Leong's Asian Diner is "Home of the Original Springfield Style Cashew Chicken!"

"Springfield-style cashew chicken comes with a well-documented story. Area natives love the regional favorite, and newcomers ultimately come to adopt it as their own. Residents in Springfield, Missouri have long recognized Mr. David Leong as the originator of Springfield-style cashew chicken, and as such they embrace the Leong family as a part of their own.

David Leong immigrated to the United States in 1940 from Guangdong, China. He became a naturalized citizen, then served his adopted country during World War II. (During the Normandy invasion, he was in the fourth wave of troops to hit Omaha Beach.) In November 1963, he opened Leong’s Tea House, a 350-seat white-tablecloth restaurant on the suburban fringe of Springfield, Missouri in what had once been a cornfield.

Inspired by the economy of the cashew chicken and the success of the Teahouse, a number of cashew-chicken-centric restaurants followed Mr. Leong’s lead. By the 1970s, the Leong family’s dish had become such a part of the Springfield culinary scene that there were literally hundreds of Chinese restaurants serving their version of cashew chicken, and many still do today."



So, of course, I had to try the cashew chicken. It is deep-fried chicken chunks covered a sauce made from chicken stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce and cashews. It's savory and umami and satisfying.



The dish is popular in the Springfield area and is often cited as the unofficial "dish of the city." Springfield even hosts an annual festival that is centered on this chicken dish: Springfield Sertoma's Cashew Craze.



Grade: A

Perched next to "The Dome" in Three Rivers, California, was Lotus Blossom Vietnamese Cuisine. This pop-up of sorts had just a couple menu items to choose from and seating in the great outdoors.



I ordered the lemongrass chicken with noodles, salad and eggrolls. This dish delivers a beautifully balanced combination of freshness and texture. The lemongrass chicken is the star — tender, juicy, and marinated just right with that citrusy, fragrant punch lemongrass is known for. It's savory with a touch of sweetness and just enough char from the grill or pan to add depth.



The noodles serve as a great base, light and slightly chewy, soaking up the flavors of the chicken and sauce. They’re not heavy, which helps keep the dish feeling fresh rather than weighed down.

The salad adds a refreshing crunch — with carrots and herbs — and when paired with the nuoc cham (a classic Vietnamese dipping sauce), it cuts through the richness of the meat and noodles perfectly. The eggrolls round out the meal with a satisfying crispiness on the outside and a savory, well-seasoned filling inside. They're a welcome contrast to the rest of the plate and bring that comforting, indulgent element.



Grade: A

"Burgers, tacos & more" is the name of the game of Baker's Drive Thru, a San Bernardino staple since 1952.

In 1952, in his hometown of San Bernardino, Neal Baker opened his first modest hamburger stand on Highland Avenue. Mr. Baker’s love of the business grew, and in 1953 he opened a second Baker’s location in Rialto, which still stands today. By 1955, Mr. Baker had become a standout in the industry as an innovator in creating America’s First Twin Kitchen® operation–an offering of both American and Mexican entrées–a concept that quickly caught on with the evolving Inland Empire customers.



I opted for the Cali Steak Burrito, which has Beans, Steak, Cheddar Cheese, Onion, Guacamole, Fries, all wrapped in a Flour Tortilla. And another side of fries, for some reason.



This was a big boy. It was stuffed full. I appreciate the variety in fillings; I do wish some of those ingredients added some texture. When it all becomes a bit mooshy, it's a bit lesss exciting.



Grade: B

Grant Grove Restaurant is a breakfast grab & go stop in the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.



These parks are notable for giant sequoia trees, including the General Sherman tree, the largest tree on Earth by volume. The General Sherman tree grows in the Giant Forest, which contains five of the ten largest trees in the world. The park also contains the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4,421 m) above sea level.



This was just a quick breakfast, but it wasn't bad. I had a breakfast bagel with cheddar and egg.



Adding a side of fruit rounded out the meal for me and provided a solid start to my day of hiking.



Grade: B

The Annex Kitchen is an Italian-Inspired restaurant influenced by the seasonal offerings of farmers throughout Central California.



The cuisine seeks to reflect the rustic, ingredient focused cooking of regional Italy. The focus of the menu revolves around housemade pastas, grilled meats and vegetables from a wood burning hearth, and pizzas baked in the wood burning Acunto oven. The full bar also draws inspiration from locally sourced seasonal produce in its development of modern crafted cocktails while also paying homage to the classics.



I was here on a mission to try the SWEET PEA AGNOLOTTI with green garlic, english peas and mushrooms. Simon Majumdar said on social media that it was the bedt dish he had that year, and he subsequently chose the dish for his part of the “Life Changers” episode of “The Best Thing I Ever Ate."



The dish was just flawless. The pasta is chewy in the best way, plus cheesy and creamy and also sweet from the peas. it is fresh and springy, yet rich and indulgent. It is just one of my favorites.



I had a side of polenta, which was fine. It's not my favorite to eat on its own, and the agnolotti just blew everything else away.



We split a CHOCOLATE BUDINO with sea salt, hazelnuts & whipped cream. Not a super sweet chocolate, but nice nonetheless.



Finally, we had the BRUTTI MA BUONI COOKIES made with almond meringue. I love the texture of meringue cookies, so this was a winner in my book.



Grade: A