[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 111 (Thursday, July 31, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S8622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          THE ROMA RESTAURANT

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, spring has always been known as a 
season of rebirth, but, sadly, the Spring of 1997 saw the passing of 
one of the true culinary landmarks of Washington, D.C. as the Roma 
Restaurant closed its doors after 77 years.
  In the days since the Roma closed, the local newspapers have been 
filled with articles and letters to the editor paying tribute to the 
Washington institution. All of the writers had different memories of 
what made the Roma so special to them. For some it was the outdoor 
courtyard with the elaborate garden and grape arbor. For others it was 
the unique experience of dining amongst stuffed tigers, lions, and 
other wild game that Roma founder Frank Abbo had killed on safari. For 
some people it was simply the linguine with clam sauce.
  But for everyone who frequented the Roma, there are fond memories of 
the wonderful people who worked at this restaurant and made it such an 
enjoyable place to spend an afternoon or an evening.
  Patrons of the Roma have described members of the Abbo family, who 
owned and operated the Roma since it was founded in 1920, as having the 
biggest hearts in Washington.
  While most restaurants are closed for Thanksgiving and Christmas, the 
Roma was always open, as the Abbos cooked countless turkeys and 
prepared thousands of meals over the years for unfortunate people who 
could not afford to buy a warm holiday meal.
  The Roma was not just a business. It was more like a club where 
friends would meet regularly to get together and enjoy some good food 
and have a good time.
  Whenever I dined at the Roma, it felt like going to dinner at a 
friend's house. In a sense, it was, since the Roma's owner, Bobby Abbo 
has been a friend of mine for many years. But while I know that my 
friendship with Bobby will persevere and I will continue to see him, I 
will surely miss the many friendly faces that I may no longer see now 
that the Roma has closed. It would be impossible for me to remember all 
of the people whom I befriended at the Roma. However, I would 
specifically like to mention Maria Amaya, Hugo Terzi, and John Squitero 
and thank them for the kindness that they extended toward me over the 
years.
  In closing, I will miss the gardens, and I will miss the food. But, 
most important, I will miss the people that made the Roma such a 
special place. I wish all of them well, and I thank them for all of the 
wonderful memories they have provided me and so many others.

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