Nick Selimos came to America to study physics. He found his way to The Monocle, the unofficial clubhouse of Capitol Hill, 50 years ago this month.
He knows who headed the Senate Appropriations Committee in September of 1984. He knows which congressman catches a ride home from his wife every day. He knows something’s cooking when two senators who never hang out are huddled in the corner booth .
This is a low-key night for Selimos. The night before, he had greeted Liz Truss, the United Kingdom’s former prime minister. “I didn’t want to be solving differential equations my whole life,” he said, in between bites of a medium-rare sirloin during his lunch break, before the evening rush. His corner table at the window — his downtime office — has an engraved brass plaque:Fellow Greeks Connie and Helen Valanos opened the place in 1960, and by the 1970s, it was an epicenter of Washington, political life.
The regulars know that Selimos recently had cancer. They know he is divorced and all his spare time goes to his adult daughter, who lives with him and still relies on him for some help with her disabilities. They know he likes Aruba. They may not, however, know how he votes.He participates in every election and told me his party affiliation, but he doesn’t bring his politics into the dining room.
This is old school. While online reservation systems threaten the utility of the maitre d’, the deep knowledge and understanding of each guests, which tables they want, who they shouldn’t be seated beside and how prompt they will isn’t something an app can’t do.Selimos and current owner John Valanos said they’re strict about their-off-the-record policy inside the restaurant.“If we were like this,” Valanos said, making the talk-talk-talk sign with both hands, “they wouldn’t come here.
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