1 Lombard Street has been a pinnacle of fine dining for workers in the City for over 15 years, sited in pole position next to Mansion House, alongside some of the grandest buildings in London, and directly opposite the Bank of England.
Upon arrival, 1 Lombard Street is warm and inviting, with music and chatter. It features the building’s stunning glass cupola – a centre piece Dome designed by Italian architect Pietro Agostini which houses The Dome Bar. Dim light and grey curved booths help to create this relaxing and elegant space. All the staff were friendly and helpful, general manager George introduced himself and was happy to answer any questions, as well as recommend a delicious New Zealand white wine.
We dined in The Brasserie, which has a varied and appealing menu. The layout of the Brasserie is designed in such a way, enhancing the shape of the building, that it has an almost amphitheatre feel, wherever you sit, you can see all that is going on, yet it still manages to retain an intimate atmosphere.
It took us a while to decide what to eat, as the menu featured so many eye-catching classic with a contemporary twist and fresh fish dishes. For the table, we had warm organic sourdough bread, fresh from a nearby bakery, complemented by salty butter. To start, I had lightly grilled goat’s cheese with salad, while my accomplice had wild mushroom risotto that had the hearty, rustic flavour of the earth.
For my main course I chose a curried fishcake counterbalanced with a tangy lime yoghurt with sprouting broccoli covered in chilli and almonds. The portions were generous sizes; in fact neither of us could finish our main! My friend chose the fresh whole Dover Sole, which was smothered in butter and melted in the mouth, accompanied with tossed green salad leaves.
We shared a dessert- The Ashanti Dark Chocolate Fondant, with a dark chocolate outside and an oozing chocolate melting middle, served with cold salted caramel ice-cream, which went beautifully together.
If you’re looking for an intimate, elegant space to eat tasty, fresh, modern food, with staff who are helpful and friendly, then 1 Lombard Street is the place to go. Chef Juri believes dishes at 1 Lombard Street should never try too hard and should be inspired with classic influences , and from our experience dining here, this is most certainly true.
Address: 1 Lombard Street, London EC3V 9AA / +44 (0)20 7929 6611 / reception@1lombardstreet.com
