Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: Jamestown1630
Did you ever eat at John Mandis’ restaurant? That was another less formal and low key restaurant and watering hole not far from Capitol Hill and a gathering place for pols and media. They had a ships bell that was rung when there was a House or Senate quorum call. Drivers and aides would collect the heavy drinkers to vote.

Mostly seafood, offering diners choice of live lobsters. Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was served up a giant lobster well over 10 lbs during his visit. They had a wonderful she-crab bisque.

My high school bud was a bartender there so I stopped by often after work. Watched how lobbyists liquored up our representatives. Actually had a brief chat with Art Buchwald at one of the bars while he was waiting for a table. A Special Forces major gave me a capsule lesson on Malthus. An impromptu reunion dinner of ten classmates revealed that only two of us worked in the private sector, the other eight worked for various government agencies. But that's Washington DC for you.

109 posted on 09/16/2020 2:08:31 AM PDT by Covenantor (We are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who can not govern. " Chesterton)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 107 | View Replies ]


To: Covenantor

LOL! No, I was never there; but it sounds like it was fun.


110 posted on 09/16/2020 3:51:32 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 109 | View Replies ]

To: Covenantor

Were you ever at ‘El Bodegon’? It was a Spanish restaurant with Flamenco (the sexiest dancing in the world). The waiters were hilarious, wielding the porron expertly; and the restaurant was rumored to have been a favorite ‘spook’ hangout, back in the day.

It’s one of the great memories of my very young life, and the first time I ever had paella with frog-legs (I thought they were chicken):

http://www.dcflamenco.com/dcflamenco/bodegon.html


111 posted on 09/16/2020 4:05:22 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 109 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson