While I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing Hawaiian plate lunch on the islands, when I think about it now, my mind always drifts back to Kealani’s on D Street in downtown Encinitas.
Our office was in the area now occupied by Sun Bum, and it was an easy walk to lunch and my introduction to this style of food. Manhattan Giant Pizza was next door, and it was a special block for sure that I still miss.
Memories aside, I was reminded of this cuisine recently while driving through Oceanside and passing by L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. It had been a while, so I thought it would be perfect to revisit and give this place a shot. They definitely have some history in the area and deep Hawaiian roots.
Founded in Honolulu as L&L Dairy in 1952, L&L became a popular eatery in Hawaii. The iconic L&L Hawai’i brand was established in 1976 by Eddie Flores, Jr., who, with partner Johnson Kam, grew the company into a popular international restaurant franchise specializing in Hawaiian cuisine.
They introduced L&L to the U.S. mainland in 1999, when most Californians were unfamiliar with the plate lunch, renaming it L&L Hawaiian Barbecue to appeal to the masses.
Since then, the concept has expanded to over 200 L&L Hawaiian Barbecue restaurants in Hawaii, California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, Texas, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Japan.
Now, on to the history of the plate lunch, also known to many as “the state food of Hawaii.” The plate lunch dates back to 19th-century laborers on sugar plantations and pineapple fields, who brought rice and leftovers to work in compartmentalized tins.
Meals were often shared, resulting in a mix of recipes from Japan, China, the Philippines, Portugal, Korea, and even New England. This was culinary fusion at its core. Given the heavy nature of some of these dishes, were the workers allowed food coma-induced naps or siestas after eating? I think not.
And then there’s the whole Spam connection to the plate lunch and Hawaiian cuisine in general. Its roots go back to World War II when the U.S. military used Spam as a reliable source of food for G.I.s. It was also one of the scarce food rations available to the island population and became an essential part of their cuisine.
Spam Musubi was an offshoot of this and a tasty delight comprised of grilled Spam on rice wrapped in dried seaweed, served as is or with an egg. L&L does it this way and also offers it in Spam Saimin, a noodle soup unique to Hawaii served with Spam and fresh green onion.
That is a fine segue to the food offerings at L&L, which is what this is all about. I would strongly suggest one of their lighter portions if you hit L&L for lunch — unless you have some time after for that aforementioned food coma or siesta.
Chicken katsu is a great example of that, along with the Lighter Garlic Shrimp, Lighter BBQ Chicken, or possibly even the BBQ Beef or Chicken Bowl. Exercise some portion control and split it into two meals.
My peak Kealani’s indulgences were almost 20 years ago when there may have been slightly hungover weekdays in my life, and I discovered the Loco Moco as a desirable relief for those symptoms. The combination of savory hamburger patties over rice topped with brown gravy and two fried eggs with a Mexican Coke seemed like the perfect meal at the time.
I should mention that L&L’s menu has expanded beyond plate lunch staples into some very alluring directions. I noticed Pork Adobo, Shanghai Lumpia, Egg Rolls, Portuguese Sausage, Beef Curry, and a nice selection of burgers and sandwiches.
I’m looking forward to exploring the menu further, as my sampling to date has been primarily on the plate lunch offerings, and all of those were spot on. The mini Kalua Pork with cabbage and sides of white rice and macaroni salad was plenty hearty enough, with a portion sizable enough for two meals. I loved the Chicken Katsu Curry, and again, a mini portion was fine.
One new offering to me is the Kalua Pork and Lau Lau, which consists of Hawaiian-style pulled pork with fish and taro leaves. And being a fan of unique variations on surf and turf, the Seafood Combo with fried fish, shrimp, and a choice of beef, chicken, or short rib sounds like another winner.
There are plenty of breakfast options, Keiki (kid’s) meals, and, of course, plenty of beverages, including Hawaiian Sun, which just seems to be the natural choice to go with your island experience.
In addition to the Oceanside location on Coast Highway 101 and Oceanside Boulevard, there are locations in San Marcos and San Diego.
Learn more and check out a sample menu at www.hawaiianbarbecue.com. Please note that individual location menus are more extensive than what is shown on the main menu.
