Photo by Kevin Kramer
Much like the northeast Minneapolis staple Momo Sushi and the short-lived food truck Volcano Hibachi, Ama Sushi is a cheap-eats champion owned by the Tibetan brothers Sonam Nyorie and Rinpo Yak.
Nyorie first learned how to harness the subtle yet sublime flavors of raw seafood in New York City a little over a decade ago. His approach here is the polar opposite of the downtown hot spot Billy Sushi. It’s laid-back and more concerned with keeping customers happy than providing a pricey experience. It offers a Lungta Roll modeled after Tibetan prayer flags, and a very Minnesotan mound of whitefish in the November Roll.
While Momo Sushi fans will find a lot of overlap on Ama Sushi’s expansive menu (hello, sushi bucket!), Nyorie has more than a few tricks up his chef’s sleeve to make his Edina debut a destination in its own right. While Ama is far from the first Twin Cities restaurant to offer poke, its six different bowls are as well-composed as Nyorie’s budget-friendly chirashi. Roll wise, Ama has a handful of exclusives; its house special is a particularly photogenic blend of oshinko, kampyo, smoked salmon, tuna, yellowtail, and tobiko.
Ama opened late last year in the former 50th and France home of the pan-Asian restaurant Hana Bistro. Judging by the beaming reviews it has received, it’s a welcome addition to Edina’s busiest stretch of small businesses.
Ama Sushi, 5033 France Ave. S., Edina, amasushimn.com
