Neighborhood gathering places are very common in European cities and they were a regular part of the American scene until the middle of this century. In recent years, however, very few real estate developers have included this type of gathering place in their plans. An exception is Clyde's of Reston, just outside of Washington, D.C. From the beginning, it was designed to be one of those "third places," with a cast of regular neighborhood customers. One of the ways Chef Tom Meyer keeps those customers is by serving dishes that are associated with the warmth of Ma's home cooking. An example is his Clyde's Meatloaf.
