collije Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Finally got around to stopping by Commonwealth for dinner last night. Reading the feedback on the Fried Chicken I took an order of that, along with Bubble & Speak on the side. The chicken is still excellent, two nicely spiced & juicy [thanks for brining ] huge breast portions with a very healthy amount of mashed potatoes [and tasty gravy, but perhaps a little too salty imo] and biscuit. If I wasn't starving [no real lunch that day] it could've easily been a whole breast for next-day lunch. For dessert, I tried the Lemon Trifle w/ Berry Sauce, quite nice as well [although I prefer a wee bit more tartness]. Portions are quite generous as others above have mentioned, I sat at the bar next to the kitchen & saw a # of other meals which were healthy portions as well. And Fried Chicken is a huge hit it seems. They couldn't stop making large batches of the stuff while I was there lol, tons of orders. Oh, & let's not forget the beer list, pretty good offerings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Finally got around to stopping by Commonwealth for dinner last night.Reading the feedback on the Fried Chicken I took an order of that, along with Bubble & Speak on the side. The chicken is still excellent, two nicely spiced & juicy [thanks for brining!] huge breast portions with a very healthy amount of mashed potatoes [and tasty gravy, but perhaps a little too salty imo] and biscuit. If I wasn't starving [no real lunch that day] it could've easily been a whole breast for next-day lunch. For dessert, I tried the Lemon Trifle w/ Berry Sauce, quite nice as well [although I prefer a wee bit more tartness]. Portions are quite generous as others above have mentioned, I sat at the bar next to the kitchen & saw a # of other meals which were healthy portions as well. And Fried Chicken is a huge hit it seems. They couldn't stop making large batches of the stuff while I was there lol, tons of orders. Oh, & let's not forget the beer list, pretty good offerings! I found the chicken a little strong on salt and a little weak on spice, but all in all I was very satisfied. It's some excellent fried bird.Say hi next time. Oh wait, you did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Best fried chicken EVER last night! This could be habit forming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walrus Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 We clawed our way out of our head cold fog last night long enough to take friends from out of town to Commonwealth. We'd specifically chosen it because my friend was from North Carolina, and I'd promised him the best fried chicken in the world -- and Chef Antonio proved me right The restaurant had been slammed all day because of a street festival that had taken place earlier -- they served hundreds of covers more than they regularly do, and many more than they had been anticipating -- but we didn't feel neglected in any way. Tripewriter and I arrived early, and a final friend joined us late, after having to commute from Virginia, where he had to work that day. My friend from NC and I started with a mug of cheddar/ale soup -- a powerful soup that would warm up even the coldest of people who had been walking around outside all day. Tripewriter had a salad, which looked lovely as it disappeared. Tripewriter, my friend from NC, and I all had the fried chicken. It came with awesome little potatoes and very nice green beans. My descriptive skills are going to be a little poor because -- and it's ok to cry here -- I couldn't taste a thing. I ate half the fried chicken (which had perfect texture -- crispy in the right places, moist throughout) but then was too depressed to continue and took the rest home in the vain hope that I would have taste buds today. Those of the party who could taste, however, were in raptures over the chicken (of course!) and the fish and chips and the butcher's breakfast. All five of us cleaned our plates, with one friend stating that he just wasn't going to mention to his nutritionist what, exactly, he'd been eating this weekend. We had a great time -- our first meal in the little private glass room in the middle. If you can, get our seats -- the booth in the back right corner -- because they look directly onto the kitchen, which was like getting dinner and a show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I ODed on meat by-products last night at Commonwealth. It was a combination of more food than expected and the extraordinary richness of the food. I started with potted pork and a butcher plate of deviled sweetbread, stuffed trotters and head cheese. Those were followed by roasted marrow and steak and oyter pie. My wife wisely ordered only fish and chips. The potted pork reminded me of Underwood deviled ham. They were always on the shelf next to the canned tuna. The little devil would say "eat me" everytime I walked by until one day I bought a can, and it was good, for canned meat spread. The deviled sweetbread was also good, nice flavor, seared lightly and very tender. Most delicious was the stuffed trotters. A thin layer of pork skin wrapped around a smorgasboard of pork by-products. In comparison, the head cheese was just bland. The roasted marrow came in 4 pieces. Since my wife wasn't partaking, I attempted to eat the whole thing by myself and failed miserably. That also meant I barely touched my steak and oyster pie. It was a huge plate of stewed beef, 4 huge oysters, topped with a puff pastry crust. I managed to slurp down the 4 oysters but I left the stewed beef alone (tough and bland). I had to try a few bites of the fish and chips. We couldn't help but compare them to Eamonn's, which we tried last week. We agreed that Eamonn's tartar sauce was much better. My wife does not eat fish, but thanks to Eamonn's, now she's willing to eat fish as long as it's battered and fried. And the fish at Commonwealth also met her approval. I'm not hurrying to go back because I'm afraid I'll OD again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio Burrell Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 NC Pork BBQ and Texas Brisket tonight at CW. Served with creamy coleslaw and chips at the great price of $11 each. Come and Get It!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 NC Pork BBQ and Texas Brisket tonight at CW. Served with creamy coleslaw and chips at the great price of $11 each. Come and Get It!!! This place is too British for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 A friend forwarded this event detail to me. Sounds really awesome. Monday March 2nd 6:30-9:00pm 4 Course Tasting Menu - 6 Single Malts Speaker: Scotch Master John Heffernan - Master of Whisky $60 per person plus tax and gratuity Call for Reservations 202-265-1400 Scotch: Clynelish, Oban, Singleton, Talisker, Caol Ila, Dalwhinnie Snacks: Frog in a Puff, Stuffed Olives, Bite Size Scotch Eggs 1st Course: Mini Butcher Platter, Blood Pudding & English Cheddar 2nd Course: Risotto Cake, with Rocket Salad & Lemonette Main Course: Steak & Oyster Pie Dessert: Lemon Trifle with Berry Sauce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synaesthesia Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 The mac and cheese that came with the fried chicken plate was superlative. I'm usually not a big fan of mac and cheese. I like that it wasn't too sauce-y and appreciated the broiled breadcrumbs on top. I ate a little piece cold this morning, and it was still awesome. I find that I am still wishing the sticky toffee pudding cake were a little more textured. It's a lot of soft, and I wish that the cake were either a little crustier on the outside or the toffee had a little more tooth-sticking qualities. But I liked that they upped the salt on the toffee. Mmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walrus Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 We were there Monday, too -- LOVE the mac & cheese! I actually finished that before I even started my chicken (I know -- shocking!). I thought the asparagus was also really good -- nice texture, great flavor. We really like the lemon trifle for dessert -- a great tart, refreshing end to what has been for us always a rich and delicious meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 They seem to have completely given up on cask ale here. It's a shame. But the food is still totally yummy. No more black pudding so I got head cheese with my english breakfast. Fried olives, scotch eggs, chips, everything delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio Burrell Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 They seem to have completely given up on cask ale here. It's a shame.But the food is still totally yummy. No more black pudding so I got head cheese with my english breakfast. Fried olives, scotch eggs, chips, everything delicious. Haven't given up, unfortunately the tap system that we bought is a different system than most of the purveyors in DC carry casks for, something about the keg tap ring and the fact that it only holds certain size kegs also, so long story short, we are having difficulty getting the casks but not for a lack of trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Haven't given up, unfortunately the tap system that we bought is a different system than most of the purveyors in DC carry casks for, something about the keg tap ring and the fact that it only holds certain size kegs also, so long story short, we are having difficulty getting the casks but not for a lack of trying. Ah...my server made it sound like they couldn't get casks because breweries are loath to supply them (something I know to be not true). Good to know there's at least some hope, but looks like I won't be around to see this place blossom into the cask heaven it could be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 The fried chicken kicks some serious ass. It is that good. And I'd like to bathe in the gravy. Finger licking, crunchy skin munching, worthy every calorie good. But $17 for a breast, thigh, smallish size of mashed potato and a good serving of buttered green beans and asparagus? Seventeen Dollars? In this economy? Not worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collije Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 The fried chicken kicks some serious ass. It is that good. And I'd like to bathe in the gravy. Finger licking, crunchy skin munching, worthy every calorie good.But $17 for a breast, thigh, smallish size of mashed potato and a good serving of buttered green beans and asparagus? Seventeen Dollars? In this economy? Not worth it. When I ate there recently I had the same relatively small chicken amount as you. My original post above on the Fried Chicken was for two largish breasts, more than a value. I did jokingly chat w/ the bartender that I famished myself in anticipation of a substantial Fried Chicken meal again but was a little saddened to see the portion-size go down. He mentioned that I could asked for a larger portion & it would be honored. [don't think I'd do that ever though, not my style typically unless at a Philly Cheesesteak joint lol]. Won't have as much anticipation for this the next time [although for some of the beers, fried lemon olives, scotch eggs, etc. I still do]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walrus Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 I actually prefer getting a breast and a thigh -- I prefer dark meat, so like getting a variety instead of only one thing. Plus, it's been a long time since I cleaned my plate at CommonWealth -- any more food and you'd be getting three meals on a plate instead of just dinner and then lunch the next day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhone1998 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Lunch today at the bar. The chicken pot pie hit the spot on this chilly, gray misty day. This is a pretty basic dish but I bet it takes some skill to get all the different ingredients inside cooked just right - chicken, carrots, peas, potatoes...The textures of each ingredient were perfect and the individual flavors shined through. The proportion of carrots to meat was a bit much, though...and among other apparent cost-saving measures, they've done away with those little jars of tasty pickled vegetables, which would have been a perfect accompaniment to the pot pie. Oh well. The bartender said it was "because of the economy". I am happy to report they had two cask conditioned beers on tap, a very nice, hoppy IPA (can't remember the name) as well as a stout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMike Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 The stout is the Victory Storm King. Very tasty. Had the scotch eggs (of course) and the pork two ways last night. The pork sausage with asparagus and kale...awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Bittner Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I Think antonios food is amazing, that guy really has a way with all things pork, he told me what isnt better without bacon? I gotta get back up the hill and say hey sometime soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Recovering from a dinner at the bar. Butcher plate was good with the stars for me being the sweetbreads and the head cheese. Kay had the fried chicken plate with two good sized pieces of really good chicken with excellent mac n cheese with a kick. I had a cask conditioned ale but maybe U'm not a cask conditioned ale kind of guy. I'd ather have something fizzier and colder. Chatted with Antonio and he and I are going to definitely make it to Honey Pig together someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 No updates [on Commissary], but a funny anecdote:The first week Posto opened, I walked away disappointed from a meal at the bar. When I got home, I texted a friend of mine who happens to be a restaurant critic. "Posto sucks," I wrote. About five minutes later, the reply arrived: "Does it suck like Commonwealth, or is it Commissary bad?" After I finished laughing, I wrote back, "It sucks like Commonwealth." (Somewhat off-topic, but since Posto is the butt of this story, I'll add that I just raised it to the top of the Logan Circle Dining Guide two nights ago after a terribly disappointing finish to an initially promising meal at 15 Ria.) And here's an even funnier anecdote: Not long after I wrote the above post in the Commissary thread, I received this note from an anonymous sender (Adult Content Warning - roll the cursor over to view): When you or your friend says 'Commonwealth sucks', can you elaborate for me? Do they suck like the sixteen year old pimple girl giving her first toothy blowjob? Do they suck like the super slutty college coed who sucked like there was no tomorrow? Or do they suck like an old toothless woman who only lives to satisfy you because your all she has that resembles a relationship??? Just to clarify Well now, I knew that I had ticked somebody off with what was supposed to be a joke, so I figured it was a good time for a make-up call. Thus, Monday-night fried chicken. I started off with a special of Spring Radishes ($5) served with butter and sea salt (you dip them in the butter, only to get the salt to cling), a great, simple dish that I've enjoyed many times at home, but can't ever remember seeing in a restaurant. It whet my appetite for the main course, Antonio Burrell's Fried Chicken ($14.95), which has elbowed its way into my Hall Of Fame for personal-favorite fried chicken in the DC area, maybe ever. I've heard varying reports on this chicken, most notably from a trusted friend who claimed it lacked salt. Not this time! This was perfectly seasoned, perfectly fried, and just plain incredible fried chicken. And both sides were just as good: a cold potato salad (and I generally don't even like potato salad), and some amazing tiny, grilled asparagus. Fried chicken is a personal thing, but for me, this was it - this was perfect. And from what I hear, Antonio is serving this at the picnic. May I suggest my own contribution? Instead of bringing a jello mold, how about if I hand over $50 cash to Antonio so he can buy and make more fried chicken? I'm being serious here... no matter how much fried chicken there will be at the picnic, I can't imagine there will be any left. Antonio, how about it? Cheers, Rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.A.R. Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 I miss college. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 And from what I hear, Antonio is serving this at the picnic. May I suggest my own contribution? Instead of bringing a jello mold, how about if I hand over $50 cash to Antonio so he can buy and make more fried chicken? I'm being serious here... no matter how much fried chicken there will be at the picnic, I can't imagine there will be any left. Antonio, how about it? This is an excellent idea. Seriously, on the evidence of the last several insufficiently-chickened picnics, there is a chance to upset the space-time-chicken continuum here, provided that an adequate level of funding exists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 This is an excellent idea. Seriously, on the evidence of the last several insufficiently-chickened picnics, there is a chance to upset the space-time-chicken continuum here, provided that an adequate level of funding exists. And I believe that agm offered to bring his turkey fryer, for on-the-spot batches of chickeny-goodness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walrus Posted May 20, 2009 Author Share Posted May 20, 2009 This is an excellent idea. Seriously, on the evidence of the last several insufficiently-chickened picnics, there is a chance to upset the space-time-chicken continuum here, provided that an adequate level of funding exists.We'd be willing to contribute a little dough to help share the joy that is Antonio's chicken!(One side note here -- the last time we were at CommonWealth [too long ago!], a friend got the London Broil and let me try it -- excellent! Sometimes I get blinded by the chicken and forget to order other items, and this was a pleasant reminder that we have never yet had a disappointing dish out of that kitchen...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio Burrell Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Just to let you guys in on a little secret, we are running a Memorial Day Picnic special. $14 dollars a person gets you a choice of the aformentioned fried chicken or bbq pork shoulder, plus potato salad, green bean salad, grilled corn and a piece of blueberry rhubarb pie. Special is running tonight and all day tomorrow. Bring yourself, bring a friend, hell bring lots of friends. And if you wanna watch the Champions League Final, we'll be showing the match and will have drink and food specials to indulge in while you waste your afternoon watching footie and drinking beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
u-bet! Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Just to let you guys in on a little secret, we are running a Memorial Day Picnic special. $14 dollars a person gets you a choice of the aformentioned fried chicken or bbq pork shoulder, plus potato salad, green bean salad, grilled corn and a piece of blueberry rhubarb pie. Thanks - don't mind if I did! I showed up yesterday around 4-ish, and sat at the bar. This was my first visit, and for some reason I thought the atmosphere would be a little more "upscale dining". To my pleasant surprise, there was more of a "neighborhood hangout" feel to the place. I came for the fried chicken, but the artichoke/goat cheese/tomato/asparagus/caramelized onion tart tempted me. I think it's pretty difficult to screw something up as long as goat cheese and caramelized onions are on the ingredient list, and this dish was excellent. The fried chicken came with a baby carrot side dish instead of the advertised green beans, in addition to the potato salad, a small slice of grilled corn on the cob, and pie for dessert. Although I am partial to deep fried vs. pan fried chicken, I thought Antonio's version was great. The meat was very moist, tender, and not greasy at all, with a sufficiently crisp crust. A couple of minor service hiccups, I believe due to some confusion caused by a shift change in bartenders, caused me to end up taking the dessert to go. It made a great late night snack. The whole experience made me want to go back and try some different things. It's probably just as well that Commonwealth isn't my local, or I would surely be a lot fatter, drunker, and poorer than I already am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Delicious Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 We had a fantastic meal here on Friday night. The highlights for us were the appetizers, particularly the scotch eggs, which were unique, interestingly crafted, very tasty, and presented in a neat, multi-tiered contraption. We also had the tart U-Bet describes above, and it too was yummy. For mains, they didn't have the fried chicken that people rave about above, so I had the fish and chips, which was cooked perfectly and quite tasty. It also came with one tempura green bean, and I wish you could get a plate of those instead of fries, it was so good. My wife had the london broil and while it too was good, it was cool to lukewarm when served. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 The fried chicken is currently a Monday-only special, though I have heard that this might be changing at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio Burrell Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 JUCY LUCY!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synaesthesia Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 JUCY LUCY!!!!OMG! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshine Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Menu has changed. Fried chicken with mac-n-cheese is now a regular item. The Juicy Lucy (a special) is good (cheese stuffed burger with fried onions). Fried olives awesome, Scotch eggs are all about those yummy sauces. On a recent visit, they served a delicious brown bread with raisins that wasn't there in prior visits. Keep serving it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexC Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Antonio Burrell has left Commonwealth. Abigail Fellows, the former executive sous chef, has stepped into the role of Chef de Cuisine. Best of luck to both Antonio and Abigail! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronsinger Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Menu has changed. Fried chicken with mac-n-cheese is now a regular item. The Juicy Lucy (a special) is good (cheese stuffed burger with fried onions). Fried olives awesome, Scotch eggs are all about those yummy sauces. On a recent visit, they served a delicious brown bread with raisins that wasn't there in prior visits. Keep serving it! Have been there a couple sundays in the past month for trivia. Haven't had the fried chicken myself, but friends said it was good. Tried their mac n cheese, which is excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 I stopped by Commonwealth for the first time post-Antonio the other evening, and the bar is as fun as ever. Have you ever noticed that at this bar - this bar in particular - people really drink. And I mean they drink, and they keep drinking, and then they drink some more. I think that says a lot about 1) the atmosphere 2) the beer 3) the staff 4) the nearby residences 5) the Metro stop. Love it! I had the good fortune of Commonwealth promoting a new beer, "Commonwealth Ale," which has (thankfully) replaced Newcastle on their fine beer list. Brewed by Williamsburg AleWerks, they were selling this excellent brown ale for only $3 a pint, although I'm pretty sure this was a one-night-only special. It's a good sign when an employee visits a restaurant on his day off, and such was the case with my bar-mate at Commonwealth, who recommended the current Mug Of Soup ($5), a Smithwick's and sheep's-milk cheese broth with wild mushrooms and croutons. A little watery at first; towards the bottom of the mug, this tasty, cheesy soup became denser and wonderfully hearty. A "Fried Chicken Sighting" makes me in no rush to order that dish, however - I think Antonio can rest comfortably on that front. Cheers, Rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanchai Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 I stopped by Commonwealth for the first time post-Antonio the other evening, and the bar is as fun as ever. Have you ever noticed that at this bar - this bar in particular - people really drink. And I mean they drink, and they keep drinking, and then they drink some more. I think that says a lot about 1) the atmosphere 2) the beer 3) the staff 4) the nearby residences 5) the Metro stop. Love it! I had the good fortune of Commonwealth promoting a new beer, "Commonwealth Ale," which has (thankfully) replaced Newcastle on their fine beer list. Brewed by Williamsburg AleWerks, they were selling this excellent brown ale for only $3 a pint, although I'm pretty sure this was a one-night-only special. It's a good sign when an employee visits a restaurant on his day off, and such was the case with my bar-mate at Commonwealth, who recommended the current Mug Of Soup ($5), a Smithwick's and sheep's-milk cheese broth with wild mushrooms and croutons. A little watery at first; towards the bottom of the mug, this tasty, cheesy soup became denser and wonderfully hearty. A "Fried Chicken Sighting" makes me in no rush to order that dish, however - I think Antonio can rest comfortably on that front. Cheers, Rocks. Last February I was bouncing around to a number of places on a Saturday afternoon looking for a cool place to have a pint and watch college hoops. While not inexpensive, I really enjoyed the laid-back but classy vibe (and the Bellhaven Thistle IPA). Can't speak to the food, but a very nice place to wet your whistle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feedme Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Menu has changed. Fried chicken with mac-n-cheese is now a regular item. The Juicy Lucy (a special) is good (cheese stuffed burger with fried onions). Fried olives awesome, Scotch eggs are all about those yummy sauces. On a recent visit, they served a delicious brown bread with raisins that wasn't there in prior visits. Keep serving it! I am going here tomorrow.... But I hear the fried chicken is off the menu.... What to try? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidgey Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I am going here tomorrow.... But I hear the fried chicken is off the menu.... What to try? Last week, my husband and a friend both had the chicken and dumplings...and were disappointed. So if you're looking for a traditional chicken and dumplings, then I would probably not recommend it. I had the burger, which was pretty good, but slightly overcooked, so if you go that route, you might want to keep in mind. We did enjoy the pork belly sliders, and my soup was quite good (I don't remember what it was, though). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentbob Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 We did enjoy the pork belly sliders These were my favorite part of dinner last Friday, though the cheddar from the cheese board (forgot the name) and the deviled sweetbreads from the butcher board were pretty incredible as well. I generally prefer thin, crispy fries to large "chips" but they were perfectly fried. My only complaint was that the portion seemed a bit stingy for $5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy510 Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Tried to do some cleaning (to no avail) and stumbled across my receipt from a trip to CommonWealth a few months ago with a friend of mine who was getting married soon, and realized I hadn't posted anything about it here (particularly damning when you consider I consulted this site often when trying to figure out where to take him). Now, I must admit, I don't remember a whole hell of a lot about the different details of the meal, given that we were drinking quite a bit (not even counting the shots of Scotch our waiter was sending our way once he found out my friend was getting hitched), but what I do remember: -The pork pies had a lovely flaky crust to them that I thoroughly enjoyed -I loved the Scotch eggs, which is saying something, because I hate Scotch eggs -My duck confit risotto was just weird. Didn't work at all for me, and I ate maybe 1/3 of it. -The pork belly sliders were fantastic. I would go back and make a meal out of those little buggers alone. -Uh, they serve booze. Lots and lots of booze. All in all, a great time was had, and I thoroughly enjoyed most everything we had (and this is even before downing lots of booze - we paced ourselves, thank you very much). Being ridiculously convenient to get to as well, I think CommonWealth will become a frequent part of my rotation (or whatever semblance of a rotation I have). (Also, I apparently like writing in parentheses) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhone1998 Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 A tale of two fryers? On a recent visit, a dish of fish and chips offered 3 perfectly fried pieces of moist, flaky white fish, complemented nicely by a light, crispy, golden-brown batter. It was great. Unfortunately, the fish was sitting atop a plate of limp, starchy, oil-laden fries. They weren't quite thin, weren't quite thick...somewhere in between, but certainly thin enough that they should have been crispy if fried correctly. (Also, probably not the whole story here, but I doubt it helped that the fish was sitting on top of the fries...in my mind anything that can trap even some steam around french fries is a no-no.) Beer selection is still a draw here, and I can't get enough of those fried olives (tale of three fryers?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfw Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 Changes appear to be afoot at Commonwealth. Last Friday night, the weather was fine and the patio was open. Word is a Spanish chef from over at Hank's is now manning the kitchen at Commonwealth and the menu shows this. We tried a good number of small plates and a couple mains. We had a good balance of seafood and other proteins, but seafood really reigned supreme. Cod croquettes are in the Spanish vein. Different from the Italian version at 2Amys. At Commonwealth, they're denser in the middle (heavier potato batter?) and somehow lighter on the outside. The fried outer portion is crispy and light and gives way to the creamy, heavy potato and cod filling. Gambas al ajillo were ideal. All the traditional ingredients were there. Perfectly browned garlic slivers? Check. Succulent and sweet shrimp? Check. A sprinkling of red pepper? Check. Perfectly translucent and flavorful olive oil? Check. Ten years ago, Jaleo used to consistently send out a great rendition of gambas. Something changed about three or four years ago and I stopped ordering them there. This version (which I've also had over at Hank's) reminds me why I love this simple dish. We also had a squid small plate and an octopus small plate. Each was excellent, though my preference leans towards the octopus. Simply prepared with sweet grape or cherry tomatoes, onion, and butter, this was a dish rich in flavor, but light in feel. Other proteins included a sliced, rare filet (I think it was filet) marinated in Tabasco. This was also a well executed dish. The beef really, really absorbed the Tabasco flavor, but that spice wasn't overpowering. The accompanying sauce, though the color of Tabasco, was actually a cooling agent and, like raita, was effective at moderating the spice level for those who needed to individually adjust the flavor. This dish was very straightforward and basic, but the beef tasted good and the Tabasco tasted good. And that was good enough for me. Micro greens also added a little balance to the plate. I can't remember too many details about the pork belly, but can say it succeeded. I generally like a little sweetness to go with pork belly's fattiness. Commonwealth's prep included a couple pools of demi-glace on the plate and I wanted that to have a bit more sweetness about it. Either way, the pork was also well cooked and a solid dish. My main was another fish dish. I can't remember the exact name of the fish other than it was black something. Totally blanking here. Anyhow...it was a meaty fish. The thick steak curled around its slightly fatty skin. The skin helped keep this fish very moist despite its thickness and meatiness. It kinda reminded me of mahi mahi. In most cases, mahi mahi ends up too dry and chalky for my taste. I feared this fish might end up cooked the same way, but it came out tender, meaty, moist, and firm. Simple brown rice with peas and red peppers accompanied the fish and every flavor worked nicely with the others. Another success. Overall, this was the best meal I've had at Commonwealth. As much as I love the heavy, greasy, British-themed fare, I generally walk away from those meals feeling stuffed and blah. I ate lots and lots of food Friday night. But I walked away feeling sated and somehow not over-stuffed. For me, this direction towards a less 'Brit' theme is a smart move...particularly coming into the warm months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 Loved the pork sliders at Commonwealth a few weeks ago, and the beer is a joy. The service was a bit flaky and spacy, but that actually worked kind of well for a Sunday brunch. ["Reconcepting of menu"? Really? Is that what happens when you decision to alteration things? ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 That lamb burger last night was awesome--well-cooked, juicy, and delicious. The green sauce is fantastic, and the English muffin-ish bun was perfect to stand up to the burger without being too tough or mask the lambiness. That bartender last night was not awesome--grouchy, ignoring, and put out by any requests (even orders). She could not have possibly acted more surly if she'd thrown the lamb burger at me. A decidedly sour cap on a fabulous day. Hm. Now looking at my last post, I'm not sure how much patience I have for the service anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brr Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Reportedly closing http://www.princeofpetworth.com/2011/02/commonwealth-gastro-pub-closing-in-columbia-heights-at-end-of-the-month/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanmab Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Reportedly closing http://www.princeofpetworth.com/2011/02/commonwealth-gastro-pub-closing-in-columbia-heights-at-end-of-the-month/ I am surprised but not disappointed. The last few times I was there the food (which I had previously enjoyed) was downright terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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