Courtesy of L&L Hawaiian Mixplate Aurora
Audio By Carbonatix
If you’re shopping at the Walmart at 5650 South Chambers Road in Aurora, you have one more stop after the checkout line before you head out into the parking lot. Lunch at L&L Hawaiian Mixplate should be on every shopping list from now on, because the chain has opened a service counter inside the Walmart.
Mixplate is a new concept for L&L, the famous Hawaiian eatery founded by Johnson Kam and Eddie Flores Jr. in 1952. Sai Yamagata and Avery Arakaki are the franchise owners at this Walmart; they also operate the L&L Hawaiian Barbecue at 14221 East Cedar Avenue in Aurora. The Mixplate model offers customers mix-and-match plate lunches with a variety of starches, sides and entrees. CEO Elisia Flores (daughter of Eddie Flores Jr.) says that the options are presented on a hot line, in order to put the aromas and colors of the food right before customers. So far, she points out, there are only three Lunch at L&L Hawaiian Mixplate locations in the U.S., all inside Walmarts, but the plan is to add three to five more franchised outposts in the coming year. She also notes that Coloradans love Hawaiian barbecue. “Their location is the busiest L&L out of 200 stores,” she says of Yamagata and Arakaki’s Cedar Avenue shop.
L&L Hawaiian Mixplate is holding its grand opening celebration from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today, February 8, with free Spam musubi for the first fifty people in line, Hawaiian entertainment, and giveaways at the door. If you go, look for new dishes like garlic chicken, Filipino-style pork adobo, edamame and fried Mochiko chicken.
Here’s our complete list of openings and closings for the week starting February 3, 2020, plus links to coverage of current and upcoming activity:
Restaurants and Bars Opening This Week*
Carm & Gia Metropolitan, 9598 East Montview Boulevard, Aurora
Cultura Craft Chocolate, 3742 Morrison Road
Hook & Reel Cajun Seafood & Bar, 7407 East 36th Avenue
Insomnia Cookies, 78 South Broadway
L&L Hawaiian Mixplate, 5650 South Chambers Road, Aurora
Lost City Coffee,1373 Grant Street
Third Culture Bakery (Sunday), 9935 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora
Torchy’s Tacos, 2805 Pearl Street, Boulder
Restaurants Closing This Week*
Chinook Tavern, 6380 South Fiddlers Green Circle, Englewood
*Or earlier, and not previously reported.
Lost City’s second location is now open where the Spring Cafe recently closed.
Courtesy of Lost City
“Lost City Opens Cap Hill Coffee Shop in Former Spring Cafe Space”
Mochi doughnuts at Third Culture Bakery.
Mark Antonation
“Third Culture Bakery Debuts Mochi Muffins This Weekend“
Prelude + Post is now open at the Denver Performing Arts Complex.
Courtesy Centerplate Hospitality
“Limelight Supper Club Switches to Prelude + Post at the DPAC“
Temaki Den will soon be making cylindrical sushi rolls.
Stephan Werk/Werk Creative
“Sushi Den Brothers Plan First Restaurant Away From Pearl Street“
Street Feud will move into the ground floor of the Quayle Building this summer.
Courtesy of The Quayle
“Street Feud Will Move Into Former El Diablo Space on Broadway“
Do you know of any openings or closings not on our list? Let us know in the comments or at cafe@westword.com.
