Grub’s On!

Step inside Fred 62 diner in Los Feliz--that new place on Vermont Avenue with an exterior done up in what partner/designer Fred Sutherland describes as “a variety of ill greens,” and you enter a world of chili dogs, shakes, cherry Cokes. And tofu.

Fred 62--so named because both owners were born in 1962--is a playful place. Consider such menu items as “cream of what Fred wants soup.” The credo: “Eat Now, Dine Later.”

Blue-haired partner/chef Fred Eric pleads, please don’t call it a coffee shop. Coffee shops “are made to be ugly, so you won’t stay.” Diners are comfortable, linger-a-while places. At Fred 62, a 1962 jukebox spins golden oldies--the Temptations, the Pretenders--for those who want to linger.

The decor? “Kind of timeless,” says Sutherland. “Familiar, but you can’t quite pinpoint it.” The silvery starbursts on the walls are doorknob decorations Sutherland centered with cone-shaped chrome hot rod gizmos. A barometer, a thrift shop find, is very ‘50s, a trio of floating spheres of orange, aqua and gold.

Fred E. and Fred S. met when Fred S. designed another restaurant for Fred E., who’s also chef/owner of the tonier Vida in Los Feliz. They’d been eyeing this corner, formerly George’s, for five years.

Under its cheap wood paneling (since stripped) and its 1952 kitchen (since gutted), the place practically screamed retro diner. That kitchen, noted Eric, came “with some of the original grease.”

Fred 62 attracts actors, musicians and, says Sutherland, “regular folks that you can’t imagine why they’re up at 3:30 in the morning eating pancakes.”

This being the ‘90s, Fred E. dishes up “Seoul-full” noodles as well as burgers. But he yearns to do “the perfect chicken-fried steak,” which some might consider an oxymoron. Is L.A. ready for chicken-fried steak? “L.A. is always ready for anything,” says Eric.

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Devotees of diners and such may want to take in “American Dining: California’s Role,” an exhibit at Fullerton Museum Center through Oct. 26. It’s a feast for foodies’ eyes, from carhops and curb service to drive-ins and designer pizza. Displays include the hat-shaped neon sign from the original Brown Derby, a Van de Kamp’s windmill and an A&W; Root Beer stand.