Hot and Fresh Selections Delight Diners

When Zippy’s president and CEO Jason Higa wanted to provide his loyal customers with freshly made hot items at the Napoleon’s Bakery counter, the restaurant’s team of culinary creators crafted a special menu composed of favorite local treats.

Roughly 10 years later, the aptly named Hot & Fresh menu is still available at 10 locations across Oahu and Maui, and customers continue to clamor for the made-to-order desserts.

“Jason Higa wanted to offer items for customers that are hot and freshly made. He wanted to make the hot items available at the counter, not just the traditional favorites in our bakery cases,” says Kris Campbell, retail bakery manager for Zippy’s. Everything is made to order, and, for example, malasadas only take three or four minutes to prepare, and they’re ready to go. You’re guaranteed to have the items served hot, if you wish.”

The Hot & Fresh menu was offered initially at the Ala Moana Zippy’s, and since has expanded to Ewa, Kapolei, Kailua, Koko Marina, Makiki, Mililani, Pearlridge, Wahiawa and Kahului, Maui.

“We’ve had our Hot & Fresh menu for a while now, I would say at least 10 years, but a lot of customers still don’t know about the items,” says Campbell of the menu, which includes malasadas, andagi and jin dui. “We had a lot more items previously, but there were just too many to choose from. So, we broke it down to the best-sellers, which are currently favorites on the menu.”

Malasadas (75 cents each, $7.95 for a dozen — prices may vary by location) remain the top seller, and are available with the traditional sugar or cinnamon coating. Customers also rave about Filled Malasadas ($1.05 each, $11.65 for a dozen), which offer the same delicious doughy treats with an infusion of custard, chocolate or haupia fillings. Campbell explains that the malasadas are perfect for any occasion, including holidays and special occasions such as Fat Tuesday, or family parties and get-togethers. The Portuguese doughnuts are deep-fried until golden brown, and rolled in sugar or cinnamon to sweeten each warm, doughy bite.

“I have to say that our malasadas are some of the best I’ve ever had on the island,” Campbell says. “I encourage customers to try them and be the judge! And, they’re good the next day, too. Just pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds or so, and they taste like they were just made.”

Andagi (75 cents each, $7.95 for a dozen), sweet, deep-fried balls of dough, also are available on the Hot & Fresh menu. The rich morsels are available with chocolate chip or banana (85 cents each, $8.95 for a dozen). Jin Dui ($1.25 for three, $4.45 for a dozen) are made-to-order, and the Chinese pastries composed of rice flour coated with sesame seeds continually roll out of the kitchen as well.

While the Hot & Fresh items each offer distinct flavors to please a variety of tastes, they all include basic ingredients — flour, eggs, milk and sugar — without the need for preservatives.

“It’s almost like enjoying items that you baked fresh in your own kitchen at home,” says Campbell of the fresh offerings. “The ingredients are basic, and the fillings are made fresh daily from scratch at our bakery plant. Customers are familiar with those tastes, such as the custard, which is also used to fill the Long Johns.”

The Hot & Fresh items are offered in addition to Napoleon’s Bakery’s well-established selection of desserts and treats, including cakes, pies, cookies, rolls, brownies, doughnuts and doughnut holes, and of course, Napples — the flaky pastries made with apple, chocolate, coconut, blueberry cream cheese or cherry fillings. Whether one stops in to enjoy a fresh malasada with a cup of morning coffee, or picks up a dozen to go, the friendly staff at Zippy’s is poised and ready to help.

Napoleon’s Bakery

The Hot & Fresh menu is available at the following Zippy’s locations: Ala Moana, Ewa, Kapolei, Kailua, Koko Marina, Makiki, Mililani, Pearlridge, Wahiawa and Kahului, Maui. Prices may vary by location. Hours vary by location, call for operating hours 973-0880
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