It takes real nous to create a casual dining concept that doesn’t sacrifice sophistication, and Shane Osborn has done just that with Cornerstone, his new bistro concept in Hong Kong.
A Casual Affair
It’s been quite the year for Shane Osborn. He kicked off 2019 riding the hype of Netflix’s cooking competition, The Final Table, where he and teammate Mark Best ingratiated themselves to audiences with dad jokes, laid-back attitudes, and consistently mouth-watering dishes.
Then in March, his fine-dining restaurant, Arcane, picked up a 2019 Michelin Star. Now, Osborn is bringing his considered, ingredient-driven culinary style to a tiny 24-seater bistro on Hollywood Road.
Purposely going for the casual, anything-goes vibe, Cornerstone is simple. Any fuss is limited to the precision execution of the dishes that come out of the kitchen helmed by Neal Ledesma, who previously worked with Osborn at Arcane.
There’s a slightly industrial feel to the space, with shades of white and grey juxtaposed against cement, metal, and an view of the kitchen where diners can see the team at work.
As we sit down at our table, I can’t help but grin at the restaurant’s soundtrack. It’s played at a reasonably discrete level, but there’s no mistaking the fact that it’s all classic rock – think AC/DC and Kiss – and a tongue-in-cheek nod to Osbourne’s musical tastes. It creates a relaxed vibe that sets the tone for the rest of the evening.
Ingredients First
A quick chat with Ledesma reveals he’s more or less been given free rein to create quality, ingredient-driven dishes with European sensibilities. In his own words, it just has to make sense.
In keeping with the rest of the concept, Cornerstone’s menu is short but sweet – a straight-to-the-point celebration of seasonal ingredients put together in clever ways that allow flavours and textures to take centre stage.
For starters, we sample the yellowfin tuna – served with pomelo, fennel, yuzu and ginger; the red prawn that comes with baby artichoke, lemon thyme and olive oil; and the smoked salmon served with malted bread and herb cream cheese.
So far, so good. The dishes are light, fresh, textured, and not overly complicated – all hallmarks of Osborn’s style.
Next, we bypass the heavier options like rigatoni, tagliatelle and wagyu bavette for the lighter octopus – a tentacle, grilled and placed on a piquant bed of red pepper sauce, as well as potato and seaweed – and duck, a soul-pleasing confit rendition whose saltiness was perfectly balanced by white beans and balsamic jus.
I hesitate to call these dishes mains purely because they aren’t the large, hearty servings you expect under that name. Not that this is a bad thing – indeed, portions here are exactly what they should be for food like this – enough to hit the spot, but not too much to overwhelm and bore.
It’s rare to find posset on the dessert menu in Hong Kong, and Cornerstone is the second new restaurant in the space of two weeks where I’ve seen it. I’m
What comes to the table is an absolute delight of a sweet treat. The lemon posset comes topped with strawberry, mint and meringue, and it’s the perfect mix of sweet and tart.
Good to know
When we visited, Cornerstone was yet to receive its liquor license, so we were invited to BYO wine – without a corkage charge. The license has since come through, so there should be a good drinks list available now.
In keeping with its casual persona, Cornerstone doesn’t take reservations. Get there early, or put your name on the list and head to a nearby bar for aperitifs while you wait.
Verdict
In case it wasn’t obvious, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Cornerstone. It can’t have been easy for a chef of Osborn’s calibre to do a 180 and create a “modern bistro” that stayed true to his culinary philosophy, but he (and his team) have managed it well.
This is not a Michelin star contender, and purposefully so. Instead, this no-fuss concept that serves elegant dishes at reasonable prices doesn’t take itself too seriously and is, therefore
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This review was done without the knowledge or cooperation of the restaurant.