Bonjour, friendly folks! I was feeling a little nostalgic last weekend so I hopped in my ’57 Chevy and ventured down South Duff to Ruttles 50’s Grill.

“Rockin’ Robin” was blaring on the jukebox as a fellow crony and I made our way past the Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and James Dean cardboard cutouts to a large, centrally located table.

I was too busy admiring all of the photographs of classic cars to worry about studying the menu. Luckily, our waitress was very chipper and pointed out all of the specials, as well as offering a few suggestions of her own. Now if only she was wearing a poodle skirt and roller skates …

Ruttles offers flavored Cokes and phosphates, (authentic soda fountain concoctions), in six flavors for $1.39. I was more than a little disappointed to be informed that the kitchen had just run out of vanilla syrup. No big deal though, I went with my old standby of a cherry Coke.

My friend, upon overhearing a waiter at another table tout Ruttles’ 1919 Draft Root Beer as the best in the city, ordered a frosty mug of his own for $1.59. Did he like it? Let’s just say he was very jealous of my cherry Coke.

The glow of the innumerable neon signs set the stage for some good old fashioned, probably bad-for-you food. Gotta respect the American classics. Ruttles is known for its signature hamburgers and big burger bar of condiments.

As for me, I ordered a Super Joe: a generous portion of this made-from-scratch sloppy joe favorite, complete with mozzarella for $4.29. For an additional $1.29, I added onion rings.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from doing these reviews, it’s that you should never trust talking squirrels, but if there’s another, I’ve learned that presentation is very important in the restaurant business.

Ruttles is no exception; 25 minutes after the order, my friend’s Classic Bacon Cheeseburger ($5.79) was served in a large pan. My Sloppy Joe was complimented with lettuce and an orange garnish.

The large knives were a great touch, but superfluous (look it up if you don’t know that one, folks).

Just as we began to eat our dinner, the Ruttles manager came and asked us a huge favor; a birthday party of nine was coming and needed our large, centrally located table.

He moved us to the best seat in the house — to my right I could see the kitchen and to my left was a clear shot of the men’s room.

Like any true 50’s diner, Ruttles has many desserts to tempt your tummy. There are over 15 flavors of malts and shakes to choose from and for those of you who are a little more daring, try the Rama/Lama/Ding/Dong.

This 3,000 calorie dessert is made of 10 scoops of ice cream, bananas, fudge brownies, whipped cream, nuts, cherries, and your choice of any two toppings for $8.99.

If you eat one by yourself in one sitting you can join the likes of Corey Moss and get your name permanently inscribed on a plaque by the entrance.

So, next time your parents come to visit, surprise them with a blast from the past at Ruttles 50’s Grill.

4 stars out of five.

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Kim Zangger is a senior in advertising from Mt. Vernon.