BEAUMONT Street is home to a new three-level restaurant, bar and entertainment venue where hip-hop, soul and funk is the soundtrack to a menu of fresh-made pasta, antipasto and charcuterie boards.
Corset Dining and Lounge is the name and the man behind it is Perth-born Glen Taylor.
Taylor, who has enjoyed a 20-year career as a chef working across Australia and New Zealand (including being awarded a hat), took over the site last year after a few years out of the hospitality game. Re-imagining the venue (located in the historic Masonic Hall that previously operated as The Depot bar and restaurant) took great vision and Taylor has created a space that is one-of-a-kind on the Beaumont Street strip.
The main dining area takes up the entire lower floor, offering a row of plush teal blue booth seating with custom-made recycled timber tables, while extra dining space is located at the back end, including bar seating at a "chef station" where diners can pull up a stool and watch the chefs at work.
"We're slicing charcuterie, making fresh pasta, and people can see all of that here," Taylor tells Weekender.
"It's all fresh-made pasta. We buy Australian semolina, free-range eggs and we make all of our pasta in-house daily."
The kitchen also operates until midnight, making it one of the few late-night dining options available in Newcastle.
Taylor has placed a big emphasis on the little details, from the marble bars and dining tables to the recycled cow leather menu folders and custom leather dining chairs. Upstairs is the champagne lounge mezzanine area which will host live burlesque shows every Saturday night, while the third level that overlooks the venue below is reserved for events and functions.
Music is a big part of Taylor's vision, with Bose sound systems installed throughout which will feature a playlist of funk, soul and "low-key" hip-hop.
The seven oversized mirrorballs suspended from the ceiling are the final piece of the puzzle in creating the atmosphere of Corset, which Taylor describes as "a bit dark, a bit moody, a bit sugar and a bit spice".
"It's a bit of fun. We don't want people to take it too seriously just because there are marble tables and chandeliers. It's about coming in and enjoying yourself."
The Mediterranean-themed menu changes weekly, based on what's in season and working with suppliers such as Newcastle Greens to source interesting produce.
Charcuterie produce comes from Hungerford Meat Co. including prosciutto, salumi and jamon, which are served with Corset's house-made pickles. The antipasti menu includes spiced smashed eggplant dip with black sesame and eggplant crema; burrata with beets, coffee and caramelised balsamic; and fried cauliflower with macadamia nut romesco sauce, all served with two-day slow ferment flatbread which is cooked to order.
The hand-made pasta menu is a concise six dishes, including Taylor's pick, the spaghetti sweetcorn cacio e pepe.
"We do a twist on it, so it's toasted black pepper, lots of butter, cooking water and we do a sweet corn emulsification through it," Taylor says. "It gives it a different, luxe feel and taste which is really, really nice."
For a snack, try the Spanish cheese risotto balls with mayonnaise and black truffle pecorino; oysters with chardonnay mignonette; or crispy fried calamari with chilli aioli and sweet salt pepper.
Corset offers an extensive list of international and Australian wines, along with a selection of champagne (including a fully-stocked Mumm fridge) and a Mumm champagne spritz menu. There is also a menu of StrangeLove highballs, house cocktails, plus a generous selection of beers.
A window at the front of the venue serves coffee on weekdays from 6am.
"There are a lot of cafes but not a lot of night-time venues along Beaumont Street and there is nothing else like this, so I think we have made something quite unique," Taylor says.
"It is a big place. We blacked out the top of the windows at the front of the building so that people can't really see how big it is, so when they do walk in, they say, 'Wow...'."
