Re: Plate lunch questions
This was mentioned before, but since we're back on the subject, it's not only what's on the plate, but also the plate itself. You may recall Kanda "Kewalo" Lunch Wagon, formerly located at the Daimond Head entrance to Kewalo Basin. Even in modern times when everyone else served their plate lunches in those sterile (characterless) white plasti-foam clamshells, "Kewalo's" continued to serve their fantastic plate lunches the old school way, using a "Chinette style" (cheap) paper plate, wrapped up to stay hot in butcher paper and rubber band. Gosh, do I miss that. Gosh, do I miss them!
Another more old school style way of serving plate lunches was the paper plate placed into a cardboard box, with a square piece of wax paper placed on top to keep the steam in. Zippy's used that method for years, only in the last, what? 5 years? 10 years? did they cave in and went with plastic shells. At least theirs is black though. Looks much more elegant than than white as far as presentation. Richie's Drive Inn in Kalihi still serves their plates in cardboard box. So does Rainbow Drive Inn.
Here's an example of the "sterile" (characterless) plasti-foam clamshell "plate" everyone uses nowadays, in this example, Kim Chee Fried Rice and Teriyaki Beef from Kristen's Kitchen in Waipahu...
Kristen's Kitchen in Waipahu - Kim Chee Fried Rice & Teriyaki Beef, $6.95
Here was have the more old school style, in this example from Jin Joo Korean Restaurant in Waimalu Shopping Center...
Jin Joo Korean Restaurant in Waimalu Shopping Center – Mundoo/Meat Chun/Chicken, $7.25
Jin Joo Korean Restaurant in Waimalu Shopping Center – Mundoo/Meat Chun/Chicken, $7.25
For me, I much prefer this old school style paper plate and box. IMO, that sterile white plasti-foam clamshell container takes away some of the dish's character, no matter how good the food itself is. Perhaps the paper material of the plate and/or cardboard box absorbs the scent of the food and preserves its flavor better than the plastic plate. The grease that soaks into the paper plate making it soggy just adds to the romance of it. lol
Some of the REALLY old school okazuyas (there's one on Kauai) serves their food in the cardboard box, SANS the plate! For realz! They just put the stuff in the cardboard box, with just a piece of wax paper liner underneath to prevent the oil from soaking through the box and that's it. Classic.
This was mentioned before, but since we're back on the subject, it's not only what's on the plate, but also the plate itself. You may recall Kanda "Kewalo" Lunch Wagon, formerly located at the Daimond Head entrance to Kewalo Basin. Even in modern times when everyone else served their plate lunches in those sterile (characterless) white plasti-foam clamshells, "Kewalo's" continued to serve their fantastic plate lunches the old school way, using a "Chinette style" (cheap) paper plate, wrapped up to stay hot in butcher paper and rubber band. Gosh, do I miss that. Gosh, do I miss them!
Another more old school style way of serving plate lunches was the paper plate placed into a cardboard box, with a square piece of wax paper placed on top to keep the steam in. Zippy's used that method for years, only in the last, what? 5 years? 10 years? did they cave in and went with plastic shells. At least theirs is black though. Looks much more elegant than than white as far as presentation. Richie's Drive Inn in Kalihi still serves their plates in cardboard box. So does Rainbow Drive Inn.
Here's an example of the "sterile" (characterless) plasti-foam clamshell "plate" everyone uses nowadays, in this example, Kim Chee Fried Rice and Teriyaki Beef from Kristen's Kitchen in Waipahu...
Kristen's Kitchen in Waipahu - Kim Chee Fried Rice & Teriyaki Beef, $6.95
Here was have the more old school style, in this example from Jin Joo Korean Restaurant in Waimalu Shopping Center...
Jin Joo Korean Restaurant in Waimalu Shopping Center – Mundoo/Meat Chun/Chicken, $7.25
Jin Joo Korean Restaurant in Waimalu Shopping Center – Mundoo/Meat Chun/Chicken, $7.25
For me, I much prefer this old school style paper plate and box. IMO, that sterile white plasti-foam clamshell container takes away some of the dish's character, no matter how good the food itself is. Perhaps the paper material of the plate and/or cardboard box absorbs the scent of the food and preserves its flavor better than the plastic plate. The grease that soaks into the paper plate making it soggy just adds to the romance of it. lol
Some of the REALLY old school okazuyas (there's one on Kauai) serves their food in the cardboard box, SANS the plate! For realz! They just put the stuff in the cardboard box, with just a piece of wax paper liner underneath to prevent the oil from soaking through the box and that's it. Classic.
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