Corrigan’s Mayfair is undoubtedly one of our favourite London restaurants

One of the unforeseen pitfalls of our little food club was the inevitable, “oh, I’d like to go there” from our better halves. So having the 16^th GLC at Corrigan’s under our belt, and following a lengthy debate about our favourite London restaurant for 2013 to-date, it was unsurprising a second booking was made for the ladies at Corrigan’s within a month.

Corrigan’s is typically Mayfair

Corrigan’s is located on Upper Grosvenor Street in the heart of Mayfair and its understated, yet conspicuously grand entrance is nestled within a row of white, Regency houses. The dark wooden panelling around the entrance, caries through into a dimly lit, slightly masculine interior capped-off with an inviting long-bar before you get to the tables. Now readers of the blog will know the GLC have developed a slightly worrying taste for gin martinis, and the long-bar at Corrigan’s is perfect martini-territory. The comfortable high stools, attentive barman, moody lighting, mirrored wall and a slight railway carriage feel make for a thoroughly enjoyable way to wile away some time. So much so, for our second visit we factored more ‘bar-time’ into our master plan.

Corrigan’s is a close quartered relaxed affair

The square dining area is packed with rectangular tables along the wall and circular tables in the centre of the room. I have to say my first impressions were the tables were quite small and quite close together, however this wasn’t the case at all. There’s something about the ambiance at Corrigan’s that made me feel surprisingly relaxed. I kid you not, I could sit in that restaurant for day’s let alone hours and be perfectly happy. But before we got too horizontal, there was some serious eating to do.

Corrigan’s dressed Vietnamese oysters every time

Having been to Corrigan’s the month before, we were already familiar with Corrigan’s dressed Vietnamese oysters, and even though we ordered the tasting menu, we couldn’t start the evening without these lemongrass and herb infused beauties. The first dish to arrive on the table was the pressed duck liver served in a regimented block with a gelatinous top and toast that tasted fantastic, being both light and moreish.

The next dish set the bar so high, that if I was ever asked what I would like for my last meal, my answer would be; Corrigan’s crab ravioli. This was without doubt one of the nicest dishes I’ve ever tasted and I couldn’t stop thinking about it for days afterwards. I even considered attempting the recipe myself, but thought better of it – something’s are best left.

Now the bar was set and the slow roasted pork had a tough gig on its hands, but it didn’t let us down and the crackling was wonderfully crispy.

Corrigan’s surprise dish

The next dist to arrive was ‘Corrigan’s surprise dish’, apparently the celebrity chef likes to surprise his patrons with an extra dish, not published on the menu and today’s choice was octopus – perfect!

The Pollock following the fish theme and was cooked to perfection, with the flesh being lovely and moist with a lovely crispy skin on top. The duck followed before the deserts arrived, and on missing out on the soufflé during our first outing, I was not going to make the same mistake twice, and I wasn’t disappointed.

From reading the Corrigan’s website, there’s a sentence I’d like to quote, namely, “Richard’s approach is defined by his belief in good hospitality coupled with excellent food”. I could not have put it better myself. Whilst the service could have been improved on both outings, the ambiance and quality of the food just can’t be faulted. The food is on a par with the likes of Le Gavroche and Murano, and the ambiance tips the balance to make this a very special restaurant indeed. I’m already planning our third visit!

Corrigan’s Mayfair
28 Upper Grosvenor Street
London
W1K 7EH
020 7499 9943
www.corrigansmayfair.co.uk

We spent: £150 p.p.
Nearest tube: Marble Arch