Among the upscale eateries in Washington’s swanky Georgetown neighbourhood, Martin’s Tavern — the city’s oldest family-owned restaurant — is a humble choice. With its wood-panelled walls, Tiffany lamps and white tablecloths, it is evocative of a bygone era.
“I like the lack of pretension,” former CIA director William Burns tells me later, explaining his choice. Both Martin’s and Burns have seen their fair share of history. According to Martin’s lore, the restaurant has served every US president from Harry Truman to George W Bush. Booth number three by the window is where John F Kennedy proposed to Jacqueline Bouvier. The Tavern is also where Burns and his wife, Lisa Carty, went on their first date as freshman diplomats.
I have arrived early to secure our booth in “The Dugout,” a windowless enclave at the back of the restaurant, reminiscent of a log cabin. A large fish in a red Santa hat hangs above the entrance, mouth agape.