canspice.org

There’s a rumour going around that Ken’s House of Pancakes is not going to renew its lease, which ends this October. Rumour also has it that Ken’s is going to be replaced with a Denny’s.

Ken’s is a Hilo institution. Everybody’s been to Ken’s. Almost everybody knows that when they bang the gong you yell “Sumo!” That’s what happens when someone orders a Sumo Moco – six scoops of rice, your choice of fried spam, two 5 ounce lean beef patties, or six ounces of mahi mahi. Oh, and three eggs and gravy to top it all off.

And Ken’s is open 24 hours a day. And it’s busy each one of those 24 hours. I’ve been at 1am and it was packed.

Sure, the food isn’t great. It’s a diner, it’s not high cuisine. Still, it was named one of ten great diners in America by USA Today. And honestly, the food isn’t that bad. It’s one of the rare restaurants in Hilo that has veggie bacon. And check that menu!

And it’s going to be replaced with a Denny’s? Shameful.

Let’s hope that this rumour is just a rumour and it doesn’t come to pass.

Update: Damon Tucker called Ken’s and the answer is no!