Sampling the menu at No 32. The Old Town

For someone who has spent a large majority of her twenties falling in and out of bars in Clapham, it’s kind of surprising that I’d never visited No.32 The Old Town.

With its effortlessly stylish yet homely decor and varied menu No. 32 makes for the perfect dinner date location. Also, I haven’t added to my #DiningWithMyDog series in a while, but what a treat I have in store for you today… 

No 32. The Old Town: But first cocktails 

I am just about getting over my holiday withdrawals – but there are some things that have helped considerably. And top of that list is No 32’s Pineapple daiquiris which are just divine. The perfect start to an evening in my opinion and Dem’s grapefruit pink gin looked pretty tasty as well! 

Eating at No.32 The Old Town 

If you asked what my favourite food was, I would probably have to say, Thai. Closely followed by picky bits. What the funk am I talking about? Well, I’m referring to small dishes, nibbles, sharers or as I call them… picky bits. The food equivalent of dating. 

I’m almost always guaranteed to request “picky bits” instead of having a big main meal much to Dem’s annoyance (can you just pick one main meal, rather than 4 small ones!)  The benefit: plenty of choices, without the commitment of having to couple up with just one dish. 

No 32. The Old Town: Choosing a main 

With my penchant for picky bits, I went for a selection of small plates including Thai style crab cakes w/ sweet chilli crème fraîche, butternut squash falafels and fennel spiced crispy squid. Dem is currently trying to reduce his meat intake (despite having a steak lunch two days in a row) and he opted for the halloumi & crushed avo burger. 

He then proceeded to take a confused bite, asking me to check if it was chicken as it tasted too good to be meat-free. Nope, it was breaded halloumi. Which tastes precisely nothing like chicken –  his rogue tastebuds never fail to amuse me!  

Dining with my dog – Winner winner chicken dinner

From the clever treat placement, it might look as if we were sharing our crab cakes with Bear. We’re not advocates of explosive dog diarrhoea so we prefer to keep her diet as simple as possible.

But when our waitress asked if Bear would like a little bit of plain chicken we thought, why not. So we were pleasantly surprised when a huge dish piled up with chicken arrived. I’ve never seen Bear so excited, and genuinely think she would have bust out a full tap and jazz routine if it meant getting that chicken any faster. 

Service on point – even on thirsty Thursday 

It was a busy weeknight when we visited No.32 The Old Town with a mix of thirsty-Thursdayers, date nights and girly catch-ups going on simultaneously. With every table filled it would have been easy for them to let the service slide. But I can happily say this wasn’t the case and want to give a special shout out to our waitress Barbie who kept us topped up, offered menu recommendations, hilarious anecdotes as well as making a big old fuss over little Bear. 

Part of the Darwin and Wallace chain, No.32 offers all-day eats, a vast cocktail menu and a laid back chilled vibe. On the night we visited, we were kindly gifted a loyalty card for the entire chain, which gives the perfect excuse for us to try out their roast dinners in Battersea, the cocktails in Chiswick, the vegan treats in Richmond… the list goes on.

What to order:

• Pineapple daiquiris all day long
• The fennel spiced crispy squid was a personal fave
• Menu available here

Pricing: 

• Small plates: £6.50 – £8.95 
• Larger plates: £11:50 – £16.95 

Getting there

• Nearest tube: Clapham Common 
• Nearest overground: Clapham High st

https://www.no32theoldtown.co.uk/ 

Have you tried out one of the Darwin and Wallace bars? I’d love to know what you thought xo

*I was kindly invited to No.32 The Old Town – where we were gifted complimentary drinks and food. I was under no obligation to post and all thoughts are my own.