Classic restaurant re-born

Strangely enough, the new Bentley's is a restaurant that pays homage to the old Bentley's.

Richard Corrigan is the ebullient chef/proprietor of the Lindsay House (see p. 141) and he has refurbed Bentley's in a way that is both sensitive and very effective.

Downstairs there is both a charming bar and the famous oyster bar; upstairs there is the more formal dining room.

The oyster bar has the best feel to it, the craic is good here! So are the oysters.

Downstairs the menu is a tad shorter and all fish, upstairs half a dozen meat dishes are added.

Everything is underpinned by Corrigan's obsession with carefully sourced, top-quality ingredients.

The smoked salmon comes from Frank Hederman in Ireland, the fillet of beef comes from West Cork.

From the starters the smoked sturgeon with crème fraÎche is teamed with delicate miniature blinis; there's a Mediterranean fish soup; and home-cured herrings with warm potato and grape mustard.

From the fish dishes the Bentley's fish pie is worth noting; also the breaded fillet of plaice with tartare sauce - what a delicious and meaty fish plaice can be.

Or you could opt for a classic Dover sole; or zander with smoked eel and pickled cabbage.

And hurrah! There are savouries on the menu: a Guinness rarebit, or perhaps a Crozier Blue cheese that has been soaked in Banyuls.

Puds range from delightful steamed stodge to vanilla ice cream with rosehip sauce.

The wine list is accommodating, if pitched at Piccadilly prices.

A very good place to eat.

Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill
Swallow Street, London, W1B 4DG