Irish chef Richard Corrigan’s eponymous restaurant in Mayfair arrives along with the news that his Michelin-starred restaurant, Lindsay House, will close in the summer of 2009. But fans of Lindsay House shouldn’t be worried, as Corrigans Mayfair provides the same high quality food that the chef has become known for.

The Venue
Corrigans Mayfair is a small, intimate restaurant, with low ceilings and an old fashioned, manly, hunting lodge feel – quite fitting as the menu here is heavy on game. Near the entrance is the bar, which gives way to the dining area at the rear. Thick, solid tables are framed by pale blue leather chairs and benches, red walls and gold wooden floors give off a warm glow, and small red, chained lights hang from the ceiling – even the wine buckets continue the rustic feel with deer heads, albeit metal ones, affixed to the sides. Along the wall is a frieze of carved wood criss-crossed with a duck or two in flight – suspend your disbelief for a minute and you could be lying in tall grass with a faithful hound at your side, about to turn that duck into dinner.

The Atmosphere
Corrigan’s reputation means that serious foodies are in their element here, and staff are more than happy to go into minute detail about everything from the food to the wine to the whole ethos of the restaurant. As this is Mayfair, though, you can expect a few of the see-and-be-seen set, where eating at a restaurant like this is more of a social event than a gastronomic one. Genuinely friendly service adds a nice extra touch to the overall experience.

The Food
The menu at Corrigans Mayfair is inspired by the chef’s rural Irish upbringing, and just one look at what’s on offer is enough to make your own wistful memories of childhood meals seem paltry in comparison. Quail eggs, octopus carpaccio, pheasant? Corrigan must have been one lucky kid. Fans of British cuisine will be spoilt for choice, with loads of seasonal offerings alongside traditional classics given an inventive twist – if you like this type of food, you’ll be hard pressed to narrow it down to one choice. There’s a relatively wide variety of prices as well, with a fair few on the lower end of the spectrum in case your wallet is making the decisions for you.

Starters range from £7 to £12.50, with the famous oysters offered at six for £16, nine for £22 and 12 for £28. Those looking to try oysters along with something else, however, should be more than happy with the fried oyster with chorizo, fennel and apple (£8). Three plump, succulent oysters are fried in a batter so light it’s almost tempura-like in texture. Each of these is placed on top of a fat slice of chorizo, which has a deep red colour and a slightly oily, salty taste. Should all these strong flavours be a bit too much on the palate, however, the accompanying sliced apple and fennel balance out the heaviness with their crisp, sharp flavours. The soft boiled duck egg with brown shrimps is the all grown up version of boiled egg and soldiers, with a well cooked duck egg complete with yellow, gooey yolk and tangy little brown shrimp cascading out of it. A wedge of well textured prawn toast takes the place of soldiers, but like its predecessor is still exceedingly dunkable in the egg yolk.

Mains are divided into fish (£18 - £24) and meat and game (£13.50 - £22, plus a fillet of beef with snails for two for £45). The butter poached haddock with lobster and creamed parsnip (£18.50) is a dish that manages to be complex but delicate at the same time, with the meaty haddock a good contrast to the creamed parsnips, which have an almost foamy consistency. Small beans are mixed through the dish which add a bit of sweetness and texture, and a good portion of lobster sits on top - just a tiny bit overcooked but with a welcome flavour. Roe venison arrives on the plate in two ways: two simple, pink and tender slices; and wrapped inside a pastry parcel. The pastry is crisp and glazed, with layers of chopped mushrooms and a slice of bright green kale to unearth before hitting the peppery meat. On the side is a little scoop of pickled cabbage, dark purple in colour and almost too intense to eat at first; however, paired with the venison it proves a good match. A side of well cooked spinach (£3.50) is livened up by pine nuts and pale yellow golden raisins, so juicy that they may as well be grapes.

Puddings (£5.50 - £7.50) continue the traditional-with-a-twist theme. The lime and cheese souffle (£7.50) comes highly recommended by staff, and with its light, fluffy texture it’s a good balance of strong, tart lime and the slightly more subtle cheese. The chocolate brownie with sour cherry ice cream is the only real disappointment, with the brownie being a kind of complex mousse construction instead of the hoped for chewy, doughy brownie, and the sour cherry ice cream is slightly too sugary and delicate.

The Drink
The wine list is overwhelming at first, with over 300 bottles on offer and what seems like mini-biographies at the top of each section; however, the restaurant’s sommelier is more than happy to offer suggestions based on what you’ve ordered. Many of the wines on the list are grown biodynamically and made from organically grown grapes – a noble way to match the theme of the menu. Most of the offerings are French, and whilst some bottles on the list head into quite a high price range (there’s one for £1,600), a few are available for under £20 if you look carefully. The main range, though, seems to be about £30 - £40, with several varieties available by the glass and carafe. A 2007 Lugana Veneto (£32) is a crisp, clean tasting wine that’s light enough not to compete with the flavours of fish dishes, but strong enough to stand up to the meatier offerings on the menu.

There’s a varied cocktail list as well, starting from £9.50. The Italian Job is designed as an aperitif and is made with Campari, vodka, orange juice, passion fruit juice and sugar syrup, with a fresh citrus taste and sliced pomegranate floating in the pale pink drink. Classic martinis are available as well, with a choice between vodka and gin; the Ketel One version is well blended. If you’re having a drink at the bar beforehand, don’t pass up a tray of canapes – particularly the fried olives with goat’s cheese, which are surprisingly light and extremely moreish.

The Last Word
Corrigans Mayfair looks set to take over where Lindsay House leaves off, with inventive dishes that pay homage to classic British cuisine.

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