By Amy Glasgow
When it was first announced that Grain & Grind would be closing its Old Dumbarton Road doors, I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. Living not far from this coffee shop, it was my go-to stop off on my morning dog walk to pick up an iced coffee.
Thankfully, the blow was severely softened when I learned that this corner unit was to become a brand new wine and small plates bar. A wine bar on my doorstep? What could be better?!
And so, in early May, the doors of the Cornershop opened with a fresh new vibe, a Spanish-inspired menu and a wine list to die for. On the Thursday night I chose to take the short walk to dine there, the restaurant had a good buzz about it, with every table full of happy customers chatting, eating and drinking wine.
The Menu
I decided to kick off my evening with a glass of cava while my friend and I perused the food menu. The menu is an eclectic mix of small plates with a distinctly Spanish feel to it – like the Croquettas de Jamon. Crispy croquettes filled with a creamy bechamel enriched with serrano ham. A perfect mouthful and actually, a strong pairing with the crisp dryness of my cava.
Next up was the grilled flatbread with garlic and herb butter, which was lighter than air inside a beautifully charred crust, smothered in a heady garlic butter. To accompany it, we decided to share a bottle of a Greek white wine I fear I cannot remember the name of, but it made for a delightful change from the usual trio of ‘Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc of Chardonnay’ that is so often the only offering.
Here is where things went slightly downhill. We had ordered two further dishes, but it became clear that the floor staff and kitchen were quite overwhelmed and we ended up waiting a considerable length of time, eventually having to remind the staff of our order.
The Verdict
While this put a minor damper on the evening, the staff were incredibly friendly, apologetic and accommodating, immediately fixing the problem and getting our remaining dishes to us at a phenomenal speed. The two dishes in question were the ‘Albondiga’ and the charred leeks with romesco. The Albondiga was quite literally a meatball on a stick, delicately decorated with two different sauces. The beef was flavourful and had that barbecued, smoky flavour to it, though I wish I’d thought to ask what the sauces were, as both were delicious!
The leeks were tender but still had a slight bite to them, and were sat atop a generous bed of rich romesco, roasted almonds and extra virgin olive oil. I don’t hold the small slow down in service against Cornershop, it had only been open a week and the team went above and beyond to make sure they addressed our issues and that we had the best experience possible. Honestly, I’m quite excited to have this place as my new local. Besides, I need to go back and find out what that delicious Greek wine I had was!
Cornershop
45 Old Dumbarton Road
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