Watershed Distillery announced this week its on-site restaurant and bar, Watershed Kitchen & Bar, as a fully functioning, full-service eatery that satisfies on every culinary front. From atmosphere and service to cuisine and drinks paired with exciting menu items - Watershed's bar program stands out as being among Columbus' leading craft cocktail experiences.
Jack Moore of Greenhouse Tavern and Black Pig fame leads this restaurant and bar in Cleveland. A master at creating flavorful dishes from locally sourced ingredients, Jack also knows when to keep things simple but make an impactful statement through seemingly straightforward items such as his heirloom-corn grits with Amish farm squash and crispy fingerling potatoes.
Moore leads a small staff of chefs and sous chefs, yet their efforts come together seamlessly to offer an elegant yet unassuming first-rate dining experience. Moore keeps some of his old favorites on the menu while adding new ones like pork chop with strawberry tapenade and heirloom corn grits; and a grilled short rib with oranges, saffron emulsion, chile marmalade, and roasted tomato jam for instance.
At the bar, Noah Biddle's new cocktails are as creative and thoughtful as their names suggest. You Are a Shark was one of my most delicious drinks ever with dessert-sweet coconut milk clarifying process providing unparalleled smoothness. Another crowd pleaser is The Bee's Knees made with gin, lemon juice and honey syrup which provides "simple elegance without being complicated."
As for his menu, he emphasizes local seasonal produce while sourcing as many ingredients from as near his home as possible. To do this, he hired an East County friend as his personal farmer so as to access herbs and vegetables he would usually only find at specialty markets.
The Watershed Kitchen & Bar is open Thursday through Sunday with hours varying depending on the day, offering both reservations and walk-in service. 8-ounce bottles of its small-batch Black Cap Hot Sauce can be found for sale at its distillery, Coastal Local Seafood in North Market and other stores around town - this is an ideal way to support this local business and help spread its name!
