their ramen, mazemen, and other noodle dishes are the star of the show, for sure, but all their menu items are just as good as the next. From Green Papaya Salad and Bao Buns to Local Fish Skewers and Veggie Bowls, their dishes beautifully elevate all the fresh island flavors.
Also made with fresh, local ingredients, AMA Restaurant’s cocktails are well worth ordering when you want to kick your dining experience up a notch. From tasty Mai Tais to their signature Liza Radley, they can whip up whatever drinks suit your fancy. They have sparkling, white, and red wine, too, if you’d like more of a fine dining experience. Prefer to keep it alcohol-free? That’s not a problem. Just order their non-alcoholic cocktails that offer all the best tropical flavors but without the liquor.
To get a taste of all AMA’s fan favorites, you definitely need to make a reservation. Although they happily welcome walk-ins when there’s room, their beautiful outdoor dining area fills up fast. Either way, once you do get a table, you’ll want to take a moment to take in the picturesque view of all the native vegetation. Their open air dining room lets you enjoy relaxing in paradise as you order up each course and dine on a meal to remember.
AMA Restaurant’s friendly service promises to take your dining experience to the next level as well. Their servers have the uncanny ability to know just when to pop over and see how things are going. They make all their food fast without compromising on building big flavors or artistically plating your selections.
Top dishes on the menu at AMA include:
Green Papaya Salad
You can always count on the Green Papaya Salad to whet your appetite while letting you bask in all your favorite tropical flavors. To create this popular app, they combine romaine lettuce, carrots, daikon radish, Fresno chilis, mint, and cilantro. Then, they top it with Nuoc Cham vinaigrette plus fried garlic, fried shallots, peanuts, and crispy potatoes.
AMA Ahi Ramen
A definite fan favorite, the AMA Ahi Ramen puts a bold spin on surf ‘n’ turf while arriving in huge portions. They make this noodle dish by searing ahi tuna to perfection, and then putting it over ramen in a savory bone broth. To that, they add local bok choy, scallions, mushrooms, uzumaki, and a soft egg to bring all the flavors together.
Dan Dan Mazeman
If you want all the best ramen flavors, but without the broth, let Dan Dan Mazeman win you over. To create this iconic dish, they take their time cooking the braised pork belly. Once it’s done, they put it over ramen noodles along with scallions and Fresno chilis. Then, a spicy peanut sauce goes over it all to finish it off right.
Although AMA Restaurant’s food will keep you going back for bite after bite, do your best to save room for their house donuts. Always made fresh to order, their donuts are the perfect way to end the meal. Each donut comes beignet style with a light, fluffy center and powdered sugar all over the top. You get two to a plate plus a side of ginger ice cream covered in ginger syrup.
Insider Tips:
-When bringing your own wine, expect a modest corkage fee at AMA Restaurant.
-Want to customize your noodles to your liking? Look at the add-on menu to see what delights you can put on top for an extra charge.