L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, located in Centennial Hills, offers daily specials that cannot be found anywhere else in the city.
Although there are five locations in the Las Vegas Valley, the restaurant at 7891 W. Tropical Parkway, Suite 120, is not a franchise. It is owned by the parent company in Honolulu.
"People will drive from Henderson for our specials," said Lynnboy Simeona, the store manager. "If they want it, they'll drive for it."
Sunday and Monday, the special is Mochiko Chicken, which is rice and flour battered chicken. Tuesday and Wednesday, it's Teribeef Katsu, deep fried Teriyaki beef. On Thursday, Char Siu, a Chinese roast pork, is served. Friday and Saturday, the special is Garlic Chicken, a deep fried chicken tossed with chili sauce, and an additional special on Saturday is Ahi Poke, which is raw fish.
Regular menu items include Chicken Katsu, Garlic Shrimp and Spam Katsu.
Simeona said many customers come looking for the food they grew up eating, but a lot are people who have never eaten Hawaiian food.
"New people come in and ask what it is," he said. "Then they keep coming back."
The staff at L&L will explain any menu item, what it is made with and how it is prepared.
Other popular selections include the Hawaiian plate, which comes with Kalua Pork, shredded pork roasted with rock salt; Lau Lau, pork chuck and butter fish wrapped with taro leaf and steamed; and Chicken Katsu, crispy breaded chicken filet served with katsu dipping sauce.
Specials and menu entrees are all served with two scoops of white rice and one scoop of macaroni salad, making up what the restaurant calls lunch plates. Mini plates also are available.
"Back home (in Hawaii) this is comfort food," Simeona said. "The food here is what you would get (in Hawaii)."
Simeona, who hails from Oahu, said when he gets the chance he tries to bring additional Hawaiian specials, including fresh fish.
New to the menu is a low carb selection which offers teriyaki short ribs and Hawaiian barbecue beef and chicken. These plates are served with eggs instead of the starchy items found in the regular meals.
Meals range from $6.50 to $8.20 for a regular plate and $4.75 for a mini plate.
Las Vegas has a second store located at 2755 S. Nellis Blvd., Building C, which also is owned by L&L's parent company. That location also has started to add some of the daily specials to the menu.
The Centennial store is open every day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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