“The movers and shakers of D.C. come here,” says chef Neal Langermann, who has cooked for President Clinton. “But what they want is the comfort of down-home cuisine.” Since Langermann dishes up the southern cooking of the Low Country, from Charleston to Savannah, his customers are rarely disappointed. Regional specialties include she-crab soup, fried green tomatoes, “dirty” rice with chicken livers, collard greens, and warm peach cobbler. On Thanksgiving, platters of these and many other dishes, including brandy-candied yams and Brussels sprouts with pecans, are passed family style for plenty of help-yourselfing.

But folks are sure to save room for the Low Country-style fried turkey, which is submerged in hot oil. “The meat is amazingly moist,” says Langermann, “because the oil cooks the bird from within the cavity, too.” There’s also roast turkey, and America’s first foods are further honored by a corn and black-eyed pea combo that’s a cross between succotash and hoppin’ John.

There are lots of large tables here, and the warm sun streaming through the Palladian windows and the sounds of a jazz band encourage patrons to linger. The inviting atmosphere gives those movers and shakers a chance to relax and enjoy the bourbon and chocolate pecan pie with Jack Daniel’s ice cream or the pumpkin crème brulee napoleon.