Corrigan’s
Mayfair, London
A perfect fit for old-school Mayfair, Richard Corrigan’s dimly lit, clubby flagship announces its presence with an orange canopied frontage and gold-tipped iron railings. Inside, it positively oozes hedge-fund luxury, with an abundance of soft leather seating, frosted glass panels, elegantly laid tables and lamps intricately entangled in chains across the ceiling. The restaurant’s logo is a stag’s head, a reminder that Corrigan’s passion is for seasonal game, meat and fish, assiduously sourced from the British Isles and his native Ireland – although new chef Luke Ahearne seems to be absorbing ever more influences from beyond these shores. Spiced Antrim Hereford beef tartare (a Corrigan classic) is currently served with oyster cream, nori and Carlingford oyster tempura, while rack of Daphne’s Welsh lamb arrives in company with mauve aubergine, smoked tomato and an offal kebab. There’s Yorkshire grouse with salt-baked beetroot and fermented blackberries in season, and briny-fresh seafood in abundance – perhaps Cornish monkfish with Italian courgettes, scallop, brown shrimps and elderflower hollandaise or a luxurious coupling of wild turbot with oscietra caviar, Scottish girolles, black garlic and chicken jus. Apart from some seasonal fruit, desserts lean heavily on the classic European back catalogue: Valrhona chocolate mousse; crème caramel; Sicilian passion fruit soufflé. By contrast, the choice of perfectly ripe unpasteurised cheeses is wholeheartedly British. Lofty prices generally reflect the postcode, although set lunches provide some financial relief – especially if you are inclined to delve deep into the patrician wine list, where bottles start at £40.
Dining Information:
Private dining room, Separate bar, Wheelchair access, Credit card required
28 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mayfair W1K 7EH
020 7499 9943
