The Twa Tams in the Fair City has established itself as a local live music hotspot – but it’s their new selection of food that’s set to make it the full package.
I was invited down to the Perth pub to sample their new brunch menu and late night musical munchies selection, and I was not left hungry.
Establishing itself as one of the city’s busiest watering holes, the Scott Street venue is known to attract punters from across Scotland with its fresh ale, upbeat music and service with a smile.
The boozer, which hails itself as ‘the pub for food, fun and music’, has been entertaining Perth and beyond since 1975, and features an all-weather beer garden and a long, wood-panelled bar.
Belle and Sebastian, Travis, Frightened Rabbit and KT Tunstall are all known to have performed there, making it the cornerstone of the Fair City music scene.
I have been known to frequent the pub for a night out with friends, saying I will stay for one but the talented acts that the venue often have performing always convince me to stay and even enjoy a boogie.
The place for food?
It is not somewhere where I’d had food before, so I was excited to try their fresh new menu and see if the boozer, known for its music, could also put itself on the map as a dining location.
I was invited to sit in a quiet spot in the corner – although it was not a quiet day for the staff.
A number of college groups were gracing the stage to perform as part of an assessment, so the music helped to provide an authentic bouncing Tams experience.
I was handed two menus, a brunch one and the new musical munchies version which is set to be rolled out in the evenings from 8pm until 10pm when punters come in and hunker down to enjoy a live set.
The brunch menu will be offered from April 1 – and the selection does not disappoint. Being vegetarian, it can sometimes be hard to find a dish that I can both eat and is a standout.
But the Twa Tams have concocted an excellent selection of bagels, filled rolls and omelettes to suit every palate.
I was torn between the rocket and grilled halloumi avocado toast (£6.95) and the HLT bagel, filled with halloumi, lettuce, tomato, and with a dollop of vegan mayonnaise (£4.95).
I opted for the bagel which came promptly. It was the perfect combination of salt and sweet, with the strips of halloumi and zest of the tomato complementing each other.
I was also drawn to the musical munchies menu, which has the unique selling point of each dish being served in a basket so you can munch seated or standing.
With a recommendation from a lovely employee, I picked the bang bang cauliflower (£4.95) which arrived deep-fried with a Korean style sweet and sour sauce.
Already slightly full from the bagel, I wondered just how I was going to tackle the six pieces of deep fried veg – but I got through four.
As soon as my knife sank into the batter, each piece was sliced so easily with a sweet aroma wafting out.
I am not huge into cauliflower as I feel it can be a bit bland – but the chef behind the dish made sure that this was not the case.
The fried dish provided a pleasant change from the saltiness of the bagel and I was only gutted that I couldn’t finish.
The verdict
If you are a keen foodie and are looking to sample somewhere new, duck into Tams for a pint and a plate.
There is something for everyone to enjoy, with calzones and cheesy chips also on offer.
Information
Address: The Twa Tams, 79-81 Scott St, Perth PH2 8JR
T: 01738 580948
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