Corrigan's - Modern British/ Rustic

 28 Upper Grosvenor Street

London, W1

 020 7499 9943

Review Date: 3 December, 2008

Verdict: Pricey, but excellent

Irish chef Richard Corrigan's new flagship Mayfair establishment has something of a Victorian gentleman's club feel to the decor, with faux-gaslights along the bar's welcoming expanse of marble  -  providing appropriately atmospheric lighting.

Open for just three weeks at time of review, the service was terrific and attentive throughout our meal. Located on Upper Grosvenor Street, the restaurant attracts a mixture of well-heeled tourists, local businesspeople and Mayfair locals.

The menu is a well-judged mix of the unusual and the uncomplicated, focusing on British cuisine with a rustic feel. Game meat and fish feature heavily throughout the menu.

After a glass of champagne and canapés my wife picked a medjool date, beetroot and watercress salad to start with, while I chose the wild smoked salmon with deep fried goat's cheese. Both were excellent. The softness of the dates worked well with the crisp tang of watercress and the smoked salmon was among the best I've had (although it seemed steep at almost three times the price of the other starters).

For mains we chose butter poached haddock with lobster creamed parsnip and beef en daube with apricot and turnip. Our main courses were the only source of disappointment. The haddock was overly salted, while the beef, though generously portioned, was a little bland and under-seasoned. There was nothing terribly wrong with either dish; they simply didn't quite live up to the rest of the food, the decor or the service levels.

One dessert was a unique take on rhubarb and custard, where the custard was almost like cheesecake, and the rhubarb very lightly cooked and served with ginger ice cream. The other was a quince tart served with Sauternes ice cream. Both were excellent.

Overall, Corrigan's was an unusual mix of formal and informal, with a clubby atmosphere and excellent staff. The food was of a very high standard, despite the slightly bland mains. It is certainly not cheap – expect to pay circa £70 per head for three courses and wine, but certainly no unreasonably priced for a Mayfair restaurant with a top chef at the helm (incidentally, Richard Corrigan was a very visible presence at the kitchen door and it was nice to see a proprietor-chef genuinely running the show).

Lunch Deal

£19.50 for 2 courses including a 250ml carafe of wine
£23.50 for 3 courses including a 250ml carafe of wine

Michael Evans, Herbert Smith LLP