Larry Olmsted

"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. 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."

John T. Edge

"Cashew chicken, in the form first cooked by Mr. Leong nearly a half-century ago, is not the stir-fry served by many Chinese-American restaurants. Around Springfield, cashew chicken — deep-fried chicken chunks in a brown slurry of soy sauce, oyster sauce and stock, scattered with green onions and halved cashews — is the culinary common denominator."

Kay Logsdon

"Our experience was that the chicken was fresh and hot, the breading back to the original—not too heavily breaded, as has become the custom—and the sauce had a nice spice."

Johnny Fugitt

"It’s the chicken at Leong’s that makes it stand out from the rest: Less breaded than its imitators, it was cooked to a perfect level of tenderness. The original doesn’t disappoint and remains the starting place for anyone exploring the dish."

Sofia Caito

"The quality is really good. Plus you get enough for two meals so that’s nice (...)."

Briana Altergott

"The allure of the dish is unmistakable. The chicken itself is delicious, but the sauce is what makes it special. The hint of oyster nestled inside the thick, creamy sauce makes it stand out from other recipes."

Ettie Berneking

"The breading is crispy, and the meat inside is tender. But the real standout is that sauce – the salty, savory brown gravy that coats each bite. Topped with a sprinkling of chopped green onions and crushed cashews, David’s cashew chicken has become one of Springfield’s most well-known dishes."

Katie Pollock

"I have to say, the Leong recipe puts other local cashew chicken dishes to shame. And it’s all because of the breading, I think. It’s not a flavorless crunch on the outside of a giant chicken chunk. It was peppery and well-seasoned, and it made all the difference. The sauce, too, seemed richer and smoother."

Briana Simmons

"(...) their sauce was the most satisfying thing about the cashew chicken (...)."

Frank Shyong

"Springfield Cashew Chicken — a deep-fried, gravy-drenched version of the popular buffet item — is a local specialty and David Leong, the dish's 92-year-old inventor, was watching expectantly from across the table."