A Pacific Relative of the Garbage Plate?

The New York Times has a look at a favorite Hawaiian dish of Barack Obama's: the plate lunch.  From the name (plate lunch v. garbage plate or plate) to the composition (macaroni salad and rice topped with meat v. macaroni salad and home fries topped with meat) to the look (a mushy mess v. a mushy mess), it seems like there's a lot in common with Rochester's own garbage plate.

That is awesome, and obviously this is going to trigger greater research on my part.  

H/T Washingtonian Best Bites Blog, which also mentions that Barack Obama doesn't like beets, and that Rick Bayless could become the White House Chef.