Jitterbugs

Nineties food with a '50s theme

by Margaret LeRoux

Jitterbugs Route 146, Millbury 865-1957 Thurs. 5-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5-10 p.m. Major credit cards Full bar Handicap accessible

If you're curious about the '50s, Jitterbugs on Route 146 in Millbury will take you back in time with loads of memorabilia, oldies music, and a slightly schizoid menu. About a mile past the new Mass Pike interchange and the Highway 122 turnoff, Jitterbugs is on the right, housed in a log cabin-like building that must have been one of those rustic roadside spots in an earlier life.

Now the restaurant's walls are covered with posters of Elvis, Betty Boop, Lucille Ball, and Desi Arnez and lots of diner kitsch. There are even silhouettes of pony-tailed girls in poodle skirts and giant musical notes. A sunken bar is in the center of the room with a miniature Wurlitzer jukebox right in the middle of it.

A few vestiges of the '90s intrude. A large screen TV dominates one corner, though it was playing episodes of the Howdy Doodie Show and Shindig, a dance show that preceded American Bandstand. Jerry Lee Lewis was Shindig's host the night we dined. My companion, not a child of the '50s, was impressed with his antics on the piano keys but wondered, "What's that thing he has going with his hair?"

Our very friendly waitress -- "just call me Peggy" -- brought us a bowl of fresh, hot popcorn and pointed out the buffet. Served on Thursday nights, it features all you can eat pasta, chicken, kielbasa, and potatoes. We opted for the regular menu, which features themed dishes. For example, among the "munchies" are "Davey Crockett's" spud skins ($5.99) and "Frankie's" bruschetta ($5.99). I bet Mr. Avalon never ate grilled Italian bread with chopped tomatoes, marinated peppers, chopped fresh basil, and garlic while rehearsing lines for Beach Party; Annette Funicello wouldn't have approved of all that garlic, I'm sure. There's also "Mrs. Cunningham's" artichoke and spinach dip ($5.99), a warm mixture of cream cheese and Parmesan and chopped spinach, artichoke hearts, and dill, served with homemade croutons for dipping. We chose the "blob"som ($5.99), Jitterbugs' variation of a deep-fried onion blossom. It was huge, crispy, and served with an appropriately rich sour cream dip. Looking back on our meal, I'd have to rate it as one of the high points.

I ordered a mixed greens salad ($1.25), which arrived bursting out of its small glass bowl; a cup of very good blue cheese dressing was served on the side.

The main courses feature more corny word plays, including a couple of "love meat tenders" -- a "Big Bopper" New York sirloin $13.95, and "Lone Ranger and Tonto" ($14.95), twin filet mignons with mushrooms and roasted garlic.

Chicken breast Jitterbugs ($10.99), sautéed strips of boneless chicken strips with pesto, sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic, white wine, and gorgonzola cheese over pasta, sounded like too much of a good thing.

We considered fettuccine "Sandra Dee" ($9.99) -- no garlic here, just a white sauce of three cheese, prosciutto, and peas -- and Bluto's fish and chips ($8.99).

My companion, who's more comfortable with '90s-style eating, decided on one of the more simple preparations offered at Jitterbugs, chicken scampi ($9.99). It had several pieces of boneless chicken, tomato wedges, and garlic in a wine sauce served over angel hair pasta.

I spied a dish that featured a favorite, sautéed scallops, named for one of my teenage favorites, Roy Orbison. Scallops Orbison ($10.99) also has lots of fresh spinach, wedges of fresh tomatoes, roasted garlic in a white wine sauce served over pasta. I chose ziti instead of linguine or angel hair. I'd like to say the dish was as dreamy as Roy's vocals, but the poor little bay scallops were sautéed way too long. The rest of the ingredients were good, though; and there certainly was enough to feed a small dance band.

My companion's dish, too, was enormous. They were both served in oversized pasta bowls, decoratively sprinkled with fresh parsley. But I think the appropriate '50s garnish would have been a sprig of parsley, and maybe even a slice of dill pickle.

"Were people in the '50s a lot heavier?" asked my companion as she tackled the mound of pasta. "How could they eat all that food and not be?"

Needless to say, we didn't have room for cheesecake ($2.95). Our bill including tax but not tip was $35.88.

Another blast from the '90s intrudes Jitterbugs, but if you're a karaoke fan, this is the place for you. On Thursday from 8 to 11 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Howdy Doodie gives way to amateur vocalists.

"We have a lot of fun here," our waitress told us. If you want a scrambled trip down memory lane, you will too.