Buddha-kai — Restaurant in North Island

These bowls take you on a culinary adventure that will leave your mind reeling. They pack in so many different concentrated pockets of flavor that you won't know where to start and you won't really know what happened when you're done.

It'll look like a salad bowl that shifted straight into party mode and your taste buds will confirm that with every bite. Down underneath, a bed of rice casually soaks up all the goodness, waiting to surprise you with new flavor combinations when you finally work your way down to it.

The coconut cream sauce cooled things down like a mellow island breeze while the pickled onions give the bowl a pop of bright acidity. The nutty, chunky peanut sauce in the veggie bowl adds crunch and that sweet, nutty umami filling that brings balance to the whole party.

All told, Buddha Kai's bowls are fresh and flavorful. They're packed with healthy goodness and thought in every item that's added. We were pleasantly surprised with both our bowls and while they seemed small, they left...

Just by chance found this place on my stop through town. Walked up and the vibes were immaculate. Great reggae music playing, butterflies flying around, and the smell of fresh herbs and savory broth wafting through the little courtyard, no one was there and I immediately said to myself “oh yeah this is it”. Asked the owner what he recommended, after just finishing kayaking this morning and needed a lot of food. Ordered the pork bowl. The bowl was packed with fresh ingredients, fresh herbs, pickled onions, pork braised to perfection, bits of mango, fresh ginger, couldn’t count all the things in there and how well the flavors blended. Guy was kind enough to let me use his WiFi....

Had some fire poke bowls here at Buddha-kai 🔥. We were looking forward to these during our entire weekend trip, and they did not disappoint. I especially enjoyed the tuna bowl, which was incredibly fresh, perfectly marinated, and just melted in your mouth. The veggies were crisp and vibrant, adding the perfect balance to the bowl. The chill outdoor setup adds to the laid-back vibe—great spot to enjoy the sun and a quality meal.

The owner/chef is not only super friendly but also incredibly kind and generous—I had a small mishap, and he went out of his way to help which I was very grateful for. Thank you again!

Definitely worth checking out if you’re in...