The Traditional English Restaurants of London

One of the most famous fish restaurants in London, Bentley's has been a staple on the London scene for many a year. It once was the sort of place that fathers introduced their sons to when they felt that they were old enough to appreciate it; even the famous waitresses had more than a few years of experience under their belts.

The fathers would then sit there, boring their sons to tears with happy memories of the girls that they took there, the friends that they used to meet, the times that they partook of far too much to drink. All enough to put their sons off going there for ever. But it is that kind of place, inspiring great loyalty among its long-term fans.

Though it was once stuck in this time warp, Bentley’s has recently been taken over by top chef Richard Corrigan, of Lindsay House fame. Strangely he had once been Head Chef there when it was under the previous ownership.

He has rejuvenated and invigorated the once rather tired image, and it has re-opened to immediate acclaim and success; commentators have appreciated that, instead of smothering something wonderful with inappropriate and overwhelming sauces, he has allowed the quality of simplicity to come to the fore, and he demonstrates that good fish and seafood just needs to be fresh and carefully handled.

With an oyster and champagne bar downstairs, the serious eating goes on upstairs, offering a relatively uncomplicated menu of wonderfully fresh fish, such as butter poached smoked haddock with white beans, red mullet with olive oil mash and tomato or roast john dory with Jerusalem artichokes and rosemary.

Whilst Dover sole has always been a hugely popular dish, served very traditionally grilled with tartare sauce and lemon; meunière with capers, butter and parsley, colbert - breadcrumbed and deep fried, with beurre maître d’hotel or normande, filleted and glazed, with langoustines and mussels. Four right royal ways to treat a noble fish, bringing back happy memories for lovers of the old days of Wheelers.

Obviously they still specialise in oysters both up and down, but their Mediterranean fish soup would bring a smile to the face of a Frenchman as he would recognise it as the genuine article, smoked salmon is from Frank Hederman, while baked scallops with leeks and Parmesan or crab brûlée with sesame prawn toast sound wonderfully tempting.

It is a delight when a restaurant gets back on form, and Richard has achieved a successful rejuvenation, bringing Bentley’s into the modern age, but keeping age-old values, and bringing the customers flocking through the doors once more.

The opening times given are for the upstairs restaurant, The Oyster Bar is open from midday to midnight from Monday to Saturday and from midday until 10 pm on a Sunday.