Springfield eateries — a student review
Wondering what dining experiences await you in Springfield? Are there options for your culturally diverse palette? Yes, says our connoisseur and sophomore Biblical Studies/English major Martin Campell, who reviewed Springfield restaurant choices for our Web visitors. Check out his review and plan a meal or two off campus when you visit to see what Springfield has to offer.
By Martin Campbell
In addition to the awesome experiences Evangel University students have on campus, we are supplemented with a city full of engaging places to visit and restaurants, where we can not only eat but also make memories. On Sunday evening every week, the Caf does not serve dinner, so many students take those nights either to eat store-bought goods in the residence halls or to explore the numerous eateries around town. I make it a priority to visit different places to experience the atmosphere, food, and exciting moments with friends and family.
Notable places around the Springfield area include a wide variety of cultural eateries:
Italian
While we have an Olive Garden nearby the mall, Macaroni Grill is also a classy Italian eatery. When our EU Senators ate there earlier this year, they had a live performer occasionally walk around to sing. The food came in great portions; there was plenty to take home!
Japanese Hibachi/Sushi
We have Kyoto next door to the school for great Japanese food and warm service. It has more of an intimate atmosphere for smaller groups. Also, numerous Japanese Hibachi grills like Nakato, Fuji, O’Hana, and others feature chefs grilling the food in front of you while doing knife tricks and other routines (like making an onion volcano). Sushi places are also very appealing in Springfield. If you have not tried sushi before (which is not just raw fish), it is worth a shot to eat at places like Kai or Haruno where they offer special college discounts and prices during certain hours.
Mexican
Within a 3-mile radius of campus, there are about four Mexican eateries. Besides Taco Bell (which is too many students’ relief, right across the street and open late), Chipotle and Qdoba are both great Mexican eateries, but Chipotle is very good about serving EU students — they also offer free burritos once or twice every semester!
Chinese
Jade East is right across the street with a buffet at around six dollars. There are numerous Chinese buffets, but in my opinion, New China buffet (on Campbell St. south of Bass Pro Shop) has amazing food as well as a hibachi grill and sushi buffet. Mr. Yen’s Palace is also a great place to eat; however, it is not a buffet. It is actually rather fun to explore inside and outside of the building too because the layout and architecture has an appeal all of its own. Almost midnight? No problem! Chopsticks, a Chinese take-out or dine-in restaurant, is open until midnight. Late night Chinese is great for the late night studier. Did I mention that Springfield is the home of Cashew Chicken?
Thai
Thai Peppers is a great place to take a small group. It is classy yet cozy, and it offers great Thai cuisine. The Emerald Shrimp and Pad Thai are two of my favorite dishes. For “on-the-go” dining, I suggest Thai Express. The food is of great quality, and I think the people who work there provide great service.
Korean
There are not too many of these, but my family and friends enjoy going to this quaint place called Golden Korean. I ate with one of my professors here once, and we had a blast. Most of the food is served in hot stone bowls which keeps the food nice and hot.
American
In addition to the staple “to-go” places, some great restaurants include Buffalo Wild Wings, Ruby Tuesday, Applebees, Cheddars, and Lambert’s!
Lambert’s is quite an experience. Although it is located away a little farther away (about 20 minutes south of campus down highway 65), the “throwed rolls” are well worth the drive. The meal entrees are bottomless, so if by some chance one plate is not enough, just order another one! Lambert’s attracts quite a lot of tourists, and the service is top-notch!
And do not forget that Buffalo Wild Wings has numerous deals throughout the week on traditional and boneless wings. There are 14 different sauces to try out with those wings too!
Now, also note that students receive tons of coupons and discounts for many of these places, and pizza coupons are a dime a dozen.
To the benefit of many Evangel University fans, all of these mentioned places are only a supplemental part of the awesome college experience. Furthermore, there are just too many places to visit! Friends and family alike will love the restaurants around the EU area, and I hope that someday, reader, you may be able to try some of these great places with friends and family.
Martin Campbell is from Lawton, Oklahoma. A double major in Biblical Studies and English, he says his favorite restaurant in Springfield is New China Buffet because of the Sushi (but Lambert's is a close second, he adds). When eating on campus, Martin highly recommends the Pasta Bar in the Caf.