Why: Commonwealth Cafe opened Dec. 2 in the heart of the Carter Park neighborhood in Vancouver. The cafe’s menu offers a selection of creative small plates, a few desserts, Umpqua ice cream, baked goods in the morning, and beverages that include espresso drinks. The family-friendly cafe has enough seating for a small crowd, and parking may be found on the street.
What I tried: I tried the Commonwealth sandwich, made with an over-medium egg, house-made maple sausage, wilted greens, tomato jam and cheddar cheese on a house-made English muffin. I also sampled the black bean and tortilla soup. My dining companion had the pot pie, made with Moroccan beef stew topped with a house biscuit. For dessert, we tried the flan with sliced banana and cookies, and the chocolate bread pudding served with toasted marshmallow ice cream and toffee bits.
The most impressive part of my meal was the English muffin. It was evenly dense and airy with an appetizing and classic toasted exterior and made in a sensible, larger-than-average size to accommodate sandwich ingredients. The sausage’s seasoning reminded me of the Jimmy Dean brand cooked in maple syrup, and it had a crumbly texture. The tomato jam was mostly sweet, and the cheddar cheese was hard to detect. I was disappointed with the scant amount of greens added to the sandwich, and I would have liked to have tasted a tangy element in midst of it — something I believe is essential if complex is what your going for, which seemed to be the goal with the Commonwealth.
The soup was tepid when it arrived at the table, and I personally would not classify it as soup due to the absence of broth or puree to suspend any solid ingredients. It tasted similar to a black bean salsa, which is typically more soupy than this soup was.
Dining Out Review: Commonwealth Cafe
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.
Telephone: 360-984-5626.
Where: 3100 Columbia St., Vancouver. Commonwealth Cafe also is on Facebook.
Health score: Commonwealth Cafe received a score of 45 on Dec. 30. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.
My dining companion said the pot pie’s flavor was good, but it was extremely dry, which was exacerbated by the pie’s biscuit topper.
The flan, a classic, caramel-topped custard, was just as expected, and the banana and cookie added some variety to the dish. The bread pudding was a creative departure from the classic. The texture reminded me somewhat of skier’s French toast, but the flavor was not as rich. The ice cream made a delicious accompaniment to it, and the toffee bits were a pleasant sweet crunch amid the dessert’s creamy and smooth character.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: The tuna melt is made with curried tuna salad, cheddar cheese and butter lettuce on sourdough bread. Mac ‘n’ cheese consists of spicy pimento cheese, ziti pasta, panko and Parmesan cheese. The Fun Guy is made with a portobello mushroom, Gruyere cheese, garlic butter and a scrambled egg on an English muffin.
Atmosphere: Being situated in a neighborhood lends the cafe a homey vibe. Dining is room-to-room with farmhouse-style chairs and tables dressed in red-checked tablecloths. A sofa near the entry provides a cushy place to lounge. There is wood flooring throughout, and track spotlights provide much of the lighting. A large private room in the rear outfitted with a fireplace accommodates private parties.
The decor includes an eclectic collection of nostalgic items, including an antique pinball machine. The walls are decorated with local artists’ paintings, and a bookcase is full of an assortment of cookbooks and other reads. Utensils and condiments are help-yourself style, as is filtered water.
Other observations: Service was acceptable, though a bit low-energy, and I did not find the cafe to be one of those places where diners are greeted with a warm, smiling welcome. The food was creative, although there is room for refinement of that creativity. The health score is very concerning and is evidence of a lack of adherence to food and safety requirements.
Cost: Sandwiches cost $6 to $10, and you may add chips for $1 or a cup of soup for $2. Soup costs $3 for a cup and $5 for a bowl. Other menu items are $4 to $8. Dessert is $5. Beverages cost $1.50 to $4.
