Posted on: Friday, September 21, 2001

Dining Scene
Lunch Break: Midday meals too good to be ignored

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

Around for just four months, The Lunch Stop is a lunch wagon on Mililani Street that often is overlooked.

Which can sometimes happen when you're squeezed between a popular hotdog stand and another wagon with a loyal following.

But sometimes these hidden spots are the best finds.

The lines at The Lunch Stop always are short — and the food always is good.

Owner Anthony Ching specializes in garlic shrimp, which he sells by the half-pound ($5). (He'll even show you his photography, if you ask nicely.)

The rest of his daily menu is pretty special as well.

We tried the Korean-style shoyu chicken and chicken adobo one Wednesday lunchtime. We were driven by hunger, not expectations.

And The Lunch Stop definitely delivered.

The shoyu chicken ($5, $4 for a mini) was a surprise attack on the taste buds. Chili peppers enhanced the already-tasty flavor, leaving a burning sensation in the mouth seconds after swallowing. And that's a good thing.

Like the shoyu chicken, the chicken adobo ($5, $4 for a mini) is so tender, the meat falls off the bone. Tasty and not too sweet, the adobo won over one of the pickiest eaters I know.

Also on Wednesday's menu were chicken Parmesan with eggplant, sauteed salmon, laulau and lomi, teri chicken with stir-fry veggies, and corned beef and cabbage.

Plate lunches come with a great fancy-greens salad, with your choice of ranch or Italian dressing. Portions are generous for the minis.

And don't let the longer-than-normal wait for your food deter you from coming back. Ching works alone. And the wait — trust us — is well worth it.

Hours: About 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.