Unique regional food: Springfield cashew chicken

The scene: America is full of regional food specialties like the Lowcountry cuisine of the coastal South. At an even smaller level are sub-regional cuisines like Northern Alabama's white barbecue chicken or Northern Michigan's Cornish pasties. But there is nothing quite like Springfield cashew chicken, a micro-regional favorite so ubiquitous it is found almost everywhere you turn in Springfield, Mo. – and almost no place else (though one Hong Kong eatery recently imported this American take on Chinese cuisine).

Like all great regional eats, it has a colorful origin story, but unlike most, the tale is specific and not mythical. After chef David Leong emigrated from China and fought for the U.S. on the beaches of Normandy, he arrived in Springfield in the late '50s, but failed to wow locals with his native cuisine. Seeing the popularity of fried chicken and gravy, he built on these Southern favorites, reinventing Chinese cashew chicken into an early example of fusion cuisine.

This Chinese-Southern mash-up has transcended ethnicity and is now part of the everyday fabric of Springfield. It is not the cashew chicken on Chinese restaurant menus from coast to coast, and in this Ozarks city it is served everywhere. The New York Times estimated it's on the menu at more than 70 eateries, be they Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese, and also at the country club, at diners, in school cafeterias, even at the upscale restaurant within the flagship store of mega-retailer Bass Pro Shops, headquartered in Springfield. All are directly traceable to the original Leong's Tea House, which closed in 1997 when its founder semi-retired.

Four years ago, the inventor's son, Wing Yee Leong, who had cooked for his father and continued the family tradition at other eateries, opened Leong's Asian Diner. The 100-seat venue debuted to throngs of diners daily, and immediately reclaimed status as the temple of the dish (it has since slowed to become a normally busy restaurant). The "Diner" in the title was chosen for humility, but the place has an upscale feel, with Zen garden landscaping outside the front door, booths with benches covered in light green leather, tables divided by glass panels etched with bamboo images, a nice bar and subdued Asian prints on the walls. "We opened during a recession and bistro seemed too pretentious," says the younger Leong. "I worked in restaurants you would only go to on your birthday. Our spin is quality food you can afford to have every day."

Reason to visit: Springfield cashew chicken, egg rolls, crab Rangoon, pork fried rice, mango upside-down cake

The food: The newer Leong's boasts "East meets West" and combines the typical full-blown multi-page Chinese American menu with more traditional American and Southern fare. "Today our house special is chicken fried steak, and on weekends I do a soy marinated rib eye with baked potato and Sriracha butter," said Leong. As a result, there are several dozen entrees to choose from, but nonetheless, both the owner and my waitress agreed that "90, maybe 95%" of guests order the signature dish.

The traditional Americanized Chinese take on cashew chicken is a stir fried version featuring cashews, sliced chicken, scallions and maybe bell pepper and/or celery in a sauce based on hoisin. The Springfield version uses deep-fried breaded chunks instead of naked slices, with only cashews and a thicker sauce of stock, cornstarch, soy and oyster sauces, more reminiscent of Asian flavored brown gravy. Known around Springfield as "cashew chicken sauce," this concoction is offered separately in bottles and powdered mixes, including Leong's, sold in jars here, online and at local supermarkets. Throughout the city, the namesake dish is now offered in many variants, including fried chicken chunks with dipping sauce separate. But Leong's is served the original way, and as a plate it is typically accompanied by pork fried rice and an egg roll.

The secret to the success of cashew chicken at Leong's is the same as with every dish: They are made from scratch and taste that way. In theory, this resembles General Tso's or tangerine chicken across the nation, but in practice, the breading is light, crisp and not at all the doughy batter-like coating that often obscures the poultry. The sauce is thick but light-tasting, not sweet and sticky, the crunchy cashews perfectly complete the texture, and you just cannot stop eating this stuff.

But the same is true of just about everything, and we asked for the four most popular things on the menu. The beef and broccoli was similar in that we got real slices of beef that tasted like beef, not mystery meat in sauce, with fresh broccoli. The pork fried rice was laden with slices of Leong's house-roasted pork, not the usual little cubes, along with crunchy fresh snap peas and other veggies. The shrimp pad Thai had lots of shrimp and loosely separated noodles, with a perfect crunch of slivered fresh celery and peanuts. "When my dad started you had to make everything yourself ... I hate processed food," says Leong.

While Springfield cashew chicken is unique and in a class by itself, all the Chinese American favorites taste better at Leong's. The egg rolls are a perfect example. The vast majority of restaurants buy these frozen. At Leong's they are made by hand daily in painstaking fashion. "We take six cases of cabbage, 300 pounds, chop it up, blanch it, cool it, then squeeze the water out – you have to get it dry." To do this, he bought a traditional French wine press, but puts in cabbage instead of grapes before forcing liquid out. "Then we chop up our roast pork, carrots, onions, and our secret ingredient is the binder, peanut butter, something my father came up with, holds it all together. We hand roll them and fry them every day of the week." The result is clearly different from the typical egg roll, thinner, crunchier, fresher, nuttier – and the insides don't fall out. Leong's is also known for its crab Rangoon, also made by hand, and studded with actual chunks of crab meat rather than just the cream cheese paste typically used as stuffing. Another signature is the mango upside-down cake, a twist on the pineapple variety that has become a must-have dessert here, served with mango ice cream and whipped cream.

Springfield chicken is one of my favorite hyper-regional finds, and many locals have a favorite spot for it, since almost every eatery here serves it. If you are in the area you should absolutely try it someplace, but Leong's is a great choice because the entire menu excels. On top of that, it is bargain priced with generous servings – you'll take some home.

What regulars say: "I love it, I grew up on it, but I didn't realize how pervasive it was until my husband and I moved to Oklahoma City last year," said Sydney Friar, Miss Missouri 2012, who grew up here. "Now we miss it, it's all we talk about."

Pilgrimage-worthy?: Yes – a tasty and utterly unique regional specialty you can get almost no place else.

Rating: Yum! Plus (Scale: Blah, OK, Mmmm, Yum!, OMG!)

Price: $ ($ cheap, $$ moderate, $$$ expensive)

Details: 1540 W. Republic Road, Springfield; 417-887-7500; leongsasiandiner.com

Larry Olmsted has been writing about food and travel for more than 15 years. An avid eater and cook, he has attended cooking classes in Italy, judged a barbecue contest and once dined with Julia Child. Follow him on Twitter, @TravelFoodGuy, and if there's a unique American eatery you think he should visit, send him an e-mail at travel@usatoday.com. Some of the venues reviewed by this column provided complimentary services.