Admin, I did a search on plate lunches and only got "where's the best plate lunch" sort of general questions.
So now it's time to dissect and critique EACH popular local style plate lunch entree from top to bottom! You know the common selections: Chicken Katsu, Beef Stew, Beef Curry, Chili Dog, Fried Chicken, Mochiko Chicken, Teriyaki Beef, Mahimahi, Hamburger Steak, Hawaiian Plate, to name a few. Of course, always served with 2 scoops rice and mac' salad. Be still my beating heart.
This time we'll start with Hamburger Steak, which is my friend's "plate lunch gauge" on whether a place is good or bad. If they can make a good hamburger steak plate lunch, then they're approved in his opinion. lol Really, how can you screw up Hamburger Steak? It's all in the gravy of course. But the patty has to be good too. Not a hockey puck, yet not too fancy or it doesn't have the "cheap romance" a plate lunch is signature for. lol
So here's da' sample...
Pongo's Hamburger Steak Plate Lunch
100% ground sirloin patty (no fillers)
$7.50
Witness the large, single oval-shaped burger patty. It's covering one (of the 2) scoops of rice. The chopped parsley adds a nice visual touch, yet I think Furikake on the rice would have sealed the deal for me. Lots of onions in there. Yum. Gravy looks thick 'n rich. According to him, the patty was moist, not dried out. Plus it had a char-grilled flavor - a must! The gravy had good depth and infused hamburger steak flavor. The rice and Mac was standard fare. Nothing to write home (or here) about (even though I just did). Interestingly, Pongo's used to have a lunchwagon, which he preferred over the restaurant on this order. Still, he gave it a thumbs-up of approval.
What's missed is the "true" paper plate (Chinet) with the wax paper liner, all rubber-banded up... something that gave old school plate lunch stands such as the former Kewalo (Kanda's) Lunch Wagon the nostalgic romance of Hawaii's plantation yesteryears.
Any hamburger steak plate lunch stories or issues? Where's the best? This is the thread to share it. This thread is only about Hamburger Steak plate lunches, made local style. Who said it was a "steak" anyway? lol The Hamburger Steak Plate Lunch is simply comfort food at its best.
Coming next: Chicken Katsu Plate Lunch (and boy, do I have >sauce< issues with that one!)
So now it's time to dissect and critique EACH popular local style plate lunch entree from top to bottom! You know the common selections: Chicken Katsu, Beef Stew, Beef Curry, Chili Dog, Fried Chicken, Mochiko Chicken, Teriyaki Beef, Mahimahi, Hamburger Steak, Hawaiian Plate, to name a few. Of course, always served with 2 scoops rice and mac' salad. Be still my beating heart.
This time we'll start with Hamburger Steak, which is my friend's "plate lunch gauge" on whether a place is good or bad. If they can make a good hamburger steak plate lunch, then they're approved in his opinion. lol Really, how can you screw up Hamburger Steak? It's all in the gravy of course. But the patty has to be good too. Not a hockey puck, yet not too fancy or it doesn't have the "cheap romance" a plate lunch is signature for. lol
So here's da' sample...
Pongo's Hamburger Steak Plate Lunch
100% ground sirloin patty (no fillers)
$7.50
Witness the large, single oval-shaped burger patty. It's covering one (of the 2) scoops of rice. The chopped parsley adds a nice visual touch, yet I think Furikake on the rice would have sealed the deal for me. Lots of onions in there. Yum. Gravy looks thick 'n rich. According to him, the patty was moist, not dried out. Plus it had a char-grilled flavor - a must! The gravy had good depth and infused hamburger steak flavor. The rice and Mac was standard fare. Nothing to write home (or here) about (even though I just did). Interestingly, Pongo's used to have a lunchwagon, which he preferred over the restaurant on this order. Still, he gave it a thumbs-up of approval.
What's missed is the "true" paper plate (Chinet) with the wax paper liner, all rubber-banded up... something that gave old school plate lunch stands such as the former Kewalo (Kanda's) Lunch Wagon the nostalgic romance of Hawaii's plantation yesteryears.
Any hamburger steak plate lunch stories or issues? Where's the best? This is the thread to share it. This thread is only about Hamburger Steak plate lunches, made local style. Who said it was a "steak" anyway? lol The Hamburger Steak Plate Lunch is simply comfort food at its best.
Coming next: Chicken Katsu Plate Lunch (and boy, do I have >sauce< issues with that one!)
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