Page 3 - Dining Out - Feb 13, 2022

Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee
123
Zippy’s
Locations
statewide zippys.com
1. Zip Min ($12.95, restaurant only) 2. Korean Fried Chicken ($14.25, restaurant; $12.30, fast-food).
3. Apple Napple ($3.35 fast-food) 4. Zip Pac ($14.50, restaurant; $12.45, fast-food)
AL: Zippy’s is known for giv- ing back to the community and Mahalo May is one ex- ample. Can you tell me more about it?
TL: Zippy’s celebrates Ma- halo May with its Kokua Pac (sold throughout the month at all locations) that will benefit four nonprofits. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Make-A-Wish Hawaii (May 2-8), Honolulu Museum of Art (May 9-15), Hawaii Meals on Wheels (May 16-22) and Na- tional Kidney Foundation of Hawaii (May 23-29).
AL: Anything else you want to share?
TL: Our Kahala and Pearl City locations have sushi bars in addition to the Zip- py’s menu, and we serve fresh local fish. A fresh piece of ahi nigiri and some salmon nigiri, washed down with a bottle of sake, is what makes me happiest.
LIMITED SEATING
RESERVE NOW
same plate lunch items that the counter in the front of the building sold, and eventual- ly,thedine-inrestaurantwas born and has evolved into what it is today.
AL:Whydowecallita plate lunch, and why is mac salad a staple in plate lunches?
TL: Back when sugar cane
and pineapple were the cash crops of Hawaii, workers of many ethnicities came to- getherontheplantations. Each ethnic group brought homemade foods to lunch, many times in a “kau kau tin” or Japanese bento box. As each ethnic enclave became familiar with the other, they would then share their tins, getting to know each other
through their food. Eventual- ly, commercial lunch wagons came to sell these multieth- niclunchestoworkers,but now they were served on pa- per plates, hence the term “plate lunch.”
It’s likely that mac salad was not only tasty, but also an easy and affordable side dish to make. Dried elbow macaroni is relatively inex- pensive, and mayonnaise has the tendency to mel- low out the sweet and salty flavor profiles that are nor- mally found in the proteins of a plate lunch (think about how wonderful a piece of teri beef tastes when it has touched the mac salad on the plate!).
AL: How did you get into the culinary industry?
TL: I graduated from Mid-Pacific Institute and en- rolled at University of Hawaii atManoa.Aftermyfirstyear there, I realized it wasn’t for me. I explored the option of going into the world of culi- nary arts. I was very happy
to enroll in a different type of college — the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at KapiolaniCommunityCol- lege — where I eventually received degrees in both culinary arts and patisserie/ confiserie. During my time at KCC, I worked as a cook at Zippy’s Kahala, and after earning my degrees and bit more experience, here I am today. I feel honored and privileged to be able to work for an iconic local brand that strives to buy many of its in- gredients locally.
AL: What did you prepare for us?
TL: Zip Pac ($14.50, restau- rant; $12.45, fast-food) is the most famous item on our menu. It comes with a piece of fried chicken, breaded hokifish,teribeef,andSpam on a bed of rice topped by furikake and takuan. (Regu- larpictured;minicomeswith a piece of fried chicken and teri beef.)
Zip Min ($12.95, restau- rant only).
Loco Moco ($13.95, restaurant; $12.25, fast-food) has hamburger steak with twoislandeggsandrice smothered with brown gravy.
Korean Fried Chicken ($14.25, restaurant; $12.30, fast-food).
Apple Napple ($3.35 fast- food) is our most famous bakery item. Expect flaky pastry crust turnovers avail- able in apple or coconut.
Orange Bang ($4.90, large, fast-food) made from real orange juice; and Lilikoi Drink ($3, large, fast-food).
AL: If you could prepare a meal for anyone, who would that be and why? TL: My grandparents have been amazingly supportive of me. I haven’t been able to cook as much as I should have for them. I’d really just want to cook for my grandparents — maybe every dish on the Zippy’smenuoverthecourse of a month. It’s a very small way to thank them for all that they’ve done for me and to honor their impact on my life.
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AT THE KAHALA
RESERVATIONS
808.739.8811 KahalaResort.com
THE PERFECT PLACE
Curry Lunch Buffet
12-2:30 p.m. Wednesdays, $45* per person
*Does not include tax & gratuity
for Every Occasion
Dining Out
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