March 2007
by Toby Young
Let me begin by saying I’m a huge fan of Richard Corrigan, the barrel-chested Irishman who owns Bentley’s Oyster Bar and Grill. Last week, another Irish chef--Kevin Thornton--took him to task for participating in the BBC’s Great British Menu series in which various chefs competed for the chance to cook for the Queen on her 80th birthday--but it would take more than a bit of forelock-tugging to turn Corrigan into an honorary Englishman. He’s a one-man Celtic Tiger.
If anything needed an injection of convivial Irish charm, it was Bentley’s. Founded in 1916, it used to enjoy a similar reputation to Scott’s as one of London’s premier fish restaurants, but by the time Corrigan took over in 2005 it was teetering on the brink. Acquiring the lease was a moment of triumph for him because he’d worked in the kitchen of Bentley’s 12 years earlier. In the interim, he’d honed his skills at Lindsay House, winning a Michelin star in the process, and opened a bar and restaurant at the top of the Gherkin. He was just the man to restore Bentley’s to its former glory.
To a very great extent, Corrigan has succeeded. Bentley’s is located in Swallow Street, just off Piccadilly and has a bucolic, Hogarthian atmosphere that makes every trip to the restaurant enjoyable.
Decanter April 2006
- 'True Hospitality'
- 'What was most impressive was the judgement of flavours, superb ingredients and mostly perfect execution
- Wine list: **** Four Stars (out of five)
'Financial Times' Nicholas Lander January 2006
- 'New pearl in an old shell'
'Independent on Sunday' Terry Durrack December 2005
- 'Capable of Greatness'
- 'the wine list is a multi-faceted joy'
'The Times' AA Gill December 2005
- 'Mother-of -Pearl'
- Five Stars ***** (out of Five)
'Metro' Marina O'Loughlin December 2005
- 'The boy done good'
- Four Stars **** (out of five)
’Evening Standard’ Fay Mashler November 2005
- ’Excellent’ **** Four Stars (out of five)
- ’Plain Grilled Dover Sole beautifully trimmed -a fish on a dish- was perfection’
