Tag Archives: dinner

first taste at Commonwealth

This was my first trip to Commonwealth.  It was unexpected so I didn’t have a good camera and thus only took two pics.  However, I loved it, the service was great and our waiter even gave us free dessert.  We had:

  • eggplant in various forms (one of them dehydrated), nardello peppers, shelling beans with lime and cardamom ($14)
  • charred octopus, smoked marrow, fingerlings, sea beans, horseradish ($15)
  • scallops, hearts of palm, snap peas, popcorn (yes, and it was really good together) squid cracker, some kind of yuzu stuff ($16)
  • sweet breads that were on the tasting menu but we got them anyone thanks to our waiter and they were FANTASTIC.  juicy on the inside, super perfectly crispy (maybe fried) not the outside — ask for them if they’re on the tasting menu anyway
  • pork loin grilled on cedar plank with mustard greens, pickled ramps (that were extra pickly, which I love, especially with the pork preparation), cherry jus ($15)
  • peanut butter semifreddo, chocolate ganache, frozen popcorn — again with popcorn and it worked — salty, chocolatey, peanut butter cookie

Commonwealth
2224 Mission Street — @ 18th

The Meal in the Basement

Well it felt like it anyways.  Someone told us about this place that kind of looks like someone’s house or basement but people are always eating there.  We found it.  It’s right at the bottom of some steps in Trastevere and can be found here (this link will be coming as soon as i find where it is).  There are four tables, a stove and unlimited Beatles tunes.

We sat down and the food started coming.  We found out later the meal is pretty much fixed except for pasta and main.  It started with a puree of squash, fagiolini (beans), and bruschetta. And wine – all you can drink.  Next we chose pasta: I had the carbonara (bacon, creme and eggs).  For secondi I had a chicken dish that had been simmering in a pot behind us.  It was very tender and was cooked in some kind of vinaigrette concoction.  Yummy.  Dolci consisted of chocolates and cookies followed by limoncello and grappa.  I’m not sure I would go back here but it is definitely a fun experience and its all you can drink and it only costs 25 Euro per person.  Worth a look at least.