Collision Bend: A PressureLife Food Review

Hate onions? Put ketchup on your ketchup? We all have unique likes and dislikes, so when you hear about a new restaurant, whether it be from a foodie or someone who lives off of toaster pastries, you don’t know if their tastes align with your own. So, instead of reading a review from one source, take it from four members of our team. Even though we are woefully underqualified to review a restaurant, at least one of us will likely share some of your distinct tastes.

For this issue, the PressureLife crew visited Collision Bend Brewing Company, a sizable new establishment in the East Bank of The Flats. Would Executive Chef Andy Dombrowski and Brewmaster Luke Purcell Southern California street food and selection of beers impress our team of taste testers? Find out in the next few hundred words!

Jim Bacha

Liked: I enjoyed all the small plates. My favorite was Hannah’s fish taco followed by Aaron’s molten meatball, Alex’s lamb tamales and lastly my buffalo tofu. Having said that, the tofu still was delicious. It was served with carrot and cauliflower chunks with crumbled blue cheese on top.

Disliked: I found the beer to be dull. Nothing jumped out at me and was a let down due to them being a brewery.

Rating: The staff was fantastic and informative and the location and atmosphere were great. I’d recommend splitting a few small plates and skip the entrees. Overall I would definitely go back and would recommend Collision Bend. 4/5

Alex Bieler

Liked: I’m a big fan of small plates, and Collision Bend didn’t disappoint. Hannah’s fish taco and my lamb tamales tasted great without being too tiny. The giant meatball and buffalo tofu weren’t bad, either. If you want to try a bit of everything when you go out to dinner, you’ll like this place.

Disliked: To be honest, the beer didn’t really wow me too much. I thought the saison was solid, but the hefeweizen wasn’t my favorite. The roasted Brussels sprouts and braised pork pizza was good for the first two slices, but there was a sweetness that turned me off of it before I was finished.

Rating: 4/5

Hannah Allozi

Liked: I really enjoyed the atmosphere—it had a cool vibe without trying too hard. I was also really into the “small format” appetizer concept and the fact that they really weren’t that “small.” I would echo Jim and Alex in my favorite small plates and would also recommend trying the custard if you’re up for dessert.

Disliked: I really didn’t dislike anything. I am not a beer drinker so cannot comment on that. However, I was happy that we were sharing the burger and the brussel sprout pizza—they were a little too rich for my blood.

Rating: 5/5

Aaron Gelston

Liked: GIANT. MOLTEN. MEATBALL. As a person who prides himself on the sheer amount of meat and cheese that is inevitably clogging every artery in my body, I can attest to the greatness of this dish.

Disliked: We sat inside, just a few steps from the server station, in May. Don’t get me wrong, the atmosphere was really chill and the tunes were on point. The only problem was, I couldn’t stop imagining chasing a meatball with an icy pint on their riverfront patio. Next time!

Rating: 5/5