By Request

By Catherine Kekoa Enomoto

Wednesday, July 16, 1997

ByGeorge F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Chef Billy Chan of the Airport Trade Center L & L Drive-Inn
displays a lemon chicken plate as prepared
by the restaurant chain.

Lots of chicken
take lemon dip

L & L could stand for lots & lots.

Not only do L & L Drive-Inn restaurants serve up lots & lots of food at reasonable prices, but also there are lots & lots of locations - 30, with two more opening at Kahului and Wailuku within the next two months.

So said Eddie Flores, who in 1976 bought the original L & L Drive-Inn at 1711 Liliha St.

In two decades, he and co-owner Kwock Yum Kam have parlayed the fast-food restaurant into a franchise chain with gross receipts that totaled $6.2 million in 1995.

Flores said the Top 3 sellers in the chain's lineup of seven types of plate lunches, 40 hot entrees and 10 sandwiches are: chicken katsu, lemon chicken and teriyaki-style barbecue chicken, in that order.

Although chicken katsu is No. 1, "lemon chicken is catching up. It's pretty hot," he said.

Reader "Edwina" wrote, "I would like the recipe for the lemon chicken dish and tasty sauce at the L & L Drive-Inn. I frequent the Liliha location and always wonder how they make this delicious selection."

The chain's recipe follows.

L & L Drive-Inn
Lemon Chicken

(From chef Billy Chan; courtesy of Eddie Flores,
president of L & L Drive-Inn)

3 pounds boneless chicken thighs
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Marinade:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon powdered chicken base (bouillon)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Lemon sauce:
1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 cups water
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 fresh lemon, sliced
1/2 ounce fresh ginger
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon yellow food coloring

Combine marinade ingredients and marinate chicken in refrigerator for 2 hours; drain.

Deep-fry chicken in 350-degree oil for 3 minutes.

To prepare lemon sauce, stir potato starch (or cornstarch) into the 1/4-cup water to dissolve. In a saucepan, combine remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir in starch/water mixture and continue cooking until the sauce is thickened.

Serve chicken with sauce. Makes 6 servings.

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Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 870 calories, 51 grams total fat, 10 grams saturated fat, 185 milligrams cholesterol, 800 milligrams sodium. With skinless chicken breast: 740 calories, 26 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 170 milligrams cholesterol, 800 milligrams sodium.*