Small but perfectly formed, The Rapscallion turns away as many hungry diners as it seats so make sure you reserve your spot.

The Venue
The Rapscallion has a much-envied position on Clapham’s Venn Street, directly opposite the very popular Clapham Picturehouse, so its own success was always practically guaranteed. Unfortunately, this is one tiny little venue so it fills up very – very – quickly. Inside, you’ll find the bar dominates the right-hand side of the room with a couple of high stools pushed against it. The rest of the diminutive space is filled with a red sofa that spans the periphery and nine – count ‘em – little dining tables. That is all. In the summer they manage to add a handful of extra tables outside. The decor, however, stops it from feeling claustrophobic, aided by the large front window that floods the bar with light. The white floor and walls keep it airy and the funky up-lighters and low-hanging modern lights keep it from feeling dark and dingy in the evening. A large mirror also does a good job of creating the illusion of space.

The Atmosphere
Although the Rapscallion is a mix of bar and restaurant, many people come here looking for pre-movie grub. And many leave disappointed as the tables do fill up extremely quickly. It’s definitely worth reserving your spot in advance or settling in at the bar for a wait to be seated. And the bar itself is a strongpoint in its own right and shouldn’t be seen as second to the food. The crowd is mainly local, young and attractive and the staff are welcoming and friendly. It works well as a neighbourhood local.

The Food
The menu changes regularly and is a mix of influences, from Italian to Oriental. It’s also well priced and definitely more restaurant-grub than bar snacks. For starters, an octopus salad with artichokes and mixed leaves (£5.50) would have worked incredibly well – with lots of tender pieces of octopus and very fresh artichokes – if it weren’t for the fact it arrives drowned in balsamic vinegar, taking away from the freshness of the dish. Better, is the soft shell crab rolls (£7.50). The delicate rolls with rice and nice chunks of perfectly seasoned soft shell crab are well complemented by the jalapeno, tobiko and chilli mayo for a surprisingly light starter.

For mains, the fresh lobster spaghetti (£18.50) is a delight and is incredibly well priced given the generous chunks of fresh, sweet lobster that pepper the al dente spaghetti. It comes in a delicate garlic, white wine, parsley and chilli sauce that tastes almost creamy, despite being a clear sauce, and the sweet tomatoes bring it all together perfectly. Also excellent is the duck breast with bok choi and noodles (£14). The duck is tender and well portioned, although they have missed a massive trick in not serving it pink as that would make this dish truly perfect. Instead, it loses some of its sweetness. Still, it’s an excellent piece of meat that works well with the noodles in a wonderful, slightly sweet sticky sauce. Delicious.

For dessert, the cheese board (£8) is very generous with large chunks of fresh cheeses, including Beenleigh Blue, Lincolnshire Poacher and Berkswell, all served with fresh bread. However, instead of chutney, it comes with a mango and a strawberry syrup, which ruins the presentation and flavour of the cheese. Alternatively, try the delicious, cream-filled profiteroles (£4) for a delightful finish to your meal.

The Drink
The bar is a real selling point of The Rapscallion and the drink selection is excellent. There’s a huge choice of wine, well priced between £14 and £45, with a good mix of old and new world bottles including various grapes and regions. But it’s the draught beer that really surprises, with the fairly rare – and delicious – Brooklyn beer on tap. Alternatively, they offer draught Budvar. This is a big thumbs up. They round up the choice with very well priced cocktails. The berry bellini (£8.50) is made with real champagne (a boutique Gaston Chiquet) and is muddled with mixed berries and Pimms for a light, sweet cocktail. The passion and apple martini (£6.75) is perfectly mixed, has an alcoholic kick from the 42 Below vodka but is ultimately sweet and light. And the Stimulant can be enjoyed as a dessert in itself with vodka, espresso and coffee liqueur served on the rocks. Who needs a latte after dinner when you can have one of those?

The Last Word
The Rapscallion is a fantastic little spot – little being the operative word. They’d be able to fill their venue three times over on a Friday night, but then maybe it would lose its cosy appeal. Worth a visit for dinner or drinks, whether you’re visiting the cinema or not.

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