Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-09-07
Lucky Tourists

ter of fact, this might also ap-
ply to a number of eateries in
the District.
All of a sudden they have an
increasing number Of note
worthy competitors.
We are speaking of the grow
ing tendency on the part OF
motor hotels along the scenic
highways throughout the out
lying areas to include among
their facilities bona fide dining
rooms offering excellent meals.
In terms of the tourist trade
| In and out of the Nations Capt.
tai, this is no small item.
Heretofore, many of the mo-
tor hotels, even the plush ones,
had done little in the way OF
providing eating facilities out
side of breakfast and lunch.
Now, however. there appear to
be many travellers who not only
prefer to spend the night at a
plush motel on the edge Of the
city, but to have their dinners
there, too.
The Proof
If you don't believe the num-
Der is many, ask ]. Willard
Marriott how his Sirloin and
Saddle Room is doing at his
Hot Shoppe motel complex at
the south end of Rochambeau
Bridge or Sam Fig about the
Georgian Room at his Georgian
Motel. King street and Georgia
avenue, Silver Spring.
There are others, too-lots Of
/ them. And it's no wonder.
In some cases the motel din
ing room decors and menus can
rival the best restaurants in
and around Washington.
Another explanation, Of
course, for their booming din
ing business is that weary trav-
elers do not have to battle
the District business IN the
process of dining out. This
would be true not only for the
out-of -towners but for resi-
dents of the suburbs as well.
Some of the motor hotel own
ers say many of their diners
are local people.
In any case, we have yet to
encounter an unpleasant mo-
tel dinner.
We talked about the Sirloin
and Saddle and the Georgian
Room in earlier columns. Our
latest experience was at the
colonial-style Wagon Wheel
Motel and Restaurant at 2715
Richmond highway. about
three miles south of Alexandria
Like the others, the Wagon
Wheel menu, particularly in
terms of available entree Sc
lections, tops many a city eat
cry.
THE FOOD
While the Richmond high
way establishment. owned by
William J. Clark, formerly
part owner of the Philadelphia
Eagles and currently a COM
munity leader in Alexandria
Is not plush in the sense Of
rich red carpets and crystal
chandeliers. Quite the con-
trary. But the menu offerings
on any given night might run
from frog legs Meuniere and
Ffilet n1ignon wrapped in bacon
to Wagon Wheel southern fried
chicken, roast leg of lamb
Rock lobster tails, or bakeo
sugar cured ham with pineap-
ple-raisin sauce.
The appetizers might rur
from chicken liver canapes
to deviled eggs. The soups
from vichysoisse to chilled
jellied consomme. The deserts
homemade-might be Wager
Wheel apple pie. fresh peach
pie or old = fashioned fresf
peach shortcake.
To top it off, the house offer'
champagne cocktails and nu'
merous other wines.
This is no fare to sniff at
since many a District restau'
rant offers no more than thu
Wagon Wheel's-as we'll al
other motor hotels-35 basit
entrees. There is calves live
Saute, lamb chops, shrimp a Ii
Newbrug and sirloin Of bee,
au jus, as well.
The Wagon Wheel. managed
since last May by veteran res
taurateurs, Mr.. and Mrs. Ed
ward McClenahan formerly o
New York and Florida, serve
its dinners in a quiet, con
/ servatively decorated dininl
room seating about IS. TIL,
dominant fixture" which fit
\ in admirably with the re
Z strained. Colonial-style trim
\ mings. is a huge, Photographic
mural of historic Washington
\ area landmarks which cover
\ one wall. The effect is exactl
\ what Mr.. McClenahan says h
y wants "a relaxed, informe
1 atmoSphere "Where Nom AM