Owner hopes New London 'will embrace' new restaurant

New London - From sandwiches and burgers to pan-seared tuna, The Commoner restaurant on Bank Street promises an eclectic mix of American cuisine for a wide variety of tastes.

And 28-year-old business owners Colin and Aimee Sepko have added another twist to the former Bank Street Roadhouse space, providing linen tablecloths in the 40-seat dining room that is dominated by a large, boat-shaped bar that holds up to 25.

"Hopefully, New London will embrace me," Colin Sepko, a native of Southington who summered in Niantic as a youngster and now lives there, said in an interview last week.

So far, he said, the lobster potato skins and fried pickle spears have been big hits. But the dinner menu, whose prices fall mainly in the $13.95 to $17.95 range, also contains such traditional fare as meatloaf and chicken pot pie.

The Commoner officially opened last week and attracted a good-sized lunch crowd considering most of the marketing had been by word of mouth. The name, said Sepko, is meant to elicit the atmosphere of an old New England establishment in keeping with the Whaling City's tradition.

Up to 10 people initially will be employed in the new restaurant.

Sepko, previously a chef for restaurants in New Jersey and Philadelphia, has run the concession stand at Crescent Beach in Niantic for the past two seasons. He trained at the Cambridge Culinary School in Massachusetts.

Sepko said the 2,500-square-foot space, which had been the Bank Street Roadhouse for nearly two decades, required lots of work, mostly painting and cleaning as well as renovating the bathrooms. He plans entertainment on the weekends - blues, jazz and classical guitar, for instance - but won't have the large ensembles that once played at the Roadhouse because Sepko significantly reduced the size of the stage to accommodate more table space.

More seats will open up in the warmer weather, as The Commoner also features an extensive back deck overlooking the mouth of the Thames River as well as an area out front for al fresco dining.

"We plan to cater to vegetarians and those with special dietary needs," Sepko said. "We want to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable."

l.howard@theday.com