1 Lombard Street Restaurant

A little of the adjoining brasserie’s vivacity permeates this renowned fine-dining establishment & that’s no bad thing. The hum from its bubbly sibling tempers any tendency towards reverence in the restaurant’s subdued inner sanctum, housed within an august former banking hall. Herbert Berger’s cooking is fiercely eclectic, & his prowess is given full rein in the nine-course tasting menu (£45). The drama might open with oriental-spiced tuna carpaccio (perfect squares of fish dotted with regimented lines of black & white sesame seeds), before a robustly British feuilleté of smoked Finnan haddock with quail’s egg & Coleman’s mustard sauce, then a salad of crisp artichokes, wild mushrooms & French beans dressed with viscous pumpkin-seed oil redolent of Berger’s native Austria. As a finale, try Berger’s trademark: feuillantine of caramelised Granny Smith apple with Guinness ice cream & glazed hazelnuts. Unobtrusive yet clued-up service includes well-judged advice from the sommelier.

Wine List: WINE LIST: This is a fantastic global list. Within its 18 pages France is a speciality, claret lovers are particularly well served, while the US, Italy & Spain are the other highlights. There is decent range by the half & glass, but the real bonus is reasonable mark-ups – many wines at the top end are little more than retail price. BEST BUY WHITE 2006 Saint Péray, Bernard Gripa, Rhône Valley, France, £45. BEST BUY RED 2005 Palazzo della Torre, Allegrini, Veneto, Italy, £40.