For Will's birthday, he choose the British COMMONWEALTH GASTROPUB (www.commonwealthgastropub.com) in DC and we did have a great family evening. Right off the bat, Samuel ordered the same dish he had on our last visit-DOG in a PUFF with CHIPS. We, of course, ate the yummy puff pastry as Sam dunked his hot dog and thick seasoned chips in ketchup. We quaffed a bottle of RIOJA VEGA (Crianza) 2006 which was billed on the menu as Tempranillo, but was a blend of 50% Tenpranillo/25%Granacha and 25%Mazuelo. Our very handsome and accommodating server, Huck, recommended the wine and said it had a nice spicy flavor, which was perfect with our starters:
CRISPY LEMON FRIED OLIVES which are lightly breaded and you can pop into your mouth forever.
PORK PIES with GREEN Sauce for dipping which Will would call "pasties" in the UK or you might call empanadas here, esp with the Latin-leaning green sauce which was just right.
The PORK BELLY SLIDERS are served on Challa Bread (there has to be something very unkosher about that!) and Cucumber. They are a bit bready which is always an issue with sliders these days, although the belly was nice and tasty.
Our second wine was a lease spicy and milder KERMIT LYNCH Rouge 2007 billed as Grenache on the menu, but a Cotes du Rhone blend. It was nice with our less intensely flavored main courses. Will had the SHEPHERD's PIE made with Braised Beef, Squash, Potato and Bella Vitano Cheese and raved on about this (altho we poo-pooed the veggie tofu version available--I guess one should taste it).
My CHICKEN N DUMPLINGS was a 1/2 Beer Braised chicken with yummy Bella Vitano and Ricotta Dumplings and Squash as well. The sauce was divine and slightly creamy.
Will tried the STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING but asked for it with Vanilla Ice Cream instead of the non-British whipped cream and liked it much better this time. I opted for the cheeses which were BIJOU Goat from Vermont, GRAYSON & APPALACHIA both from Virginia served with a Date Compote and HomeMade Beer Mustard which I spread on the toasted thin seasoned bread crisps.
Samuel had the BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE PUDDING which is billed a 70% Cacao /"American Style" which indeed it was, just like the kind we ate as kids in the 60's. Sam adored it but was bouncing off the walls all the way home and then some.
Next time--good food, good party, less chocolate for Sam!
