The British invasion is back

So you’ve always had a thing for toad in a hole, or bangers and mash. If you’re nodding your head and salivating, then you know all about the wonders of British cuisine and if you haven’t, get ready to step into the world of Washington’s first British gastropub. The dish names may have you scratching your head, but the tasty fare is sure to please.

Chef/owner, Jamie Leeds (of Hank’s Oyster Bar fame), is introducing Anglophile Washingtonians to their first-ever Brit gastropub. Located in the trendy Columbia Heights neighborhood, CommonWealth officially opened its doors August 6.

According to Leeds, she decided to open a Brit-style eatery because she “loves this style of cooking….I wanted to get my hands into a more meat-centric restaurant.” For example, the menu “consists of a lot of homemade sausage and pork”; as any self-respecting Anglophile knows, the Brits love their meat.

CommonWealth’s ambiance is trendy and comfy-chic, meaning you can hang around and drink yourself under the table with your buddies, or pick a quieter spot and indulge in fine dining.

With any international-style restaurant, one always asks the inevitable question: Is it authentic (or at least as close to the real thing as one can get)? And in my humble opinion (having lived in Great Britain), the answer is yes. And in some cases, it’s better than the original. “In London, the old pubs do Scotch eggs and pot pies and so on, but they’re usually not locally sourced” Leeds explains. “They usually use frozen products, which are not as good. And their gastropubs are more like American restaurants...what we’ve done here is combine the two.”

In addition to the stellar food, the pride and joy of CommonWealth are its beers, including plenty of ale from the UK and also the Common Wealth states. The list includes almost 50 beers including Harp Irish lager, Belhaven Twisted Thistle, and of course, the classic standard: Guinness.

Though CommonWealth is brand new and will take some time finding its niche, Leeds believes that given the location of the restaurant, CommonWealth can expect plenty of local 20- and 30-somethings who live in or around Columbia Heights to frequent this new spot. In addition, she believes the restaurant will also become a focus of attention for patrons in Chevy Chase, Bethesda and other neighborhoods. It won’t just be a neighborhood eatery; it’ll be a serious destination for foodies.

Speaking of foodies, rest assured that a night at CommonWealth won’t break the bank. Prices range from $13 to $18 for the main dishes and appetizers –including your choice of lemon stuffed fried olives and frog in a puff (basically fried egg cooked in a hole in bread) range from $5 to $13. You can’t possibly end the meal without indulging in a delectable pudding (dessert) such as sticky toffee pudding or the classic lemon trifle with raspberry sauce.

Leeds, a New Yorker, also lavishes praise on Washington as an ideal food town: “I think people here are really interested in food….there are a lot of people with great palates….they really know their stuff.”

No doubt these Washingtonians, with great palates in tow, will soon flock to the latest chic destination, where patrons can play board games, sample every possible UK beer imaginable, discover what toad in the hole (or frog in a puff in this case) and Scotch eggs really are, all while tapping their feet to the tune of British pop songs. The British invasion is officially here.