Name: Java Island Kitchen
Address: 2501 Wabash Ave. (White Oaks Mall second-level food court)
Phone: (217) 572-1213 and (404) 519-0419
Website: www.javaislandkitchen.com
Credit/debit cards accepted: Yes
Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday
Entrée price range: $7-$19.99
Children’s menu: No
My order: I had the shrimp ramen bowl ($9.50), a generous portion of noodles, shrimp, carrots, onions, broccoli, zucchini and egg in flavored broth. The veggies were delicious but, for me, the broth was a bit too mild.
More:Cozy downtown Springfield cafe serves breakfast and lunch all day
Likes: The menu of this new restaurant offers a wide variety of Japanese and Indonesian dishes. There are appetizers such as crab rangoon and fried calamari, an assortment of hibachi dishes, poke bowls, sushi rolls, ramen bowls, and several other noodle dishes and soups. The staff was helpful and generous with sauces and utensils. Expect a short wait while your order is cooked; you’ll get a pager that sounds when your food is ready.
Dislikes: None
What would I order next time? I already ordered “next time.” I had the hibachi/teriyaki salmon ($13), which was a portion of skinless salmon in teriyaki sauce with a mound of veggies and a choice of white rice, fried rice, or noodles. Everything was flavorful and perfectly cooked. I would order this again.