Larry Bly

Larry Bly runs an ad agency and does freelance writing in the Roanoke area.

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• Hobos in Rehoboth
• Collins House Inn: Eating is half the fun of staying
• Bubblecake: Aren't you a sweet little cupcake?
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• Recipe of the day

Caution: This could get confusing. The Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington is, to many of us old timers, the New Old Ebbitt Grill. Some of us actually remember the original on F and 15th Street. It was a converted haberdashery that dated to the early part of the 20th century. I used to love to go there. I remember sitting in one of the upstairs rooms in front of a huge fireplace while the snow came down outside. Just how the wait-staff managed evening after evening of running up and down those steps is beyond me. The place oozed charm, and the food wasn't bad, either.

I've always had tremendous respect for the Clyde's Restaurant group for running a class operation for the masses, which is not an easy job. In fact, another Washington favorite of mine is the original Clydes of Georgetown, especially during the holiday seasons. It bustles with activity and there's nearly always a line to get in, especially for Sunday brunch. Except for a lousy bloody Mary some time ago, caused either by the barkeep's inattention or her failure to use the famous Clyde's recipe, I've always had good food there -- and lots of great memories shared with friends now long-gone.

Anyway, back to Ebbitt's, which was purchased by the Clyde.s group in the '70s and retains its former splendor, despite the aforementioned move. According to Ebbitt's official history, it was just two doors away from the old Rhodes Tavern, which had a considerable history of its own: its bar was reportedly the site where British generals toasted one another as they watched the White House burn during the War of 1812. Which would be a good name for an overture.

It was eventually moved to its current location at 675 15th St. and there it remains. They've opened a second bar area to the left of the front entrance with plenty of dining room available and friendly, chatty bartenders who know what they're doing. The place has tons of stuff to see: beer steins, trophy heads (reputedly bagged by Teddy Roosevelt) and wooden bears. Well, you have to see them to appreciate them. The Victorian interiors evoke Washington saloons at the turn of the century. Having said that, it was many years ago at Old Ebbitt that I was handed an odd-looking device and told to enjoy myself at the bar and "we'll buzz you when your table's ready." Today you find those pagers just about anywhere, but that was a first for me.

And it's not just detail to the antiques that fill the place. The menu is kept focused and the kitchen delivers on the fresh goods. I recently enjoyed a platter of freshly shucked oysters with lemon halves. And the shrimp puttanesca is to die for, though I truly hope that you won't have to. The menu has changed again since my last visit; it changes almost daily, depending on what's fresh but you can always count on a big, juicy Clyde's burger anytime.

The jumbo lump crab meat is sweet and sautéed to perfection on the outside. No filler!

I recently tried the seafood Jambalaya, filled with shrimp, mussels, calamari, clams, scallops, chorizo sausage, vegegetable stew and rice. What's not to like about that?

Ebbitt's supposed claim to fame is their clam chowder, but in my book, other dishes far outshine the chowder. I once saw a massive platter of the famous chowder fly from a waiter's hands as he rounded the corner from the kitchen. It wasn't a pretty sight. But rare is this sort of thing despite the large numbers of those being served.

The lunch menu is varied, everything from Maine mussels, fried bay scallops, and fish & chips to grilled calf's liver (yuk). Must be a D.C. thing.

They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Brunch brings to the table everything from typical fare of coffee cake, fruit crepes, French toast and so forth. But it gets much better down the menu: Strata ham and cheddar cheese, cannelloni di Casa, pan seared Atlantic Salmon, chicken Paillard, eggs Chesapeake (eggs on lump crab meat with home fries -- I've had it -- loved it), and something called "Eggs Long Island," which is spinach, scrambled eggs, English muffin, fried oysters, Dijon-chive hollandaise and home fries. The hollandaise is divine and would be good if served on a block of wood.

As might be expected, there is full bar service and Ebbitt was given an award of excellence in 2007 by Wine Spectator Magazine. The various Clyde's restaurants and Old Ebbitt Grill regularly come in as reader favorites in Washingtonian and other magazines.

The Clyde's Restaurant group must be doing something right: they've grown to 13 properties.

The current Old Ebbitt Grill is at 675 15th St. N.W., a Beaux Arts building that was once the B.F. Keith's Theater. With its rich history, art, and collections, they claim the "new" Old Ebbitt remains a virtual saloon Smithsonian. Amen and pass the oyster platter!!

OLD EBBITT GRILL
675 15th St. N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
202-347-4800