Okay, before people start jumping down my throat about this one, I’ll acknowledge Columbia Heights has other oft-mentioned restaurants besides Logan @ The Heights: Rumberos, Taqueria Distrito Federal, RedRocks Fire Brick Pizzeria, etc. Still, Logan @The Heights is frequently referred to as the area’s only decent sit-down place with a pretty standard, broad American menu.

People constantly complain about the dearth of good restaurants in the area (if you want to note some hidden gem in the comments, feel free). Since everyone else in the world has already blogged about it, I’m not going to spend too much time discussing CommonWealth, Chef Jamie Leeds‘ gastropub, opening up in Columbia Heights today. But, during one of the restaurant’s two mock openings earlier this week, I walked in and picked up a menu. So, here’s a short report:

The restaurant’s “English-inspired and American-bred” cuisine includes a wide assortment of U.K. bottled and canned beers, mostly in the $7 to $12 range. For those looking for some cheaper suds, there are drafts on tap for $5 and $6.

The food itself sounds, frankly, like your classic heavy, winter fare. I might wait until I’m in a wool sweater and a scarf to sample some real entrees, which range from $15 to $38, for a two-person dish. The “Mains” include London Broil, Smithwick’s Beer Battered Fish & Chips, and Butcher Breakfast (2 poached eggs, streaky bacon, black pudding, surrey ham, pork ‘n beans).

In the meanwhile—-while the weather is still in the 80s and 90s—-there are snacks and “butcher plates” with pick-and-choose-your-own meats and cheeses. The dessert section is also relatively robust with Sticky Toffee Pudding, Lemon Trifle w/Rasberry Sauce, and Chocolate Pudding Cake w/Ice Cream. The list goes on.

Commonwealth is located at 1400 Irving Street NW.