SOUK, Clapham

In my experience, the best nights come out of those that start badly.

This night in particular – a damp and miserable night towards the end of the year – followed one of the longest, hardest days at work, a day that never seemed to finish, accompanied by a boss that spat at me for every mistake I made (and the mistakes were plentiful). When I finally escaped through the revolving doors I breathed a sigh of relief, only to be cornered by a Christian missionary that informed me that I was definitely going to hell over and over (what, I wasn’t living it now?). I slipped over in a puddle in the race to avoid the above-mentioned missionary, dropping my phone in the process (bye bye lovingly made tracklists) and scuffing my new shoes. When I finally arrived at the pub where I was to meet my friend (after a half hour delay and a shut Bank station – could things get any worse?) I was a bedraggled mess, ready to hide under my covers and chalk the whole sorry twelve hours up as ‘just one of those days’.

But the day was not to end there. Whether or not I wanted to at that moment in time, I had prior commitments. And so, after a reviving and much needed glass of wine (or three), I found myself outside on the pavement again in the rain. I was on my way to SOUK, a bar and restaurant in Clapham.

Located on the prestigious Clapham high street, no more than a minute’s walk from Clapham Common tube station, SOUK’s humble façade belies its plush and opulent interior. Huge golden metallic gongs make for tables, leather seats are decorated with cushions (perfect for slightly soggy bodies that need a rest) and the venue is lit by candlelight (officially the sexiest lighting).

I immediately felt out of my depth. I’d turned up at the door weather-worn from the rain, but the friendly bar staff were soon to make me at ease. Don’t get me wrong, this is definitely a venue for elite London clientele. Everywhere I looked I saw gorgeous people mingling, eating, drinking, socialising in the single sex toilets (I know! Single sex toilets! I was disconcerted also, until I realised that they are the most beautiful, large and clean single sex toilets I’ve seen in a bar this size).

The bar has an Aladdin’s den feel about it. There is a large bar and a DJ booth in the far corner and it’s open late every night (Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 3am). The music on the menu ranges from funky to uplifting house, with events held regularly. For me and my guest, the music was just chilled enough to relax weary bones without sending us both to sleep.

The main focus of SOUK’s drinks menu is the cocktails; wine and beer taking a backseat. For good reason too, the cocktails are nothing short of divine, with a good splash of alcohol and innovative uses of interesting ingredients. Their signature cocktail – Midnight in Clapham – was a fruity mix of pear vodka, crème de mure, fresh blackberries and apple juice. The finished result was a zingy drink that you could easily drink lots of (although it should come with a health warning for its heady kick of alcohol).

The food, far from being an afterthought, is well-prepared and thought out, with dishes ranging from Lebanese dips and pitta bread to Far Eastern curries including the increasingly popular Thai dishes such as Thai beef and green curry. The menu is divided into sharers (three course or five course deals) and main meals such as Pad Thai. The prices, when you sit back on comfortable seats in an exclusive feeling bar in Clapham, are not bad at all. Your purse is sure to thank you for it in the morning.

It was so easy to get settled in to the cushions and not get back up that we stayed for hours. The cocktails were flowing, the food was great and the music was thumping. At 11 o’clock I checked my watch, thinking we’d only been there an hour and was shocked to see the time. A great night like the one I had at SOUK makes forgetting the miserable day earlier just that bit easier.

Review written for Fluid London.