A Bite Sized Review of Kimbrough Ramen

Over the past couple of years, the intersection of Kimbrough and Cherry has become quite the budding hot block for food. It’s no wonder, considering this busy street borders both Downtown Springfield and Missouri State University. Mimi’s Soulfood opened back in 2022, Tacos El Champu’s second location joined the scene in 2023 and now Kimbrough Asian Cuisine Cafe is the street’s latest addition. The business opened in the former Rice House location at 625 S. Kimbrough Avenue this past winter, debuting a fresh facelift with a pop of orange and black paint. Recently, my editor Katie Pollock Estes and I caught up here over lunch. While scanning the menu, I noticed it included a mix of authentic Chinese offerings and some Springfield-style versions. I was in the mood for the latter, but I wanted to try something a little different. So, instead of ordering sweet-and-sour chicken, I went with the lemon chicken. This sauce toed the perfect balance between zesty and sweet, while the fried rice and chicken held their own as the main savory components. The chicken was a bit on the larger side and, therefore, a bit hard to eat. But overall, it was a great dish that I would happily order again. As for Katie, she ordered the Szechuan bean curd tofu. This protein-packed Chinese stir-fry offered just the right amount of tongue-tingling heat. Be it ramen or spring rolls, my guess is that you’ll find exactly what you’re craving at Kimbrough Asian Cuisine Cafe.