The Best Asian Restaurant in North Florida: Kamiya 86

Neon lights illuminate the place, a plate of sushi glistens on the black granite countertops. Chatter fills the crisp air and glasses of Sake clink in the background. Kamiya 86 buzzes with the families, couples and groups of friends, and will continue buzzing well into the night as it serves meal after unforgettable meal. 

Photo from Yelp

Kamiya 86 is an Asian fusion restaurant with locations throughout the Jacksonville, Florida area. If you're ever in the areas of Ponte Vedra Beach, Jax Beach, Neptune Beach, or the Town Center, make room in your day to check out this unforgettable spot. It's the best stop for your classic Asian favorites after a long day of work or a great place to have your next date night. Reasonably priced sushi, flavorful dishes punching your taste palette and delicious drinks and desserts are just some of the fantastic menu items you will experience if you dine here.

Photo from Yelp

Due to COVID-19, many local restaurants limited their store hours and closed their indoor seating. Take out orders were the only way many restaurants stayed afloat during the pandemic. While the Kamiya 86 in-restaurant dining experience is relaxing and enjoyable, taking it home is just as delicious. 

Start your meal here with some infamous Asian appetizers. Salty pods of green of edamame will be sure to send your tummy rumbling for an entree. And, small bowls of the miso soup with green nori and white, soft tofu swimming in the broth are sure to quench your already drooling mouth. If you love salty and savory foods, try the pork steamed dumplings. If you're with a group of friends, you'll be fighting over who gets to eat the last potsticker.

Steamed Pork Dumplings

For all my sushi lovers, you're in great luck. Kamiya 86 has a plethora of rolls that will satisfy your sushi cravings. The restaurant also has affordable prices, so you won't have to break the bank for a full meal. From raw to cooked fish, brown or white rice, almost every type of roll imaginable is sold at this restaurant. Stay with the classic staples if you're in the mood for simple sushi, such as the tuna avocado roll or the salmon and cream cheese roll. Or, if you want to treat yourself to a mouthful of tasty flavors, order the house specialty rolls. An all-time customer favorite is the Lava Roll. Spicy tuna and avocado are drizzled in wasabi mayo and sweet chili sauce and then rolled in a tempera crush, providing an explosion of flavor that is sure to melt your taste buds with delight.

Photo from Yelp

However, Kamiya 86 has sushi roll that you may not have ever heard of: the sweet potato roll. Now, while this roll contains no raw fish or any fish for that matter, this sushi roll is a contestant for one of the best rolls on the menu. The roll includes tempura-battered sweet potato wrapped in nori and rice and is glazed with eel sauce. Paired with Yum Yum sauce, this combination is deadly. One warm, crunchy piece of sushi will not be enough to satisfy your appetite, go ahead and order a few because the sweet potato roll is borderline addicting.

Sweet Potato Sushi Roll

Not a big sushi person? Fear not, because Kamiya 86 serves a variety of hot, tasty plates. If you love rice, the restaurant's traditional fried rice is a perfect dish that even picky eaters will love. You can also order it as a side.

If you like spicy food, the Drunken Noodles is one of the best noodle dishes. Also known as Pad Ke Mao, a traditional Thai dish, Drunken Noodles are wide, flat rice noodles fried with sake and red wine, combined with vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, bell peppers and tomatoes, and garnished with Thai basil. You can decide to top it off with your protein of choice, either tofu, chicken, steak or shrimp. This dish is spicy enough to warm your lips but in a very flavorful way. You can also ask the kitchen to tone down the spice if you are more sensitive. Other noodle dishes such as Pad Thai and the Singapore Rice Noodles are great options to try out as well. 

Drunken Noodles

Kamiya 86 is well known for its curries and teriyakis. Choose red, green, or yellow curry and engage in a new version of your favorite curry dish each time. This restaurant offers incredible kitchen entrees with a variety of sauces if you're a lover of chicken. Go with the classic teriyaki style for a traditional Asian flavor, or go with an all-time customer favorite: Thai Garlic chicken. Kitchen entrees also come with a side order of jasmine rice, so make sure to pour the rice into the yummy sauce to soak it all up.  

Kamiya 86 is open from 11 a.m to 2:30 p.m., and then re-opens from 4:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. Whatever you decide to order from here, you can be assured the food will provide an enjoyable experience. From sushi to noodles to teriyaki, your favorite Asian foods will taste the best they ever had from Kamiya 86.