Rinky nights in Clapham

About five years ago, the sight of a new bar opening in Clapham would have been greeted with fervent enthusiasm by locals as they sought the next uber-cool hangout for their weekend drink.

But over the past couple of years the area has become saturated with unimaginative, soulless, chrome-polished bars trying to out-do each other with the biggest plazma screen they can squeeze past their equally soulless, unimaginative, and boot-polished doorstaff.

So it was with as much enthusiasm as Victoria Beckham reading the Sunday tabloids, that we headed down to Clapham High Street to review yet another new bar.

Coming out at Clapham Common Tube station we walked down the High Street past more chrome than you'd find at a Harley Davidson's convention before we came to Rinky Dink.

But it was with welcome relief that after a few strides through the door we could tell this bar was different to the rest in Clapham. Different because it simply wasn't trying as hard as its neighbours to impress.

Rinky Dink, has taken the biggest and best slice of Brixton's pubs and served it on a plate in Clapham. The decor has an eclectic feel as it retains the dark wooden floors and bar of a traditional pub, while mixing contemporary paintings and the obligatory plazma TV screen (albeit a mere 30").

Its music policy is a breath of fresh air - the underground independent house beats of Brixton and Camberwell have been wheeled across Acre Lane past the rest of commercial Clapham and in through the back door.

The wine and cocktail list is varied and reasonably priced: £5.50 for any cocktail and £3.90 for a glass of wine. The food/bar snack menu is also sufficient as a quick fix to prepare you for the night ahead, with everything from homemade burgers to platters with calamares and stuffed jalapenos.

With live djs at the weekend and a late licence, Rinky Dink is sure to attract a regular crowd and establish itself on the south London bar scene.

However, if there is one small drawback at Rinky Dink, it's the tired looking toilets. Probably a feature of old style pubs which could be done without here. But if there was ever a place for chrome to belong then you know where it could go...

Rinky Dink
38 Clapham High Street, SW4 7UR