Chinese restaurant aficionado David Chan dined at Springfield’s Leong’s Asian Diner this weekend with much fanfare, as it marked his introduction to Springfield-style cashew chicken, although the 64-year-old has eaten at more than 6,150 Chinese restaurants.
Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau officials invited Chan to try Springfield’s signature dish after reading about his passion in LA Weekly’s Squid Ink blog.
Tourism officials played up the visit as a public relations preview of the dish’s 50th anniversary.
“We hope Mr. Chan’s trip will generate more publicity for Springfield and its signature dish,” said CVB Public Relations Manager Susan Wade, in a news release by the nonprofit marketing agency that generates economic impact by promoting area travel and tourism. “Springfield-style cashew chicken celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, and this will be an early beginning to the celebration.”
In the release, Chan said he’s been aware of the Springfield-Chinese tradition since the 1980s.
“It is one of a handful of unique Chinese-American dishes that have developed in localized areas of the United States,” he said in the release. “On numerous occasions in the past, I have looked to see if I could stretch my travel itinerary to include Springfield and its cashew chicken, but it just hasn't worked out. I am grateful to the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau to enable me to fulfill my longtime goal.”
Springfield-style cashew chicken originated when David Leong opened Leong’s Tea House in 1963. According to the CVB, Springfield residents were reluctant to try authentic Chinese dishes so Leong created something more in tune with local taste buds – fried chicken chunks covered with Chinese oyster sauce, cashews and chopped green onions. It became an immediate hit in Springfield and quickly began appearing on menus across the country.
Though Leong’s Tea House closed in 1997, Springfield-Style Cashew Chicken is available at many restaurants in Springfield, including Leong’s Asian Diner, a restaurant
opened by the Leong family in late 2010 at 1540 W. Republic Road. Leong, 92, is retired but is at the restaurant daily, the CVB said.
In 2008,
the CVB awarded David Leong with the Pinnacle Award for his impact on the local tourism industry.
