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| - I walk down Strawberry Way every day after work as I head from the US Steel Tower to my bus stop, so I've been passing by the windows that look down into The Commoner for months now. I have been so eager to try it after basically watching its construction, and especially since the interesting lighting and finishes were installed.
My roommate's mom was in town visiting this past weekend, and we decided on The Commoner for dinner after an afternoon spent at the orchid and bonsai show at Phipps. You enter the restaurant through the main entrance of the Monaco hotel which seemed very interesting in itself, with a very unique (and huge) chandelier of dried flowers hanging in the lobby. I loved the style of the restaurant; the dark finishes and low lighting give it a upscale feel, but the high ceilings and general spaciousness keep it from becoming stuffy. We were loving the hardwood floors which looked as though they had been branded with a geometric pattern. Very interesting and different.
We took a chance by walking in right after opening (5PM) on a Sunday and were told there were no open tables due to reservations (I guess they are doing well!), however there were ample bar and kitchen-view seating options available. We chose to sit overlooking the kitchen, which was actually a pretty entertaining experience. It was kind of like watching Food Network, except in real life--no complaints here!
We started with the daily oysters and the brown butter Brussels sprouts. I am by no means an expert on oysters, so I don't remember the specifics of that day's selection, but they were great. Presentation was also great, and we enjoyed the pickled vegetables that were served as a garnish. The sprouts were buttery and delicious, and there were plenty to split between three of us.
I had the steak and ale pie for my entree, consisting of braised short rib and vegetables in a delicious and flaky suet crust. Perfect comfort food! The crust was perfectly baked and the filling was piping hot. I loved the cute penguin pie vent! The meat was tender and practically falling apart. The gravy was also delicious. The pie was the perfect size--I had no trouble finishing it by myself.
I enjoyed all of this with a gin and tonic, made with the Commoner House tonic. They also offered an Elderflower tonic, which sounded great as well. Nice selection of cocktails--I will definitely be bringing some coworkers here sometime for a post-workday cocktail.
Overall I really enjoyed the food, the friendly service, and the ambiance. The Commoner is already a new favorite of mine and I'm looking forward to my next visit!
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