Favorite L&L

[scrivener]

Re: Favorite L&L

I went to high school near L&L #1, back when it didn't need a number because it was the only one. I don't know if anyone remembers this, but I'm pretty sure L&L invented the mini plate, and what you got for three bucks was some pretty good barbecue chicken. It was a deal; nowadays, the mini-plates tend not to be so much of a deal as they were.

L&L also sorta pioneered the million-item plate-lunch place, which is now standard. I prefer Grace's myself, but L&L is convenient.

However, I seldom go anymore. I've sorta lost a taste for the place.

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Favorite L&L

Scriv, you're probably right about pioneering some of those concepts. Everyone started doing it after L&L started taking off.

However, I seldom go anymore. I've sorta lost a taste for the place.

If you go often enough, everything kinda starts tasting the same. Doesn't help if they lose a good cook. Mililani Restaurant is kind of like that. They have a huge menu, but everything tastes the same. Like each other kine same. Most of their dishes have oyster sauce and shoyu. Don't get me wrong on this one. The foods good and they give plenty, but it gets monotonous after awhile.

And......why do all the drive ins that serve chicken katsu have the same tasting dipping sauce? Ever wonder? I mean the sauce is okay. It's just that no one drive in has their own unique dipping sauce. Must be cheap at Costco?

like around 10 years ago when I lived on Ohai St. in Wahiawa,

10 years ago? I think the Wahiawa L&L had been around for awhile already. I've known my wife for over 13 years and I was going to Wahiawa L&L before I met her. At the time, the katsu was thick, juicy and tender and crispy on the outside and the teri beef was pretty darned good, not too sweet and not too salty and they gave plenty of each in the mix plate. Darned thing must have weighed almost 5 lbs. That was a once a week fix for me. Of course I was younger and more active back then.

At 10 years, they were already starting to slide, IMO. Just depended on what you liked off their menu. A heck of a lot of GIs were still eating the food, so it must have been only my favorites.

[hawaiiguy]

Re: Favorite L&L

There's some L&L restaurants that make their chicken katsu with mainly skin that make me feel I was gypped: the original place on Liliha, the old location across Mike McKenna's in Kailua and the one on So King St/Moiiliili.

[TuNnL]

Re: Favorite L&L

do NOT go to the one in old ewa. probably the worst one i have ever eaten at.

I’ve been visited L&L’s over the course of 10 years, and I have to say their chicken katsu was never that tasty. But add Pearlridge L&L’s to the list of ones to avoid. Their service is terrible!!! Geared strictly for the takeout order.

[ironokole]

Re: Favorite L&L

Aloha~~~ love that locomoco

[Palama Kid]

Re: Favorite L&L

Having lived in Mayor Wrights, I ate at the first one, too. As I recall, it was pretty good.

I've eaten at the Hayward, CA and Las Vegas ones (I've not eaten at the brand spanking new ones in San Jose and other Bay Area cities), but they seem fairly consistent. Menus might be a tad different and the prices vary (as of October 2005, Las Vegas seemed to have lower prices than the Hayward one for similar items), but all-in-all, they're great for someone lacking easy access to Hawaiian food.

I can't be picky . . . I live to eat, so I can't pick just one.

[Lei K]

Re: Favorite L&L

I usually go to the one on Kapahulu if I'm back home. I forgot to say that earlier.

[Surfingfarmboy]

Re: Favorite L&L

I had a recollection of the L&L chain opening up an restaurant in Connecticut (not far from where I live) back in 2002. I don't remember what town it had opened up in, so I went to the web-site www.hawaiianbarbecue.com to try and find out, and I discovered, there is no L&L there. I don't know if there was one and it closed, or if there never was one to begin with. It just seems that there was some chatter about there being one in CT at one time. Anyway, after going to the web-site, I did find out that are two L&Ls in New York City! Next time I'm down NYC way, I'm going to have to check this symbol of home out for myself sometime.

[Miulang]

Re: Favorite L&L

I had a recollection of the L&L chain opening up an restaurant in Connecticut (not far from where I live) back in 2002. I don't remember what town it had opened up in, so I went to the web-site www.hawaiianbarbecue.com to try and find out, and I discovered, there is no L&L there. I don't know if there was one and it closed, or if there never was one to begin with. It just seems that there was some chatter about there being one in CT at one time. Anyway, after going to the web-site, I did find out that are two L&Ls in New York City! Next time I'm down NYC way, I'm going to have to check this symbol of home out for myself sometime.

Hmmm...I kinda remember seeing that too, Surfingfarmboy. Maybe they opened anden neva have nuff business so they closed down? Yeah, they wen close down because you neva go grind ova there! Now you gotta go holoholoka'a even more far to go get mediocre kine grines!

Miulang

[Surfingfarmboy]

Re: Favorite L&L

I googled L&L+Connecticut and indeed our suspicions were on target. There evidently were two in CT according to this Star-Bulletin article from a year and a half back. (There is a brief mention of them being closed towards the end of the article.)

CT L&Ls all pau

[pzarquon]

Re: Favorite L&L

There was definitely a Connecticut location, frequently cited as an example of how far L&L had reached. Illinois and Michigan, too. Looks like after some growing pains, they've scaled back just a bit.

[jdub]

Re: Favorite L&L

no matter how you figger it, L&L is a true success story in american entrepreneurialism...yeah, the mac salad is bland, but that's the way i like it...load 'em up with salt and pepper...tabasco, even...creature of habit that i am, i always go with the bbq chicken mini...it's been a while, but when i lived downtown, i hit the fort street mall location at least once a week...

[alohabear]

Re: Favorite L&L

Wow! They all ovah da place yeah? Thier food IMO, is a 41/2 out of 10 in taste.

[lurkah]

Re: Favorite L&L

Thier food IMO, is a 41/2 out of 10 in taste.

It's all relative. When you live on the mainland and have to drive considerable mileage(5 hours) to find one, the taste jumps to 12 out of 10, IMPO.

[Miulang]

Re: Favorite L&L

It's all relative. When you live on the mainland and have to drive considerable mileage(5 hours) to find one, the taste jumps to 12 out of 10, IMPO.

Eh, Lurkah, what about da new place in Selah? "Teriyaki Place of Selah"? Been there yet?

Miulang