Dion

The interior decor at Bank’s Dion, Leadenhall Street, has a flawless and fresh appeal with a corridor stretching deep to the rear and lined with lighted booths for pin-stripped managers and mergers to swill, gargle and spit exorbitant wines.

Wine carries the weight on the menu and there is an abundant selection of French and Italian varieties, yet an inadequate picking from Spain. The “cru classe” of Beaujolais is Fleurie – Millesime Cave de Fleurie 2006 -(£29), and is gamy beginnings, tasting tenderly of strawberries. Following France was one of only three Spanish varieties and a Dinastia Vivanco Rioja Crianza, 2004 (£29.50) packing more punch with rich and toasted spices in the backdrop of winter nightfall.

The evening menu is a tasting menu and is overall uninspiring. There’s nothing of substance to absorb the wine and – being The City – all is fabulously over-priced. The mini salmon & dill fishcakes at £6.50 arrived looking like four infinitesimal Scotch eggs with cocktail sticks poking out. They tasted dry and sapless and ghastly plain. Red onion & gorgonzola tartlet at £5.95 was flavoursome and a little better, yet the sliced Cumberland sausages with English mustard (also £5.95) was truly horrifying in texture and presentation, and made Canapés look like a jollification banquet.

A glass of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne to wrap up carries effervescent bubbles of cheer, and we toast to the hullabaloo of a birthday soiree and withdrew into the winter night in search of food with substance.