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I'm sorry to report that Tom Sarris' Orleans House, a somewhat nutty DC area landmark, will soon be razed to make way for "progress." The restaurant today feels like a cross between a traffic island and a time capsule caught as it is between Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards in Rosslyn. My father George was a friend of Tom's, and he told me the story of how the restaurant came to be.
According to my father, Tom grew up in Washington with Ulysses "Blackie" Auger, and they were good friends. Ulysses created his own landmark with "Blackie's House of Beef" which started with a Western theme, but when others started copying his style, Blackie built a New Orleans inspired courtyard. Blackie's success and style inspired Tom to want his own "Orleans House," and his old friend gave him his blessing and advice.
Tom took what once was a Giant food store and transformed it into a two story New Orleans fantasy complete with antebellum columns and wrought iron. His claim to fame was a bargain prime rib served up with a brand new concept at the time - the all you can eat salad bar. Both the rich and famous as well as the little guy on a budget liked to dine here. Blackie thought giving away salad was a bad idea, but Tom stuck to his guns. My father always raved about the salad bar and called it "beautiful."
When my family heard the place was closing, we wanted to go back once more. Everything was frozen in time including one of the waitresses who had been there over 45 years. The salad bar was still tricked out like a river boat and still "beautiful."
The food, I have to admit, was just okay, but it was well worth the trip to memory land. Tom collected things you are unlikely to see in most restaurants these days. Chairs which resemble thrones and a knight in full armor. A clock from the Willard Hotel lives here, too. The Orleans House will officially close on January 15th which doesn't give us much time to say good bye to a lot of history and memories.
