Comedy and Cocktails at The Jam Tree

I'm usually a bit wary of amateur stand up having witnessed many a comedian enthusiastically perform to a silent audience and subsequently resort to just shouting incoherently about orgasms/vaginas/pooing to squeeze a giggle from a crowd of corpses.

The secret entrance to the Bookcase Bar

However, the open mic night at The Jam Tree in Clapham Old Town was a) just round the corner, and b) FREE, so my flat and I thought we'd give it a try. The Jam Tree itself is a spacious cocktail bar serving traditional pub grub along with dishes from former British colonies (bit of a strange theme...), such as Jerk Chicken Salad and Sotong Manis. The comedy is held in the Bookcase Bar, accessed through- you guessed it- a bookcase. This extra touch gives the event an exclusive feel and the smaller room adds to the intimacy of the gig. 

We were all really impressed with the huge drinks list, particularly the signature cocktails which were all made up with real jam. 

The delicious Confiture

They're pretty expensive with even the cheapest starting off at £8.50, but fear not, if someone in your group has an iPhone they can download The Jam Tree app and receive 2 for 1 cocktails in exchange for tweeting about their purchase. My friend and I tried out the Confiture, a blend of Cariel Vanilla vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice, all shaken with raspberry jam. It was one of the tastiest cocktails I have ever had- the jam really stood out and gave it a delicious sweetness. At £4.25 it was great value for money, so make sure you bring an Apple fan along with you! 

The evening kicked off with the event organiser getting members of the audience to play the 'Yes/No Game'- a game where you have to answer questions without using the words 'yes' or 'no' for 30 seconds. It really is harder than it sounds and alas I missed out on a free drink by a mere 1.5 seconds. Still better than my flatmate (27 seconds) and definitely better than the guy who was first asked whether he'd played the game before, to which he straight-faced answered no. The compere then came on and did the standard awkward interrogation of audience members. He explained the rules (15 comedians, strictly 5 minutes each, cheerathon to decide who goes through to the next round) and then let them get on with it.   

One contestant shows the darker side to Superman...

So the venue and drinks ticked the right boxes, but what about the comedy itself? I can honestly say the quality was high and my flatmates and I were pleasantly surprised at spending more time laughing than cringing behind our menus. The 5 minute formula really worked. It meant that the three acts that bombed could make an early exit without it feeling awkward and those that didn't suit my own personal taste were soon off the stage anyway.

My personal favourite and runner-up

With 15 comedians performing, there was something to suit everyone, evidenced by us all debating and disagreeing on who the most and least funny acts were all the way home. One liked the 'awkward' act who read all his awful jokes out of his 'joke bag' to stunned silence and then delayed laughter, another preferred the shock comedian whose main focus was his dad abusing him, whereas my favourite was the Noel Fielding-esque guy who detailed the hope behind wishing the snail you just stepped on was actually a minstrel. At the end of the show the crowd voted for the two acts they wanted to progress through to the final round, with my own favourite comedian and a very funny Irish woman winning the coveted places. 

If you want a fun, cheap Sunday night in South London then I'd definitely give The Jam Tree a try. Delicious cocktails, a relaxed end-of-the-weekend setting and (hopefully) some belly laughs too. The next rounds are on 10th and 24th March, with the final held on 1st April. More info here: http://www.thejamtree.com/clapham/comedy

Splashing out? Enjoy a roast at The Windmill on the Common (£13.95) along the South Side of Clapham Common. You can't go wrong with the homely sofas and open fires at this famous pub. Check out the menu here: http://www.windmillclapham.co.uk/menu

Bukowski hits the spot

You'd be hard pushed to find somewhere else in London offering as wide a selection of interesting and good value restaurants as Brixton Market. Located right in the centre of the South London district, the lively Market Row houses a number of vendors selling fresh local produce as well as several pop-up shops and restaurants, maintaining the authentic market feel.

After some hefty umming and ahhing my boyfriend and I decided to opt for Bukowski Charcoal Grill. As soon as we walked through the door we were met by a waiter who apologised profusely for not being able to give us our own table (we were sitting next to another couple) but there was more than enough space and the restaurant's cosy feel meant that squeezing next to fellow diners felt in no way awkward or intrusive. The atmosphere of the restaurant is really relaxed, with an unpretentious stripped-back layout and view of the small open kitchen as you eat. All this twinned with friendly and attentive waiters gives the place an intimate feel which had me smiling before we'd even been handed our menus.

Chicano Pulled Pork

The burger menu offered interesting additions to the standard fare, with candied bacon and pickled onion with scotch bonnet accompanying the usual beef, cheese and lettuce combos. But the Speciality dishes are the real show-stoppers. I opted for the tantalising Chicano Pulled Pork, a dish marinated in Seville orange juice, achiote and mild ancho chili before being cooked for six hours and served with scotch bonnet and red onion pickle in a focaccia bun. All for £6.85? Yes please.

Hanger steak and chipotle salsa sandwich 

My boyfriend also hit the jackpot with his steak and chipotle salsa sandwich, filled with medium-rare steak marinated in beer and spices and served up in yummy toasted sourdough bread. Both our choices were deliciously tangy with a hint of spice which made the burgers stand out from your average GBK/Byron chain. The chefs have obviously made a real effort to add a little extra something to all the meals- the chips are not only triple cooked but also fried in beef dripping (mmm...) and their own organic tomato ketchup is probably the best I've ever tasted.

Bukowski has successfully nailed the art of being that little bit different without compromising taste or standards, sourcing ingredients from trusted suppliers who gather their produce organically. Although the prices are low, this is not the place to come for a greasy burger. With my boyfriend's meal costing £7.85 and the portions being so large that we simply shared a side of large fries between us (£2.75), our meal came in under £18. Drinks are very reasonably priced (I hardly ever find bottled beers for under £3.00) and although we had a dry lunch I'm definitely going to return for a 'Spiked Milkshake' of peanut butter, banana and Bourbon  sometime soon.

Spashing out? Head down the market to Prima Donna for a post dinner stack of blueberry pancakes with yoghurt and maple syrup (£5.50).

Do look down at Duck & Waffle

With an hour on top of the Shard setting you back £25 and half an hour on the London Eye costing £17, it seems that Londoners have to pay over the odds for a fairly hasty view over the city. 

Step in Duck & Waffle on the 40th floor of the Heron Tower, a lovely (and very affordable) restaurant offering incredible views of the city, 24/7. Rather than paying to peer through someone's shoulders or wander aimlessly around a pod trying to frame a perfect shot, at Duck & Waffle you can spend as long as you like admiring the view from their tranquil dining room with some tasty grub. Perfect.

One of the best things about Duck & Waffle is that it is open around the clock, allowing diners to gaze upon a different kind of London late at night or in the early hours. My friend and I chose to book an early morning breakfast, arriving at Liverpool Street station at half 7 to a dark winter day. Feeling a little worse for wear we soon perked up on discovering that getting up to the restaurant is an exhilarating experience in itself. You travel up a glass lift, soaring 230 metres in just 24 seconds as the city becomes a toy town expanding in front of you. When we arrived there was only one other group dining so we got to sit right next to a window with an incredible view of the The Gherkin. London was just beginning to twinkle and we waited patiently with our cameras poised for the enviable sunrise shot.

The sun rising over London from best seat in the house.

Once we had got over the excitement of the stunning daybreak we turned to the menu. The prices are very reasonable, especially when you consider their size. After eyeing the plates of our fellow diners we realised that one large dish between two would definitely be enough, so bought the signature duck 'n' waffle (£15) and the sourdough toast with a selection of jams (£3.50). It was more than enough food and absolutely delicious. How the chef managed to make the unusual combination of duck, egg, waffles and mustard maple syrup so tasty at that time of the morning is beyond me, but it was one of the best breakfasts I've ever had.

The signature duck 'n' waffle dish

After a couple of cups of tea the bill came in at a satisfying £25- just £12.50 each! We had spent two hours eating delicious food, drinking tea and gossiping with London waking up in front of our eyes- a far more economical and enjoyable way to enjoy the incredible view which the city has to offer.

Splashing out? Add a bit of bubbly to your morning. The Champagne Crusta cocktail is a delicious blend of Cognac, orange and lemon liqueur, lemon juice and sugar syrup topped with champagne (of course) for £14. Just make sure you don't have too much  of a laborious day at work/college/uni afterwards!