1 Lombard Street - The Brasserie

This buzzing traditional Brasserie with a Modern European slant, serves food all day from breakfast till closing, with a full a la carte menu, selections of reasonably priced set menus and an extensive wine list. The high glass domed ceiling that looms above the bar area of this former banking hall makes for an impressive place to meet for drinks or indulge in the authentic tapas menu, before moving on to either the Brasserie or, for rather grander dining, the Restaurant.

Beneath the kindly light of the large glass dome breakfast is served in the Brasserie and, as well as the customary more restrained dishes, such as porridge ad the traditional English breakfast there are eggs Benedictine, smoked haddock Monte Carlo, grilled kippers, grilled lamb kidneys diable, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, and toast and butter with gentleman's relish, or if you are really gearing up for a big day the grilled ribeye steak with fried egg should do the trick. This has to be amongst the top flight of breakfast menus in London.

However the day progresses, so moving on to sterner stuff look for lunchtime starters of crab and prawn salad with Bloody Mary sorbet, grilled Provençal vegetables with rare tuna, a warm salad of duck confit, beef carpaccio with rocket, or a delightful salad of slow cooked pork galette with seared foie gras, aided and abetted by walnut oil and sherry vinegar. A straightforward fish soup is served with garlic bread and aioli to make a cold day seem suddenly warmer, and for those who like their penne, carbonara comes to their aid, served with raw organic egg yolk and parmesan.

From the sea the menu can run to grilled sword fish, or roast skate wing, a casserole of mussels and clams draws the line between a bisque and a fish stew, before taking a look at the true brasserie style items of bangers and mash or grilled calf's liver and bacon. But brasseries are place of indulgence where such dishes as roast suckling pub, a grilled veal t-bone steak, or a whole grilled Jersey plaice with parsley, anchovy and lemon butter are there for the temptation of those who think that life is too short for ignoring a little of what you really like.

The humble wood pigeon provides a dense, dark meat that, carefully handled, makes a delicious dish, and here it has been blackened and served with braised red cabbage and game pepper jus

Perhaps a sterner line should be drawn at the puddings where hot chocolate fondant competes with the likes of pear and blackberry crumble or warm goat's cheese dartois. In less clement times a warm spiced winter fruit pudding is enough to restore your faith in human nature, never mind French cooking.

Any wine list than can field 26 champagnes should command respect, particularly when combined with a house selection that leans towards the exotic.

Click on their attractive and clearly set out Website for further information about such matters as the degustation dinner menu and other events.