RESTAURANTS / Max Jacobson : Nostalgia Eateries Spring Up in Huntington Beach, Irvine

After the succes fou of such L.A. restaurants as Johnny Rockets and Ed Debevics, where schlocky diner food and hokey service has been rewarded with millions of dollars worth of yearly grosses, you knew it wouldn’t be long before the imitators would spring up in your neighborhood.

Surprise: They’re here, conjuring the ghosts of nostalgia with a vengeance.

The concept at Be Bop Burgers in Huntington Beach is, predictably, ‘50s and ‘60s redux. The restaurant certainly looks the part. Diner-style booths line a room that shimmers in creamy white and glossy red. The front end of a ’55 Chevy protrudes from one wall, and the place is filled with posters from ‘50s B-movie classics and other Eisenhower-era artifacts.

A giant Billboard chart of No. 1 hits from 1955-65 occupies an entire wall, looking like a whole generation of Trivial Pursuit questions. (Did you know that “Sukiyaki,” by Kyo Sakamoto, was the No. 1 song on June 15, 1963?) Songs like “Earth Angel,” “Great Balls of Fire” and “Peggy Sue” play constantly on a vintage Seeburg jukebox, raising the foot-stomping, finger-popping ghosts of childhood.

While the food is not nearly as convincing as the decor, it is definitely better than average. The Be Bop’s burger--a quarter-pound of lean hamburger, dressing, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato and onion on a sesame seed bun--is a decent value at $2.15 and tastes good. It is a juicy, messy burger, half covered in paper and positively dripping sauce. The burger’s one shortcoming? Be Bop uses a gas grill, which fans of charred-tasting burgers will find inadequate. But for me it was just fine.

“Hound Dogs,” for hot dog lovers such as me, also get a passable rating. The bun is grilled with butter, the dog plump and flavorful. You may have it (or a burger) with chili if you wish, but be warned: The chili is canned.

Beach Boys-inspired french fries called “Fun, Fun, Fun Fries” are an even bigger disappointment. They are the crinkle-cut frozen type and almost completely tasteless. Come on fellas; the Beach Boys deserve more respect.

I didn’t actually taste the Duke of Earl corned beef sandwich, because I was told by a manager that Be Bop machine-cuts its beef and fries it on the grill. That’s no way to cook corned beef. But I did taste an all-American grilled cheese made with American cheese as well as the Be Bop breast of chicken; I got no satisfaction from either.

“All Shook Up Shakes” are thick and creamy, though. They are made with real ice cream and taste like it. The shakes are poured into tall glasses from those big metal mixing containers, and you get to keep what’s left over. Just ask them not to put that artificial whipped cream on top. I think the stuff tastes like tanning lotion.

Pinky’s Hamburger Grill in Irvine is more ‘60s, maybe even ‘70s than the Be Bop, and exudes the confidence of a hundred market studies. The dining area is big and slick, with red and blue neon across the ceiling, a woody station wagon parked in the middle and a bright, breezy California atmosphere, complete with surfboards, record album displays and abundant natural sunshine.

It’s a nice-looking place that oozes a kind of clinical chic, like a lavish private hospital or a Beverly Hills hair salon. It’s so clean your mother would let you eat off the floor.

The menu at Pinky’s is quite a bit larger than Be Bop’s, but this isn’t a plus; most glitches occur when a place tries to do something for everyone. As at Be Bop, you order from a serving line and a waitress brings everything to the table. Stick to burgers and sandwiches and you should leave happy.

Beach Burgers are grilled on charcoal and really taste good, despite an uninspiring bun. They weigh a third of a pound and come with good grilled onions, lettuce and tomato. And there’s an enormous selection of condiments and toppings that can be added on request.

French fries are frozen, yes, but they are the natural-style fries with the skins on. They come topped with a zesty seasoning mixture (perhaps seasoned salt) that works well.

The chargrilled Cajun fish sandwich is the best of the rest: a flaky, fresh-tasting slab of whitefish with tartar sauce, lettuce and tomato. That’s the good news.

Chargrilled barbecue chicken, Swiss cheese and onion is tasty, but the whole-wheat bun is too dense. Watch out for the sesame chicken salad, a big seller that has no character at all. It is a giant bowl of iceberg lettuce crammed with bland poached chicken, grotesque heaps of won ton skin, canned orange slices, a wimpy dressing and useless raw sesame seeds (if the seeds aren’t toasted, there’s almost no flavor).

And beware of fancy desserts. Almost flourless chocolate cake had a stale, metallic, refrigerator taste. Banana blueberry cake wasn’t much better; it at least had a good cream cheese frosting with coconut and pecan. The best desserts are Pinky’s hand-dipped malts, shakes and sundaes. No complaint there.

Both restaurants are inexpensive. Be-Bop burgers are $2.15 for the basic burger to $4.15 for a three-quarter pounder. Fries are 95 cents. Shakes are $2.25.

At Pinky’s, the basic burger is $2.99, and for an additional $1.89, it’s available on a platter with fries and cole slaw. Other sandwiches at Pinky’s are $2.99 to $5.49. Salads are $3.99 to $5.49.

BE BOP BURGERS

18575 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach

(714) 842-1958

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Car hop service after 7 p.m.

PINKY’S HAMBURGER GRILL

4115 Campus Drive, Irvine

(714) 854-4632

Open daily for lunch and dinner