They’re Not Even Open Yet: CommonWealth Gastropub Preview
August 5, 2008 by Alex Clifford 
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With her Hank’s Oyster Bars humming in Dupont and Alexandria, Jamie Leeds has made the next logical step — she has a team of Samba-wearing waiters slinging upscale British pub fare to the residents and Box Store patrons of Columbia Heights. Leeds’ just-about-to-open CommonWealth Gastropub aims for a dark-wood pub feel, and the black and white British flag mural gives the space a bit of a gritty Clashy vibe. Still, the overall feel is much closer to a slick urban restaurant than a local watering hole — thanks to the Prince of Petworth for lending us one of his shots of the interior.
The extensive, UK-heavy beer list, including two casks and 11 rotating taps, is sure sure to make the bar a hit in a neighborhood that is can-heavy and draft-light, but is 14th & Irving ready for Frogs in a Puff? Before I stuck a fork in half the menu at their “Friends and Family’ dry run last night, I was a little skeptical.
I won’t pass any judgments based on a single meal at a soft opening, but the London Broil was served beatifully medium-rare, topped with a rich gravy and sitting on a bed of whipped mashed potatoes. At $19, it was the most expensive thing on the menu, save the butcher plate, a more than generous portion of a you-pick cured meat, hot meat and cheese for $23. Other winners were the succulent roast chicken for two and the paper-wrapped fish and crispy-not-mealy, steak fry “chips”. The full menu is close to legible here.
Like Leeds’ other outlets, the tables at CommonWealth come with carefully-chosen condiments: Sarson’s Malt Vinegar, Colman’s Mustard, a small bowl of salt and a chunky, mild, house-made relish.
The food is good, the restaurant is comfortable and, once they get some kegs, the beer list should attract local hopheads. The lingering question is one of accesibility. The menu features head-scratchers from “fuet” to “rarebit”, and most diners are going to need a British citizen, a PDA or a very patient waiter to understand the full range of options. I hope they do, because there aren’t nearly enough stuffed trotters in my world.
TSM: Doubtful. This looks more like it is there to attract hipsters.
August 5, 2008 at 12:25 pmmother-of-god. i just died and went to heaven.
WHEN WILL IT OPEN??!?!?!
michael, sorry to call you out, but since when do hipsters beat a path to british pubs? fuck’s sake, count how many that know what cask ale is, much less give a shit where it’s served? if that were the case, i’d be up to my elbows in hipsters at the wharf rat. or, john harvard’s would have survived. instead, we have, what, one (bierra paradisio), maybe two (er…the beerskeller? is there cask ever actually on)? cask taps in all of washington, dc. three if you count that treacle they call cask at the chop house.
p.s. if i’m missing any, please let me know. please.
August 5, 2008 at 1:04 pmWm. Hipsters will beat a path anywhere where they think it will be hip to be. There aren’t that many British Pubs in the area afterall (as you mentioned). And by hipster I mean anyone in D.C. that I hate, which encompasses everyone from the Benneton kids with their approved coircle of ethnic friends, to frat boys, to sorority girls, to everyone except the 5 or 10 people in this city I actually like.
Plus it’s in Columbia Heights, which shits hipsters out the sewers. How else can you explain all of them?
Hey I fully hope that it’s an epic fail and there are only 4 or 5 people in there at any given time and they’re just there to have conversation and drink good beer so I can enjoy it until they go bankrupt and close.
I have a feeling they’ll be having DJ nights or something there though.
August 5, 2008 at 1:29 pmI won’t pass any judgments based on a single meal at a soft opening, but the London Broil was served beatifully medium-rare, topped with a rich gravy and sitting on a bed of whipped mashed potatoes. At $19, it was the most expensive thing on the menu, save the butcher plate, a more than generous portion of a you-pick cured meat, hot meat and cheese for $23. Other winners were the succulent roast chicken for two and the paper-wrapped fish and crispy-not-mealy, steak fry “chips”. The full menu is close to legible here.
Absolutely GROSS. And overpriced. If they really wanted to create the authentic pub experience, they’d have purchased a space down the road and converted it into a late-night curry shop. I’d hang out there every night, wearing a Le Coq Sportif tracksuit and picking fights with pedestrians.
August 5, 2008 at 1:32 pmTony - Couldn’t tell you, I’ve only had their wings, but I’ll check it out.
Micheal: I think it’s safe to say the hipsters will take this place over Ruby Tuesday. As far as DJ nights, this is a restaurant way more than a bar, so it’s probably safe for them to leave their ipod in the Chrome bag.
William: I was told it opens on Wednesday, officially, but I believe you can walk in tonight.
Patrick: Tell me somewhere that’s reasonably-priced and and not-gross, and I’ll check it out.
August 5, 2008 at 1:58 pmPatrick - agreed. London Pub fare should be cheap. The chips should be served in newspaper. It appears (won’t pass judgement as I haven’t been there, which is why I used appears) manufactured to attract a certain clientele. The type of clientele that are in it for kitch, not because they just want a local pub in which to drink beer.
Maybe they won’t have a DJ night, but I am not holding my breath.
Luckily the Pug hasn’t hit the hipster radar yet.
August 5, 2008 at 2:02 pmPatrick - can we be friends? I’ve been exploring the notion of a late night curry fry-up and comfortable running attire for years now.
August 5, 2008 at 2:09 pm*crosses fingers* please let me be in michael’s top 10, please let me be in michael’s top 10…
i am going out for a beer after work tonight. if you feel like checking into this place for yourself, i will join you if it isn’t past your bed time and then we can walk down to wonderland and tell the regulars how extremely hip they are.
August 5, 2008 at 2:15 pmugg, i am so jealous of boy-alex and so excited to try this place out. i’ll eat sticky toffee pudding every day for a week.
August 5, 2008 at 2:49 pmJesus Christ Michael, you need therapy.
August 5, 2008 at 2:50 pmhey michael, do you like me? are you coming to my birthday party?
August 5, 2008 at 3:02 pmEbel - why? Because I don’t just embrace everygoddamnedthing that comes around? That’s fine. I’m still better than you.
eddie - unfortunately I have to go work on a motor tonight. I will be at my best friend Chad’s birthday party tonight if you want to hang out and drink then.
August 5, 2008 at 3:27 pmMichael- I was speaking more about the “I hate everything and everyone” two year old outlook you clearly have. If you are an example of what it’s like to be better than me I’m perfect with where you have placed me in your superficial caste system. Carry on with your imperialism, cheers.
August 5, 2008 at 4:31 pmEbel - I don’t hate everything and everyone. There are things I like. It seems we’re stuck, however, in a movement where people just embrace everything that comes out, without any criticism thereof. If people started doing some intelligent non-douchebag shit, I’d be the first to say I like it.
August 5, 2008 at 5:15 pmI’m so psyched for some Sunday roast.. plus, batista will be at the bar.
August 5, 2008 at 6:42 pmMichael is definitely ugly, and of the 10 people in DC that he likes, I would bet that only 2 of them enjoy his company. Instead of lambasting him, feel sorry for him.
PV
August 6, 2008 at 11:34 amPV - you’re right. I’m a very ugly guy. Hideous. There are probably going to be a lot of people who comment and agree now that you broke the ice.
But my dick still tastes like chocolate and ejaculates money.
August 6, 2008 at 11:44 amI’m not sure if I feel sorry for Michael. I think his opinions are valuable at times however when he proclaims hate for people and things it completely negates his authenticity. It’s hard to read past all the hate and get to the point, if there is one. Basing preferences on hate is essentially the same as liking and disliking things because everyone else does. Neither is a credible basis for a solid opinion. But then again, someone with a chocolate money ejaculating dick may not give a rat’s ass if his opinions are valid. I wouldn’t.
August 6, 2008 at 12:40 pmEbel - if you actually think that I “hate” things then 1: you haven’t really read enough of my stuff to see I just use that word a lot or 2: you don’t know me for reals in person like. I don’t really hate anything really. I think shit’s ridiculous, but I don’t really hate it. Sometimes I’m a sloppy writer, sometimes I’m specific.
But then again, with a chocolate money ejaculating dick I don’t have to care, and I don’t, unless you’re a really hot chick in which case do you like money and chocolate?
August 6, 2008 at 12:49 pmThe chips *are* served in newspaper…
August 6, 2008 at 1:39 pmDoesn’t “hipster” mean “someone who likes/wears most of the same shit I do except I don’t know them?”
August 6, 2008 at 1:54 pmMichael, open your eyes, you write and work and moderate for the original hipster army, BYT, I mean have you seen the leaders myspace pages?
You are HILARIOUS! pot, kettle, you get it.
August 6, 2008 at 2:24 pmWhat’s MySpace?
August 6, 2008 at 2:39 pmMichael
1. I do read what you right hence the “has some valuable opinions” comment
2. I’m afraid to run into you, you may punch me in the face for wearing the wrong shirt.
3. I do like chocolate and money, things could happen, if you could keep your trap shut . .
a girl can dream . . .
write not right, have another one . .
August 6, 2008 at 5:11 pmNo no no, it’s only face punches for talking to someone while wearing sunglasses, not for wearing the wrong shirt, and only then if you’re a dude, and not really then, even, as I predicated it with being “this close” or something.
Poetic license and all.
But if I keep my trap shut then there wouldn’t be anything for you to read.
August 6, 2008 at 5:30 pmmichael is a liar. he punched my square in the face and neck for wearing a 311 shirt and then while i was on the ground, cale spit on me. assholes.
August 6, 2008 at 6:19 pmMichael is my favorite BYT writers/righter!
August 6, 2008 at 8:27 pmpeed on you a little too.
August 6, 2008 at 9:27 pmF Scott wishes he coined chocolate dick and money ejaculation
that was perfect
the most important question is how many tvs do they have and what sort of EPL-game-specials will they be running.
August 7, 2008 at 3:42 pmbut that was during the snatch rubbins, not after the assault.
August 7, 2008 at 3:43 pmA report from someone who went there on the fish and chips: “Chips were large, fish (cod I think) was in 2-3 small fillets…meh. Served on a plate, but between plate and chips was a REALLY dorky piece of faux newsprint, to make it look “authentic”. The title of the fake paper was something like, “The London World Herald” and just looked like a bunch of random words with a couple of SuDoKu thrown in for good measure. Tacky!”
All of that for only $16. Add $8 (or $9) for a Strongbow, and you might as well loose whatever other loose bills you had in your wallet at that point, as the whole night was a waste of money.
August 7, 2008 at 4:00 pmI am a huge homo, I just wanted everyone to know that…last night I almost died trying to give myself felatio, Michael Hutchense style! Carry on Svetlana lovers!
August 7, 2008 at 4:55 pmThe real Michael can spell fellatio correctly.
I have trolls. It’s almost endearing.
August 7, 2008 at 5:32 pmNo-one has worn Le Coq Sportif leisurewear since the early 90s.
Proper chavs wear Stone Island, Aquascutum, Hackett and maybe a lurid Sergio Tacchini or a Lacoste shell suit. Tastefully matched with a pair of Reebok Classics or old-school Air Max, of course.
CCS #1 ya bas…(wanty score any soapbar?)
August 8, 2008 at 11:14 amYikes. Hibs boyo in the house.
August 8, 2008 at 12:10 pmWent to Duffy’s last night and a friend ordered the fish and chips… I’m confident that Commonwealth’s version wins, fake newsprint and all.
August 21, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Is the fish and chips better than Duffys?
August 5, 2008 at 11:27 am