L&L's MATAI plate

[kiwidiva]

To celebrate the opening of L&L’s new American Samoa location, participating L&L restaurants all over the U.S. promoted the new “Matai” plate, the marketing designates it as, "a meal made fit for a chief." The word "Matai" refers to a Samoan high chief.

The three pound “Matai” plate consists of three heaping scoops of hot rice, two scoops of chilled macaroni salad, and three pieces of award winning Chicken Katsu or Hawaiian Barbecue® Chicken and three pieces of succulent BBQ Beef.

The outlet in American Samoa ran out of prepped food in six hours, said co-founder Eddie Flores Jr. As many as 1,000 residents lined up outside the new eatery, which raked in about four times the average daily take of an L&L, he said.

The "Matai" plate debuted at the new location in Pago Pago, which reopened the next day. The plate costs from $10.95 to $12.75, depending on location.

The heavyweight plate also starred in an eating contest at the Iwilei L&L recently in which 10 guys got 10 plates and 10 minutes. It took 15 minutes, but "two skinny guys like me," completed the task, Flores chuckled.

A dozen folks tried and failed. "It was disappointing," said L&L's Brandon Dela Cruz. "They couldn't even finish it when we gave them an extra five minutes."

Paraphrased by me from a blurb on the L&L website and articles in the Advertiser and Star-Bulletin.

I feel that this promotion is perpetuating the stereotype that Samoans are big people and big eaters. While it is true in MY case - it isn't true for every Samoan and I don't think it's fair to label us all as such.

The bottom line is, this is too much food! Even for Samoans! I am offended that they are using the word 'matai' to promote their poison! A matai is a revered and honored position in our society but they are linking it to unhealthy fast food, gluttony and ultimately obesity!

Unfortunately, the fast food chains in American Samoa are in no danger of going out of business, while my Samoan people are dealing with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, strokes and heart attacks.

I am boycotting L & L's until they stop exploiting my people and our culture!

[cynsaligia]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

I am boycotting L & L's until they stop exploiting my people and our culture!

not that i would call it boycotting, but i refuse to step into an l&l's, period. flores' restaurants serve food that is carelessly prepared & not worth even the relatively cheap prices he charges.

let me summarize my experience with l&l's: burnt katsu; hamburger steak so greasy the rice was practically swimming in oil; fries that were soggy & stale; a chicken stir fry so overcooked the chicken pieces were jerky-like in texture & the veggies limp & unrecognizable; and finally, mac salad that caused my alimentary canal nothing but misery.

i wouldn't eat l&l's slop even if it was free. ranks right down there with in the pits of gastronomic despair along with sam choy's food.

[scrivener]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

I've mostly had only good experiences at L&L, or at least passable. Since I taught the son of the OTHER co-founder (the son was a very, very sweet young man) and his family has always been very good to me I admit I am biased, but you must have had a run of bad luck, because even though I don't go very often, the few L&L franchises that I do go to once in a while always give me great service and good food.

KiwiDiva, with all due respect, I don't get how you can blame L&L for selling to consumers what they want to buy. I'm sure it's not the only thing on the menu, and customers are free to buy whatever they want. Of course you can call it exploitation, but isn't the selling of ANY goods exploitation? I'm not trying to give you a hard time; I just want to understand where you're coming from.

[scrivener]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

Okay, slightly off topic, but I know I've already lost foodie cred with cyn and with mixed plate broker for my comments on ramen and Chan's "Gourmet" Buffet, so I have to add this.

As you know, some stores are owned by L&L, but some of them are franchised. Flores and Kam help local families get set up with their own franchises and work closely with franchisees on loans until the franchisees own their stores outright. I think I've heard the same of the Alpha Video chain.

If you've been in any of the L&Ls, you know we're talking about Chinese and Filipino families, at least in Hawaii. A lot of these families get a piece of the American dream because of the help they get from the L&L guys. I admire that.

One of the families who was helped this way also sent kids to the school where I used to teach, and I taught one of them. I was sitting at my desk, grading semester exams on the last day of school before Christmas break the year I taught this boy. I heard a knock on the door, and he walked in, carrying a wrapped box. "Mr. D," he said. "Do you drink?"

I happened to be teaching at the kind of school where you have to be VERY careful how you answer that question and to whom you answer it. That's actually true of any high school, really. So I said, "Um, why do you ask?"

"Well, my mom gave me this to give you, since you've been helping me so much with my writing, but I told her I don't think you drink."

"Leave it with me, _______, and if I can't put it to use, I'll pass it along to someone who can," I said. "And thank you. Tell your mom I said thank you."

I didn't open it until I got home. It was a bottle of Remy Martin XO. That's a $100+ bottle of cognac.

Another completely unrelated reason for my continued (if infrequent) patronage of the place.

[kiwidiva]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

Okay, slightly off topic, but I know I've already lost foodie cred with cyn and with mixed plate broker for my comments on... Chan's "Gourmet" Buffet.

oh and me! i'm not very fussy but chan's is just... bleh!

KiwiDiva, with all due respect, I don't get how you can blame L&L for selling to consumers what they want to buy. I'm sure it's not the only thing on the menu, and customers are free to buy whatever they want. Of course you can call it exploitation, but isn't the selling of ANY goods exploitation? I'm not trying to give you a hard time; I just want to understand where you're coming from.

I know, I know... no one is forcing Samoans (or anyone else) to eat the 'matai' plate and when this promotion was first brought to my attention, my immediate reaction was to contemplate who opened the franchise in Samoa. I was wondering if it was a Samoan trying to make a go of the business and thinking that I really couldn't fault them for that.

It's all about marketing and I realize that I am overly sensitive about these issues but this is just something that I didn't feel right about. My grandparents are both matai and have been vegans for at least 50 years (maybe longer), their eating choice is due to their religion but they have been health and fitness advocates most of their lives. They must be doing something right because at ages 76 (nana) and 88 (grandad), they are both healthy and strong! To have their esteemed titles associated with promoting over eating just does not sit right with me!

[Ron Whitfield]

The 1st L&L in Kalihi...

...I believe is now gone. I always enjoyed eating there, the food was probably the best of all the L&Ls, and they are owned and operated by different people, so the quality can vary a bit.

[Lei Liko]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

O/T, but "MATAI" means "DIE" to Ilocanos. I'm sure death would be an appropriate image to ponder when consuming an L&L plate.

The only L&L I regularly frequented was the original one on Liliha St. I went to grade school and high school with the family's daughter. I've never had any complaints there.

[1stwahine]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

The only L&L I regularly frequented was the original one on Liliha St. I went to grade school and high school with the family's daughter. I've never had any complaints there.

Yes...the first and original L&L is the Liliha location. Many years ago, one could drive up to the front and order. They also made the best milk shakes. Den the original owners sold it to Flores and his partner.

The basic recipes and concept are still being used but so much are missing.

Beef Curry. Yuk! The meat is soooo hard. My pua teeth no can chew..gotta throw away. Only can kaukau the curry and rice. Waste money...still hungry.

The only thing I usually order is a Teri Beef Sand with Cheese Deluxe.

I could go on and on...but I won't.

To each his/her own.

Auntie Lynn

[kiwidiva]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

not that i would call it boycotting, but i refuse to step into an l&l's, period. flores' restaurants serve food that is carelessly prepared & not worth even the relatively cheap prices he charges.

cyn, it's not hard for me to boycott the restaurants since i don't like their food either.

O/T, but "MATAI" means "DIE" to Ilocanos. I'm sure death would be an appropriate image to ponder when consuming an L&L plate.

LOL!

[kani-lehua]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

i haven't eaten at a fast food restaurant in about 3 years or so. but, did have what was called a mini "beef stew" plate from the l&l in kaneohe. just like auntie lynn said, the meat was so tough it was inedible. yuck!

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

I stopped eating at L&L after L&L II in Puck's Alley closed. It seemed like it was a franchise, but the food was different, fresh, and pifftastic.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

If there was a vegan/vegetarian fast food chain, with drive-thru, I would sooo be there! And supersize that salad, wouldja?

[Jetfixer]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

From the promotions section on their website:

" For those with lighter appetites, we offer a “Manini” with one scoop of rice and one piece of Chicken (BBQ or Katsu)."

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

If I ordered manini and got chicken, I would be pissed off.

[1stwahine]

Re: L&L's MATAI plate

If I ordered manini and got chicken, I would be pissed off.

I would Whack Whack um!

HAHAHAHAHA

Auntie Lynn