db Eats: Minnow

db’s Lucy Shaw heads to neighbourhood gem Minnow in Clapham Common for silky scallops, molasses-laced mallard and an expertly mixed Manhattan.

The concept: With London in danger of being inundated with cookie-cutter chain restaurants, it’s encouraging to see small independent players enter the game. Pretty, charming and quaint, Minnow in Clapham Common is the kind of neighbourhood restaurant every London borough would want.

The name was chosen by husband and wife owners Chris Frichot and Saba Tsegaye, as they feel like small fish in a big pond. Frichot has good restaurant pedigree, having worked at Hawksmoor and Caravan, while head chef Jake Boye was plucked from Jason Atherton’s Social Wine & Tapas.

The décor: With its pretty mint green façade and roses blooming in the window, Minnow charms before you even walk through the door. Inside, the décor is light and fresh, allowing it to effortlessly transform from a café during the day to a cosy restaurant at night with a sultry jazz soundtrack.

Minnow’s cosy nook

During the summer guests can make the most of Minnow’s walled garden. But in winter, the table to grab is the adorable nook downstairs, which is illuminated by stained glass.

Offering privacy and more than a hint of romance, the wall is hung with a pre-Raphaelite-style painting of a nude woman entwined in her sheets.

For those keen for a front row seat to the action, asked to be seated at the downstairs bar, which overlooks the open kitchen.

The food: Boye’s pared down menu shines a light on the best of British ingredients cooked with a European twist. The menu changes regularly, and, as with many forward-thinking venues, gives veg equal airtime as meat and fish.

The meal begins with an amuse bouche of whipped, lemon-laced curd resting on a razor-thin crisp topped with a fried mint leaf, which was utterly delightful.

My companion’s pig’s trotter with pearl barely and fresh truffle starter arrives in a rustic soup bowl. Steaming hot, its earthy truffle aromas and creamy barley provide welcome central heating on this chilly Tuesday night.

Signature dishes: The star of the show came early on in the meal. Listed simply as ‘scallops, bacon, seaweed’, the dish delivered on all flavour fronts and was so much more than the sum of its parts.

The silky scallops were cooked to perfection, and married magnificently with tiny cubes of rich, Frazzle-like bacon, possibly the best I’ve ever tasted, while a salty seaweed crisp brought crunch and texture to the elegant ensemble.

My main of roast mallard didn’t excite me quite as much, and was served with a rather terrifying looking claw, presumably plucked from the same duck.

The juicy pink meat was sweetened by a Moorish pomegranate molasses, and I enjoyed the sweet-sour interplay between the baby carrots and the sauerkraut.

The biggest disappointment of the evening was my companion’s hogget breast, which she gallantly grappled with for twenty minutes before admitting defeat – the meat impossible to prize off the bone.

Noting her battle, Jake came over and asked if she’d like another dish – a rarity in a busy restaurant. The replacement – a swan-white hunk of hake in a parsley broth was the winning main of the evening, the tender fish enlivened by the green parsley pond it floated in.

The drinks: It’s well worth starting the night with a cocktail, all of which are named after famous former Clapham residents.

My Grieg, named after Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, who stayed in Clapham when he played in London, was made from an intriguing mix of vodka, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, sea water and smoke, and had the saltiness of a manzanilla Sherry and the smokiness of an Islay single malt.

An expertly mixed Manhattan to see me off into the night reminded me of the beauty of simplicity, and how well made classic cocktails are often hard to beat.

The wine list is less of an event and could do with sprucing up. It features just seven whites, seven reds, two sparklers, a rosé and two wines served on tap.

Our bottle of Jaboulet Ainé Secret de Famille Côte du Rhône 2015 was silky and easy going with its perfumed notes of raspberries, cherries and red currants.

Who to know: Owners Chris Frichot and Saba Tsegaye. Chris was working the room on our visit with his easy charm and friendly conversation.

Don’t leave without: Sneaking a peek in the stained-glass alcove if you weren’t lucky enough to snag the table. It’s possibly the most romantic table for two in London.

Last word: Neighbourhood gems like Minnow are places to savour and cherish. The cooking wasn’t perfect – our sides were pretty hit and miss – but there is so much to love about Minnow it’s hard to leave without a pleasingly full tummy and a smile on your face.

When our triple cooked chips arrived I asked for some mayo to dip them in. Jake duly obliged by whipping me up a fresh pot of mushroom mayo.

When I left it was thrashing it down and I’d forgotten my umbrella. Noticing my predicament, the guy behind the bar upstairs whipped out one that had been left behind months ago and wished me a safe journey home. If only all service were this good.

Minnow, 21 The Pavement, London SW4 0HY; Tel: +44 (0)20 7720 4105