When all you want is an L&L plate lunch.

I found myself dreaming of chicken katsu and BBQ chicken a few days ago with a side of rice and mac salad. That was only a dream though, because the closest L&L's Hawaiian BBQ to Columbus is in New York City. Sounds like a motorcycle ride to me. And if I wanted a wing fix from Wing Stop, I would have to travel two hours north to Mentor On Lake, OH to go to the only franchised store in the state. Oh, and let's go for some Daphne's Greek Cafe...after a three day ride to Denver, CO?! Please don't get me started on In-n-Out because it'll be a while until I can make it back to Utah.

Come on, Ohio! We have to make a fair trade here. To my knowledge, there are a few Ohio-based food establishments that did make it to CA, those being Wendy's, Strickland's Frozen Custard, and Charley's Grilled Subs. Those are great and all, but I really can only put up with grilled cheesesteak sandwiches, "those kind" of hamburgers, and every variation of it for so long! What I need is a plate lunch or Greek food, Daphne's style. Sure, they're "just food chains," but they're flavors I remember from living on the West coast a quarter century. On a bright note, there is a BJ's Restaurant just down the street...just in case Matt and I may want to relive our first date and share a pizookie.

The passion for certain foods goes both ways; the Strickland's that just happened to land on UC Irvine's campus was as a result of Ohio transplants who loved the frozen custard so much that they wanted to bring it to CA. The ice cream is so exact in spec, thanks to a single Strickland's ice cream machine that was painstakingly dismantled, replicated from the screws on up, and reassembled over a year and a half. So yes, a cone of vanilla at their original store in Akron, OH is identical to a cone in Irvine, CA. The only difference is about an extra $2 for the cone in Irvine.

The original store in Akron isn't very posh, but it's still the same ice cream. On a good day, the line would go out to the parking lot.

I hope that someone will think the same way about a chain like L&L's and have the capital to open a franchise in Central OH someday. The Filipino population is growing here. Heck, they're close...NYC is only a 8 hour ride. I wouldn't put down all the food out here; I've had very good impressions with Quaker Steak & Lube (although I still think Wing Stop is better) and the made-to-order burgers of Steak 'n Shake (nothing will ever beat In-n-Out to me). However, I will say that LA can learn a thing or two about sushi from a little restaurant in North Columbus by the name of Edamame Sushi and Grill. That place has definitely raised the bar for sushi quality and flavor. If you're ever in town, I'll take you there.

Yeah, that's me making a case for L&L's in Ohio. See? I'm not the only one!