Hot Rod Cafe a slice of the ’50s

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE – Grab your dad, your grandfather, any car buff, and take them to the Hot Rod Cafe. Then, get them to tell you stories about the automobiles in the pictures and on the wallpaper that line the walls of this recently remodeled hamburger stand.

This restaurant was originally built as a Dairy Queen but re-opened this summer as the Hot Rod Cafe. Checkered flag black and white plus red serve as the decor’s foundation while the hollowed-out trunk of a car serves as a seat for those waiting for takeout.

Before being seated at a booth that gave me a view of the counter area, I examined the ’50s and early ’60s pop culture memorabilia – the Three Stooges, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, “Leave It to Beaver” and, from the comic strips, Archie.

As I was scanning the menu, I spotted the Louie Louie Shrimp Louie salad ($5.89) just as Louie Louie played in the background, compliments of the Seattle oldies radio station.

Everything at the Hot Rod Cafe is retro. Yet, a friend of mine who lives in Brier says the place has become a favorite spot with the high school crowd. During my visit, the customers were parents with children.

The Hot Rod Cafe’s menu is divided into categories like “Parts Department” that feature top fuel chili ($3.99) or a Hemi Burger ($3.99). Selections are labeled “fuel injected,” “loaded,” and “for precision.” I shifted into overdrive and ordered a Hot Rod burger with cheese ($3.99), vanilla milkshake ($2.99), curly fries ($1.79) and onion rings ($2.99). Fortunately, no cardiologist rode in the passenger’s seat on this fast trip down memory lane.

The milkshake was served in a fountain glass with a mountain of whipped cream. The remaining milkshake came in the blender’s stainless steel cup. It was rich, thick and delicious. The burger, fries and onion rings were served in separate paper-lined baskets and the hamburger was wrapped in white paper just like in the old days.

The flavorful burger was grilled until it had a crispy exterior and the toppings were just as I ordered – no mayo, no onions. The seasoned curly fries were tasty and straight from the fryer.

Yet the hand-cut and beer-battered onion rings became the star of dinner because they’re more tractor-trailer than passenger car-sized. I measured with my thumb and estimated that each slice is one to one-and-one-half inches wide. Each ring was at least three inches across. The onion was perfectly cooked while the coating was light, thin and deliciously crispy.

I don’t remember onion rings like these from my high school “Happy Days.”

Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs.

Anna Poole: features@heraldnet.com.

Hot Rod Cafe

22805 44th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace; 425-778-9800

Specialty: hamburgers and breakfast

Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Breakfast until 11 a.m. weekdays and until 2 p.m. weekends. Drive-through closes 30 minutes before the dining room.

Price range: inexpensive

Liquor: none

Smoking: nonsmoking

Reservations: not necessary