Bank is probably one of the busiest crossroads in London, the busiest tube station, is right in the heart of the city of London and is at the heart of London Banking community, so it was no surprise that when we were invited to review 1 Lombard Street, we found that the restaurant used to be a grand bank building dating from 1776, and on the day we went for lunch it was buzzing as the restaurant and brasserie was packed with city diners enjoying the grandiose surroundings and honest food.
Indeed, the building is Grade II listed, and as you enter the restaurant your eyes can’t help but be drawn to the far end of the large vaulted room to a stunning circular skylight casting wonderful light onto the circular bar that dominates the back of the restaurant, which is perfect for an early evening drink before wending your way home. To be honest my bank never looked like this, but I suppose in the 1770’s when this building was built, banking was only for the rich, and the place you banked needed to be this impressive, and that grandeur serves it well today. 1 Lombard Street is a bar, a brasserie and a restaurant, and so caters for all the city types from 7.30am through to midnight, whether you need a coffee and cake or a more substantial meal.
The dome bar is framed by the dramatic domed skylight which provides a perfect location for a quick morning coffee, a lunchtime bite or after work drinks with colleagues and friends and serves wonderful cocktails as well as an extensive wine list, mainly from France, to suit all tastes and price ranges.
Despite the draw to the bar, we resisted, and made our way to our table at the back of the restaurant, an intimate space perfect for special celebrations or business meetings. The menu is designed by head chef Juri Ravagli, and is simple but suitably expansive, to enable even the fussiest of diners to find things they like. Starters are split into either hot or cold with a heavy influence of seasonal and classic British and European cuisines. There are usual favourites like Grilled Goats Cheese with beetroot and rocket salad (£13.50), and Salt and Pepper Squid (£9.75) and a tempting Charcuterie selection (£10.75) with crispy bread, but I was drawn to the Wild Mushroom Risotto with Taleggio and herbs (£16.50), and my wife, the Lobster Spaghetti (£26). The risotto was lovely and rich and the wonderfully sticky rice was interspersed with fulsome mushrooms. Nestled in this was chunks of the wonderfully mild but strong smelling Taleggio cheese which melted beautifully, adding its trademark slight fruity tang to the pungent mushrooms. Although expensive, my wife’s lobster spaghetti was truly worth every penny, as large chunks of lobster were surrounded by slightly al dente pasta, all in a subtly garlic flavoured tomato sauce, which was one of our dishes of the year so far!
Our choice of mains was equally difficult as there was so much to choose from, with many wonderful British favourites under the broad headings of Fish, Meat, Steaks and for the health conscious, Salads, including a Thai Beef Salad (£19.50) and that super food Red Quinoa Salad (£14.50). Despite the pull of the salad (!) I opted for a dish I haven’t had for a long time, the Roasted Corn Fed Chicken Supreme (£26.50) with truffle mash, and my wife chose the Curried Fishcake (£19.50) with a lime yoghurt dip. My chicken was succulent and perfectly cooked (although I would have preferred a slightly crispy skin to add texture to the dish) resting on creamy truffle mash, and the flavours just burst in my mouth. I grudgingly had to admit that my wife’s choice was actually better, as the lightly curried fish was encased in the lightest, crispiest breadcrumb case, providing a clever contrast between the crispy outer and creamy interior all sitting on the slightly sharp lime yoghurt. With this my wife opted for a side of dauphinoise potatoes (£5.50) and sprouting broccoli, garlic, chilli and almonds (£4.50) which were lovely and crunchy.
Having eaten those two courses, we decided to take a rest for a few minutes before tackling the desserts, as the portions are on the generous side, and we sat back enjoying our well-priced crisp Chilean Sauvignon Blanc (£22) watching our fellow diners equally enjoying their lunches. The dessert menu is equally traditional and I opted for the Ashanti Chocolate Fondant (£9.50) with poached pear and salted caramel ice cream, and my wife chose the Sticky Toffee Pudding (£8.50). The fondant takes 15 minutes, but is well worth the wait and as I broke through the crunchy rind of the small chocolate cake the molten chocolate cascaded out - pure heaven. Accompanying this chocoholics dream was a smooth salted caramel ice-cream of which my only complaint was that there wasn’t enough of it, it was that good!. My wife’s Sticky Toffee Pudding was equally moreish and the light sponge soaked in toffee sauce, worth leaving room for!
This restaurant is situated in the heart of the City, but caters for more than just those on expense accounts. The mantra here seems to be quality ingredients, cooked well, in wonderful surroundings, and this has served them well as they have been going strong for 20 years and I suspect they will continue for many years to come.
1 Lombard Street, City Of London, London EC3V 9AA - Telephone: 020 7929 6611