***This Review was taken during Collision Course's Restaurant Pre-View week. The pricing and items you see in this review may have changed by the time of the restaurant's opening***
** TDLR Review **
In Short, the food is typically in a Southern Fusion style. Taking classics like "Cheesy Grits" and making a whole menu item called "& Grits", with different proteins to choose from (vegetarian options available for some dishes as well, this one you can get Cajun Veggie or Jackfruit as the protein). They are always trying out new dishes and adding what works. For as small as the restaurant is, it has got a ton of personality, great staff, and their menu is huge considering how much food needs to be stored to even make half these dishes, yet they still find a way to give a diverse menu with options for most people. They are making things work with what they have and in my opinion, I feel like they have hit this out of the park.
** In Depth Review **
Ever since my wife and I found out about Collision Course (when they were starting do brunch a couple years ago, while they waiting for the main restaurant to finish being built), we have been trying their food at all chances we have been able to. We have never been disappointed, and that goes for our time at the main restaurant off the main street this week during the preview event.
The food is great. They love taking normal dishes and finding a way to put a spin on them, in the line of Southern Fusion cooking. My favorite example is the dish "& Grits" bowl. Instead of doing a traditional style Shrimp and Grits dish, instead they let you get the same loved grits with Silky Cheddar Grits Topped with Cajun Red Peppers & Onions, Bacon Crumbles, Green Onions and Light Broth with your choice of Protein (Grilled Shrimp, Grilled Chicken, Blackened Grilled Fish, Cajun Veggie, or Jackfruit. They are taking a single dish and making it accessible for all kinds of people to try out, which I love to see.
My wife got the "& Grits" bowl, and I got the Fried Fish meal with Chessy Grits and Sweet Fries. Neither my wife and I or overly huge into fish, which is why we tried it. We figure if someone can make a dish we like, with a food item we aren't crazy about, then the rest of the menu is an easy win for our business for future trips. If you can make people like dishes they typically don't, then the rest of the menu will become favorites over time, or that is how I feel about it. We both were very impressed with the cooking and flavoring of the fish. The seasoning was heavy enough to bring a unique flavoring to the fish, without overpowering the dish or the rest of the fish. The cook was perfect as well, considering I had a thin piece of fish that was being fried, yet it came out flaky and moist with a nice crisp on the outside layer.
Oh right, drinks. So, my wife and I got a few mixed drinks to try out tonight. We had the "The Blueprint", "It's a Vibe", and "Purple Rain". All three drinks were good, but our favorite was "It's A Vibe". They also have a small beer and wine list, so there are drinks for everyone. Wish the space to store everything, they do their best to provide options for all types of guests.
Keeping in mind that we came on Preview night, and the restaurant staff is still in training, they still did a great job. They were always polite and accommodating to any requests we had. With the layout of the restaurant, it was easy for them to see which of their tables needed help and which were good. Anytime they ran into an issue they were unable to figure it out, they were very polite in explaining the situation and then quickly got a resolution to the problem.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is very calming and nice during the day, and quite moody in a romantic, yet I can just chill and enjoy my food vibe with the way the lights dim to the red walls of the interior. They have an awesome custom metal art piece that is just waiting for lights to be installed, that is so cool. Personally, if you can't tell, I am a fan and will be a customer moving forward.
My recommendation is to at least give them a try if any of the items on the menu look good to you. They still do Brunch on the weekends when they have time at River downs golf course, and they do lunch Mon-Fri over a tech court in Westminster, MD. Although there are some common items between the locations, they are each their own unique experience. You can check out their food options and when they are open by going to their website at https://collisioncoursemd.com/. read more