Collision Bend Brewing Co. Marries Beer And Food

For Andy Dombrowski, opening Collision Bend Brewing Co. is a homecoming of sorts. The executive chef of the Flats spot got his culinary start in the same riverfront building in 1995 when it was the Watermark restaurant. “It was one of those restaurants in the ‘80s and early ‘90s that was a staple in the Cleveland area,” he says. “I quit probably four months before it closed.” Dombrowski and the Flats have both grown up since. The entertainment district once again bustles with restaurants and bars, while Dombrowski is working with former Great Lakes Brewing Co. brewmaster Luke Purcell to craft the ideal marriage of food and beer. “A lot of breweries serve a lot of heavy American-style food,” he says. So instead you’ll find lighter items inspired by Southern Californian street food — tacos, pizzas and mussels — that pair with the eight beers brewed on-site. To get the best of both worlds in a single bite, try the country fried chicken livers ($7). Dombrowski serves the small plate with braised red cabbage and a beer-fig demi sauce made with Sixth City Alt, a German-style amber ale that’s light but adds a touch of bitterness. “It plays off the sweetness of the figs,“ he says. “If you’ve never had chicken livers before, it’s a pretty easy way to be introduced.” 1250 Old River Road, Cleveland, 216-273-7879, collisionbendbrewery.com