The Tinsmith rose from the ashes of Tally’s, which was once one of Dundee’s most popular pubs but latterly fell on hard times as people were drawn away by the allure of Perth Road’s bars and restaurants.
It’s owned by the same business partnership, Jakub Zakrzewski and Andrew McMahon, that operates the next-door D’arcy Thompson restaurant and nearby West House.
The former has a reputation as one of the city’s best restaurants and the latter is a pub that does fine food and even better cocktails.
Things boded quite well for The Tinsmith.
We arrived for dinner on a murky Monday evening in the post-Christmas January slump, and there was only one other couple in eating.
The pub has been fully refurbished and has a cosy atmosphere with pleasant music played at an appropriate background volume.
The large screen televisions that adorn most walls feel incongruous but other than that it’s a very pleasant spot.
We ordered starters of BBQ chicken wings and haggis and black pudding fritters.
The wings came arranged around a small salad pot and coated with a sweet and sticky sauce that was very tasty indeed.
They are impossible to eat without making a mess of your fingers (and face if you’re as gluttonous as I am) but the taste treat was well worth a bathroom trip to wash my hands between courses.
My compatriot almost swooned at the taste sensation that are the fritters and spent the next few minutes raving about them. Having pilfered a couple of them I can confirm they are delicious, especially with the accompanying red onion chutney.
I stuck with the chicken theme for the main course, picking fajitas, while my culinary companion chose the chilli burger.
Fajitas are one of those pleasingly busy dishes and I spent a few happy moments spreading guacamole, salsa and soured cream over my tortilla before adding the spicy chicken and vegetable stir-fry.
Then I munched as much of it as I could before my ham-fisted folding fell apart and I finished the rest with a knife and fork.
It was pretty good, although it wasn’t until writing this that I noticed it didn’t come with the grated cheese advertised on the menu. Tsk.
The burger is homemade, perfectly cooked, tender … and huge. It’s for big eaters only especially if you’ve had a starter but there is also a “Tin Saver” burger that may suit normal-sized appetites better.
The Tin Saver range costs £5.95 and also includes macaroni cheese, spicy veg casserole, and chilli con carne.
Other mains cost £9-10 while the starters are £3.75-£5.
There’s also a range of pies at around the £6 mark, while a lunchtime toasted baguette will cost £6-£7. That’s pretty decent value for what is very good pub fare.
We planned to go halfs on a deep fried Mars bar with Irn Bru ice cream (£4.95) but after the mountain of food we’d just consumed neither of us had the stomach for it.
Admittedly she wasn’t rushed off her feet but the barmaid, Paula, was excellent.
She was prompt with menus and kept a close eye without being intrusive clearing plates as soon as we’d finished eating and taking drink orders when our glasses were nearly empty.
Being a beardy old man, I’d have liked to see a better range beers on draught, and I wasn’t wild about all the TV sets, but other than that I have no complaints.
The food is excellent and well-priced.
The Tinsmith also has a refurbished beer garden entered via large, newly-installed concertina doors, so it should be a fine spot for an al-fresco summertime beer.
Rating: 40/50
Info: www.thetinsmith.co.uk