On the hottest evening of the year so far, Prism’s windowless dining room might not be the obvious choice. However, as we stepped from the humid streets into the blissfully air-conditioned sanctuary, we knew we had made the right decision. The high ceilings and soaring columns give the former Bank of New York building an airy, if somewhat formal, charm and I imagine it is prime City slicker territory at lunchtime. On a Friday evening, however, there wasn’t a braying banker in sight and our fellow diners were quiet couples and smart post-work groups enjoying drinks and bar bites.
Cocktails are particularly good at Prism, though they’re not cheap at around £8-9 each. To start, we tried a Cluedo-themed tipple - the Colonel Mustard - made with mustard vodka from London distillery, Sipsmith. This was advertised elsewhere as a pear-flavoured conconction but what appeared at our table was more like an apple sour, complete with apple crisp. Absinthe green in colour, it was sour but smooth with a fiery after-kick from the mustard vodka. If apple’s not your thing, try the Bloody Scarlet – Prism’s take on the classic Bloody Mary, with an extra punch from the mustard vodka. To accompany our cocktails, a board of mini-nibbles – prawns with lemon and chilli; tiny skewered quail’s eggs topped with celery salt; and delicious chunks of fried chorizo on blobs of pungent aioli. All delicious and greedily demolished in seconds.
My starter of pea risotto had a creamy, comfort food consistency with crisp pea shoots, lemon and mint adding a summery freshness. The plump garden peas were sweet, if a little undercooked, and the rice, despite its pleasing bite, would have benefited from more seasoning. My companion fared better with a special of ox cheek ravioli - plump pasta parcels filled with an exceptionally rich, meaty ragu. Some excellent nutty bread came in handy for mopping up the sauce bordelaise, intensely flavoured with thyme, beef stock and good red wine.
While I struggled to pick a main course from the slightly uninspiring list, my companion immediately plumped for the Longhorn rib eye and was rewarded with a hefty, full-flavoured slab of cow. The wooden board it arrived on isn’t to everyone’s taste (as they don’t retain heat very well) but the steak itself was perfectly cooked with a smoky char on the outside and tender pink flesh within. While not quite up there with Hawksmoor’s beefy offerings, this was definitely one of the better steaks we’ve been served in the City.
A small side of spring greens was nice enough and some uninteresting chips were improved by dunking them in more of the bordelaise sauce (so good it had to be enjoyed twice). Less successful was my smoked poached haddock. This may have been a poor choice on my part but the generous piece of smoked fish smothered in hollandaise sauce was just too rich and far too much. Sat on it’s bed of salty samphire and accompanied by shards of crisp Parma ham which was saltier still, this was an unfortunate bit of ordering on my part.
With the pianist in one corner and the warm pink light streaming through the faux-windows, it’s easy to lose track of time at Prism. We lingered over a white chocolate dessert, which was inexplicably accompanied by dried fruit. In July? Surely berries would have made more sense? Thankfully, we left on a high as the charming manager handed over two adorably childish mini ice-cream cones and we stepped out on to the still-warm streets, dripping raspberry sauce all the way to Bank. Our meal might not have been flawless but we’ve rarely had such an enjoyable evening in the heart of the City – an area not exactly heaving with first class eateries. Full marks to our knowledgeable waitress too, for ensuring that Prism was a pleasant surprise at every stage.
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