FOR
45
YEARS,
THE
Market
Inn,
an
unassuming
restaurant
in
Southwest
D.C.,
has
been
keeping
customers
happy
seven
days
a
week
with
its
vast
menu.
There
currently
are
85
seafood
and
beef
entrees
available
here.
But
the
appeal
of
this
D.C.
landmark,
which
opened
in
1959,
extends
beyond
its
cuisine.
Located
near
Capitol
Hill,
in
Independence
Square,
the
Market
Inn
offers
free
valet
parking,
live
jazz
on
Fridays,
Saturdays
and
Sundays,
a
pleasant
happy
hour
and
plenty
of
seating.
Owned
by
the
Landis
family,
this
is
the
type
of
place
to
which
people
invite
folks
they
either
really
like
or
are
trying
to
impress.
Once
inside
the
restaurant’s
foyer,
the
first
sound
you
are
likely
to
hear,
depending
on
the
day,
is
live
jazz,
filtering
through
the
bar
area.
The
Market
Inn’s
interior,
filled
with
rich
mahogany
and
a
swanky
chandelier,
is
warm
and
cozy
without
being
highfalutin.
Seating
consists
of
high-backed
booths
accented
with
cube-like
red,
glowing
bulbs.
As
diners
leaned
on
stark
white
tablecloths,
the
scene
gave
the
illusion
of
standing
in
the
aisle
of
an
Amtrak
train.
Our
host
led
us
toward
a
section
known
as
the
“Hangar
Room,”
based
on
the
multitude
of
photographs
in
there
of
every
type
of
plane
or
fighter
jet
ever
made.
The
restaurant
has
four
sections
with
such
themes.
Along
the
wall
in
the
Hangar
Room
is
continuous
red
leather
seating,
with
small
tables
nearby
and
upright,
curve-backed
chairs
lining
the
aisles.
ALMOST
AS
SOON
as
we
sat
down,
our
waiter
slid
small
plates
before
us
that
contained
a
dinner
roll,
four
club
crackers
and
a
personal
cheese
ball.
He
soon
returned
with
menus
and
a
smile.
The
fresh
filet
of
salmon
comes
with
a
delightful
dill
sauce
as
well
as
fairly
ordinary
side
orders
of
string
beans
and
a
baked
potato,
among
other
options.
I
ordered
the
fresh
prime
rib
with
a
baked
potato
and
coleslaw.
Eighteen
minutes
later,
our
food
arrived,
cooked
almost
to
perfection.
The
salmon
could
have
been
taken
off
the
grill
a
few
minutes
earlier,
but
leaving
it
on
longer
did
not
ruin
its
taste.
The
prime
rib,
accompanied
by
au
jus,
was
so
tender
and
well
seasoned
that
I
only
used
the
knife
because
it
was
the
proper
thing
to
do.
At
nearby
tables,
other
patrons
seemed
equally
satisfied,
dining
on
fried
jumbo
shrimp,
sea
scallops,
and
the
very
popular
“she
crab”
soup
—
a
blend
of
female
crab
meat,
cream,
butter,
spices
and
sherry.
Diners
also
have
the
option
of
adding
whipped
cream
on
top.
(A
cup
is
$4.75;
a
bowl
is
$7.75.)
Other
options
on
the
menu
range
from
jumbo
crab
cake
and
jumbo
soft
shell
crab
sandwiches
($12.95
each)
to
the
market
burger
($8.50)
and
a
filet
mignon
steak
sandwich
($12.95).
There
also
are
numerous
lobster,
crab,
shrimp
and
oyster
options,
in
addition
to
ocean
and
farmed
fish,
pastas,
steaks,
chops
and
spare
ribs
and
chicken
(barbecued
or
seasoned
with
a
light
Cajun
spice
mixture).
Among
the
dessert
options
are
low-carb
cheesecake
($4.95),
mango
raspberry
cheesecake
($5.95),
and
a
mile-high
chocolate
cake
($6.75).
Appetizers,
from
$4.95
to
$15.95;
entrees,
$16.95
to
$37.95;
and
desserts,
$4.25
to
$7.95.
On
Sundays,
the
all-you-can-eat
Champagne
“Jazz”
Buffet
Brunch
is
$24.95
for
adults,
$10.95
for
children
12,
and
free
for
children
under
4.
The
Market
Inn
also
takes
special
orders
online
and
ships
food
near
and
far.
