19 December 2008

Columbus Brewing Company


Despite the terribly grainy appearance of my pictures which makes it look like I had dinner near the edge of a black hole, I actually ate at Columbus Brewing Company last night. I hadn't gotten a chance to sample the menu since the place was sold by Cameron Mitchell. It can now be crossed off my list of things to do.

Columbus Brewing Company's brew pub is the flagship of the regional brewer, and the Columbus Pale Ale and 90 Shilling Ale can be found throughout the area. Although newer operations like Barley's and Elevator have stolen some of the thunder from CBC, they still offer solidly made brews. I am particularly fond of the 90 Shilling Ale, a copper colored Scotch Ale, and the 1859 Porter, an opaque, choclatey brew filled with as much smoke as character. Beer is also sold in flights that allow you to sample all of the brews without falling into a coma. Beer can also be taken home in a growler (or three) if you'd like to sample CBC's wares off-premises.

There are a couple of vegetarian appetizers. The spinach and artichoke dip is served with an herbed flatbread. It is tasty and filling. I wanted to love the barbequed plantains because I have a natural affinity to the tropical fruit, but the mushy consistency and the overly sweet sauce left me slightly underwhelmed.

The seasonal vegetable plate is an entree bathed in a balsamic reduction with a side of risotto alongside a wide variety of grilled veggies. It appears to be almost the same as it was on Mitchell's menu.

The margherita pizza was very well made. Fresh tomatoes, basil and olive oil marry perfectly atop the soft crust and bubbling cheese. The poorly lit image is above.

The new menu seems slightly scaled back from the Cameron Mitchell era. Luckily for the new owners, CBC still has the same convenient location with tons of parking.

Columbus Brewing Company doesn't offer a ton of vegetarian items. However, since the menu is more focused, they made certain to feature a few different choices for the vegetarian diner.

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