Review on Bentley's
Bentley's used to be Richard Corrigan's old stamping ground: he worked there years ago, learning his craft before hitting the big time at Lindsay House in Soho. Now he's come back to revitalise and resurrect the old Mayfair sea dragon. The restaurant celebrated its ninetieth birthday in 2006 and was given a sympathetic re-furb to mark the occasion. The overall effect is 'William Morris Englishness meets old-style Dublin stout bar'.
The ground-floor bar is a study in marble offset by red leather banquettes, hand-beaten silver candleholders and stuffed seabirds beside a piano. Rock and native oysters from Falmouth, Colchester and Ireland are the stars, but you can also get things like fish pie or langoustines with mayo.
Upstairs is the main restaurant, all freshly done out in shades of cream and petrol blue. Corrigan has devised 'a temple of natural produce' (aka. a daily menu) that advertises crab brûlée with sesame prawn toast, John Dory with Jerusalem artichokes and rosemary, red mullet with roast pumpkin, and sauté lobster with chilli and coriander.
Seafood rules, but meat and game make their presence felt in the shape of calf's liver with red onion and beetroot, roast Goosnargh duck, and a muscle-pumping mixed grill of suckling pig sausage, beef fillet, pork belly and lamb chop. Desserts are wholeheartedly seasonal, ranging from strawberry jelly with ice cream to warm rice pudding with Yorkshire rhubarb or spice cake with hot bananas. Wines by the glass and fish-friendly selections loom large on the enticing list.
Bentley's is also featured in: Michelin Guide, Good Food Guide, Hardens
Rate this RestaurantCuisine
Modern British / Seafood
Chef
Richard Corrigan and Michael Lynch
Restaurant Opening Times
Lunch: 12.00 - 2.30pm Mon-Fri
Dinner: 5.30 - 10.30pm Mon-Sat
Accepted credit cards
Visa, Master Card, American Express