‘Mad Men’ recalls golden age of Howard J...

‘Mad Men’ recalls golden age of Howard J...

Michael Yarish

'Mad Men's' Don Draper (Jon Hamm) is perplexed by wife Megan's (Jessica Pare) lack of excitement over Howard Johnson's orange sherbet, among other classic HoJo menu items.

Don Draper discovered the downside of marrying a trophy wife Sunday night on Mad Men: She didnt appreciate Howard Johnsons.

Had Don known that before they took t he vows, he might have wanted to reconsider.

Because there was a time Don Drapers time when Howard Johnsons was one of Americas alpha restaurants.

There was a time when a road trip to anywhere meant Howard Johnsons, for a plate of comfort food and 28 flavors of ice cream.

Forty-year-old Don (Jon Hamm) was pushing the orange sherbet on his unappreciative 27-year-old wife, Megan (Jessica Par). Presumably that was his favorite, so its okay even if coconut and maple walnut were better.

To be fair to Megan, her hesitation was understandable, since the orange sherbet they served her was a color normally seen only in sunsets on Barney videos.

But Megan was guilty of a far greater sin, which was rejecting the fried clams. She picked up one clam, took a small bite and dropped it as if she had just been served a strip of roadkill.

Thats not a pardonable offense. To this day, no one has ever done fried clams better than Howard Johnsons.

Back in the day, fried clams almost always meant soggy and greasy clam bellies, which are sacs of something squishy.

HoJos fried clams were strips, with a light thin crispy breading.

They were basic, simple and delicious. Just like the America Don Draper was trying to hold on to in 1966 and his descendants fantasize about resurrecting today.

If Don had only wanted to introduce Megan to HoJos, of course, he didnt have to drive to Plattsburgh. He probably would have walked to a Howard Johnsons in Manhattan, which had HoJos right up until 2005, when the last one in Times Square shut down.

If Don wanted a road trip, he could have headed either up the Mass Pike or down the Jersey Turnpike, where there was nothing but Howard Johnsons.

Today, Don couldnt even find one in Plattsburgh.

The Howard Johnsons there, the one he and Megan would have to have visited, today is a Ninety Nine franchise.

You can get a hot fudge sund ae. You cant get orange sherbet.

You can get a nacho plate. You cant get fried clams.

Today, the chain that once blanketed America with more than 800 restaurants is down to two, the closest of which is at 98 Saranac Ave. in Lake Placid.

Its been run since 1958 by Ron Butler, who just turned 80.

The fried clams are very popular and are cooked the exact same way they used to be, says Butler. We make our own tartar sauce. Used to get clams shipped fresh on a train, but now they come frozen. The price has changed, too. In 1956 the clam plate cost $ 1.45 and now it costs $ 13.95, but you get the food bar with that, so it is actually a good deal.

Butler says there was no run on orange sherbet Monday, but that may have been because a car hit an electric pole and knocked out the power until 11:45.

Or it could because this isnt Mad Men turf anymore.

We have a lot of regulars and we also serve a lot of traveling hockey teams, s ays Butler. Mac and cheese and hot dogs are two of our biggest sellers.

The orange sherbet, by the way, is $ 3.25 a scoop. If Megan Draper hasnt been back since 1966, she might want to give it one more try and maybe redeem herself.