Springfield Cashew Chicken

[smh]

This is somewhat random, but I've been meaning to ask for awhile: Anyone know of a place in KC that serves "Springfield" style Cashew Chicken? Growing up in the Ozarks it was a staple.

In fact, this guy really wants to try it someday:

"Man who has been to 6,000 Chinese restaurants dreams of eating in Springfield"

http://www.news-leader.com/article/2012 ... |FRONTPAGE

[bbqboy]

here's a pretty funny old thread from chowhound where firewok in Mission is mentioned,but since I'm in Oregon I don't know if it still exists or not.
Aaron?
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/119964

[kansas]

If you're talking about fire wok on 87th it is closed

[AJoD]

Haha, wow, I'm impressed that thread endures!

Fire Wok on Johnson Drive is still around. We went a year or two ago and Springfield-style cashew chicken was on the buffet and the menu. Unmemorable. Not good.

I do want to try it in Springfield sometime.

[smh]

Haha, wow, I'm impressed that thread endures!

Fire Wok on Johnson Drive is still around. We went a year or two ago and Springfield-style cashew chicken was on the buffet and the menu. Unmemorable. Not good.

I do want to try it in Springfield sometime.

I've been to Fire Wok and had the "Springfield" style Cashew Chicken. Springfield-style it is not. I recall it being basically a stir fry of diced chicken and vegetables with some cashews thrown in. Not cool.

[taxi]

Maybe we should have a KCRag Forum roadtrip to Springfield for a meal. Perhaps there's a RD4L we could hit on the way. Anybody in?

[AJoD]

I recall it being basically a stir fry of diced chicken and vegetables with some cashews thrown in. Not cool.

Yes, that matches my recollection. They advertise this dish on Valpak coupons and the like...I don't understand why you would advertise something relatively obscure and then fail to deliver.

[smh]

I recall it being basically a stir fry of diced chicken and vegetables with some cashews thrown in. Not cool.

Yes, that matches my recollection. They advertise this dish on Valpak coupons and the like...I don't understand why you would advertise something relatively obscure and then fail to deliver.

I don't think they understand that they've failed. Although it is weird because Springfield is less than 200 miles from here. You'd think at some point in the last 60 years someone who owns a Chinese restaurant in KC would have been in Springfield and had cashew chicken and gone, "Oh, now I get it." But apparently that has not occurred. Or maybe they abhor the fried chicken and oyster sauce. For shame.

[moosnsqrl]

Maybe we should have a KCRag Forum roadtrip to Springfield for a meal. Perhaps there's a RD4L we could hit on the way. Anybody in?

Great idea. I looked at the RD4L Store Locator and the nearest location to us is . . . (drum roll) Springfield MO. If the road trip is successful, maybe we can suggest to RD4L that they incorporate a small cashew chicken operation in their KC-area stores.

[Volker Dad]

Once upon a time, my wife, who grew up in Springfield, ate at a Chinese restaurant in St. Louis. She ordered cashew chicken (the only thing she’ll eat at a Chinese restaurant) and discovered what the rest of the world now knows. Cashew chicken not made in Springfield is disgusting.

She has yet to find a Chinese restaurant in KC she’ll eat at.

As it turns out, one can find good Springfield style cashew chicken at the Lucky House in Rolla, Mo., if you’re ever driving through…

[IraGlacialis]

As it turns out, one can find good Springfield style cashew chicken at the Lucky House in Rolla, Mo., if you’re ever driving through…

RUCKY HOUSE!

In all seriousness, it is a pretty good joint (no MSG and they put the sauce on the chicken just before you get your order). Though most here won't be going along that way, it's still recommended.
Also good hangover food. Just throwing that out there.

[slimwhitman]

Springfield-style cashew chicken? Huh? Never ever heard of this. Now I need to find some! (and Cincinnati Chili!)

Doing a little research:
“Cashew Chicken is to Springfield like BBQ is to Kansas City”

Wiki devotes more text to the Springfield style than the normal style.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cashew_chicken

yea….it has its own FB page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Springfie ... 1920818724

The Pitch ran an article on it:
http://www.pitch.com/fatcity/archives/2 ... en-updated

[mean]

While I love Cincinnati chili, I don't know if it's worth actively seeking out. You can get pretty much the same thing if you sneak some cinnamon into Dixon's.

[bbqboy]

http://www.news-leader.com/article/2012 ... ck_check=1

[slimwhitman]

I finally tasted Springfield style cashew chicken last month (because of this thread). I went to Leongs in Springfield (as mentioned in the above article). It was good. Simple. Forgettable in many ways, but good. Glad I had it and would go back if passing thru Springfield again.

[flyingember]

I lived in Springfield for a year and no one talked about the cashew chicken. Ever.

[WSPanic]

I lived in Springfield for a year and no one talked about the cashew chicken. Ever.

They just call it "chicken" there - so it's hard to tell.

[smh]

I lived in Springfield for a year and no one talked about the cashew chicken. Ever.

You must have been hanging around the wrong people if no one ever took you for Cashew Chicken. It's basically the official food of the city. I wouldn't say people talk about it so much...they just eat it.

[slimwhitman]

I lived in Springfield for a year and no one talked about the cashew chicken. Ever.

I asked a couple of my friends about it that live in Springfield. They had never mentioned this food before, but when I asked, thier eyes lit up in amazement that I had not eaten this amazing cuisine yet. It is part of thier culture.

[chrizow]

i had it when i was about 15 years old when my brother was attending SMSU (Mo state). i found it bland and underwhelming even then, and did not understand how it could be some sort of emblematic dish. i would be glad to try it again, though.