Don’t forget to register! Spaces are filling up fast. Register here.
The Sea Fare restaurant opened in 1945 at 3524 Connecticut Ave NW in Cleveland Park. Created by combining two 1920s storefronts into one building, the Sea Fare was another example of a small business that had been “renovized” by adding a shiny pale-green Vitrolite façade, framed in black, to make for a modern, streamlined look. The mirror-like Vitrolite became an enduring landmark on upper Connecticut Avenue, sometimes attracting unwelcome attention from passersby. In 1953, the Sea Fare’s owner commented to the Washington Post about gangs of young “hoodlums” that would frequent the neighborhood, claiming they would “daily preen themselves in the glassy surfaces of the tile covering the front of his restaurant. 'They all have long wavy hair—they call it duck-tails,’ he said, ‘and wear blue jeans and T-shirts or sweat shirts.’” Two years later, the Sea Fare closed and was replaced by the Peking Palace restaurant, which soon became the Yenching Palace, a landmark Chinese restaurant for many decades. The storefront is now vacant.
I do not remember this. Oh, I see it becoming Peking Palace that I do remember.
This explains so much! I always wondered at exterior of Yenching Palace as it seemed out of character/style.
Absolutely loved Peking Palace as a kids. My mother’s cousin lived on Connecticut Ave and we passed by almost every week!
Yenching Palace had the most amazing, diverse and abundant brunch on Sundays!!
The Winter 2022 edition of Voices is now available for download: tinyurl.com/46t7h7xy
What is its current status?
Spent a lot of time there growing up in the 60’s and early 70’s
It was listed on the National Register last month. We are uncertain as to future plans for this landmark. The seating area has been cleared out, but the lobby and stairwells are still intact.
Download the map here.
