So yeah, we know Mayfair, so yeah, we don’t live there, so yeah, we go there anyway, ‘cos it has some fun places to eat – dodging Botox and Perma-tans is my idea of fun.
We’re drawn to Corrigan’s on this occasion as he is offering BYO wine all August when you book at the bar – we polish our bottles of finest Mosel Riesling and Napa Cabernet and shimmy our way down to la-di-da Mayfair, dodging a Maserati or two off Mount Street.
I like Corrigan. This was re-inforced by a quite brilliant visit to Burgundy with him earlier this year, where his enthusiasm for wine shone through, the rare sight of a chef understanding and getting his rocks off by tasting great Burgundy. Bentley’s has always delivered the finest dressed crab in London amongst much else, and now Corrigan’s Mayfair has found its groove and confidently serves the power dressers that are coming back on the scene.
We plough on:
Pressé of cured Duck Liver, Confit and Roasted Quail - The little croquetas-style nugget steals the show here. A hedonistic morsel to chase round the plate, through a slick of liver on the plate. Impressive.
Ravioli of Suckling Pig with Roasted Lobster - Reads like a dream. Tastes dreamy. Perfect pasta encasing an eye-bulgingly good combination of sweet pig and Lobster, the Lobster announcing itself proudly with the shell on top. The Bankers must love this stuff.
Saddle of Rabbit, Girolles, Celeriac and Liver - Well cooked rabbit, subtle celeriac mash propping things up, delicately cooked liver, Girolles always good. Winner.
Tea Roasted Veal Sweetbreads, Wild Mushrooms, Braised Veal Tail - Super smoky sweetbreads (Lapsang Souchon?), and another cracking croquette containing the veal tail. Confident, confident cooking.
Corrigan’s won Menu of the Year 2010 at the July Catey Awards – it reads like a finely honed poem.
Dessert is well kept British cheeses, the usual suspects, Montgomery Cheddar, Stichelton et al.
Notable mention to the wines we brought:
Dunn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1998, Howell Mountain - I’ll blind taste this with any sommelier, and they’ll be coming at me with Bordeaux Chateau. Mineral, sleek, subtle Eucalyptus and menthol, balanced, fresh.
Martin Müllen, Trabacher Hühnerberg Riesling Spätlese Trocken 2008, Mosel - Another reminder that German Riesling, and above that The Mosel, produces the most glittering, crystalline, impeccably pure juice you will ever find. Dry as you like, focused, shattering clarity, show-stopping.
And so we pay the bill, espresso downed, and the idea of Scott’s is a late entry to the party. What was the bill? Punchy, Mayfair punchy, we’re in £15 starter and £28 territory, but we play the game as we brought our wine. All smiles.
So, to Scott’s….
28 Upper Grosvenor Street
W1K 7EH
