Is it possible to not like Zippy’s?

What is there that’s not to like about Zippy’s? For the uninitiated transplants or tourists, Zippy’s is Honolulu’s local place for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

What you won’t find at Zippy’s is high prices, slow service, or anything but local ambiance. What you will find at Zippy’s is variety on the menu; a taste for every face.

Individually, Zippy’s menu items may not rank among the best in Honolulu cuisine. Collectively, Zippy’s menu items form the basis for a tasty meal, quickly served, modestly priced, dine in or take home.

Last night we were giving consideration to dinner. While driving. That’s always a dangerous situation when no single suggestion takes the lead. We can drive around for an hour simply trying to decide where to drive to.

Wendy’s? Nah, out by the airport, too far. Panda Express? Just went there a couple of weeks ago. Chili’s or California Pizza Kitchen? Nope. Too late, gotta wait in line.

While the discussion continued I made an executive decision and drove to Zippy’s between King Street and Young Street in Makiki. Nobody grumbled.

I went for Loco Moco; tasty and heavy on the protein with ground beef and scrambled egg. I asked for gravy on the side with extra butter for the rice.

Butter? Yeah. Haole, is why.

I should have skipped dessert but a Zippy’s bill usually leaves a little extra change and dessert is worthy of consideration. Big mistake. We ordered the Fried Banana something or other, thinking it would be like banana lumpia.

Did I mention that it was a big mistake?

I saw our waitress in the back working diligently on a dessert dish and wondered if it was ours. By the way, everyone at Zippy’s works “diligently.” She placed a large dish on top of a larger dish, loaded it up with some obviously fried something or other, then poured on chocolate fudge until the whole thing leaked, added some vanilla ice cream, then a few sprays of whipped cream, and sprinkled something else on top of that.

“That’s not banana lumpia,” I said to myself, thinking it was someone else’s dessert. I was right. It wasn’t banana lumpia. I was wrong. It was our dessert.

If you order that thing, whatever it’s called, don’t eat Loco Moco first, and make sure to take along a friend or two.

See? Just another meal at Zippy’s.