The West House in Dundee is well known for both its cocktails and breakfasts, but I was keen to put its evening offering to the test.
Sitting on the corner of West Port and South Tay Street its clear why the bar is popular among theatre goers and students alike. Be it for a meal, a pub crawl stop or an evening of cocktails The West House has you covered.
Despite the great weather Dundee has enjoyed recently, it was a bit too early to enjoy alfresco dining in the Aperol Spritz bar. Though I don’t doubt the corner of a car park that has been turned into a small piece of Italy will be booming soon enough.
On this Tuesday evening however, my dining companion and colleague Joanna and I stepped inside the eatery looking forward to a drink and some comfort food.
The West House
We were quickly greeted by the bar staff and seated at a high table by the kitchen. The website said there was no need to book for parties under six, but just after we arrived a large group did too, so we felt lucky to get a spot.
With huge windows, the bar is open and bright, helped further by a creative light fixture at the far end of the venue. Lots of plants and greenery add a pop of colour, making the atmosphere feel relaxed and casual.
We jumped into the drinks menu and decided that just because we were laying off the alcohol didn’t mean we had to make boring choices. As The West House is known for its cocktails, we went for a Cosmo-not (£5.5) and Crodino (£4) from the Low & No section of the menu.
My Crodino was a take on an Aperol Spritz, served in the signature glass and with an orange wedge. The first sip was bursting with orange flavour, before giving me the bittersweet aftertaste reminiscent of the real deal.
Joanna said it reminded her of Irn Bru, and while I kept tasting that after being made aware of it, it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the mocktail. Her Cosmo-not was fruity with a lovely tang, and tasted just like a normal Cosmopolitan.
The all day food menu offered a range of choices, including sharing platters, salads, pizza and pasta, as well as starters and desserts. While we were tempted by the mezze sharing platter, we decided to opt for different mains to cover more of the menu.
The food
Joanna went for the dough balls starter (£4.95), and her meal was off to a great start. Six substantial dough balls arrived with a sprinkle of cheese and parsley, in a bowl of tasty dipping oil.
The dough balls were soft and puffy, and just the right consistency. Joanna likened the dipping oil to that of gambas pil pil tapas, offering a good kick of garlic.
She said some might say the dish was too salty, but it was just right for her. I also snuck a dough ball and agreed the saltiness wasn’t overpowering. Her verdict was “amazing and beyond pub grub”.
While she enjoyed her starter, I tucked into the garlic pizza bread (£4.25) with added cheese (+£1.50) from the sharing menu. I was surprised at how large it was, as its the same size as the pizzas. I was clearly meant to take the “sharing” part more seriously.
It was incredibly thin and crispy, the edges had a solid snap whereas the centre was more chewy. The garlic taste wasn’t very strong, so the cheese added a lot of flavour.
Instead of powering through, I asked for our mains so we could enjoy the garlic bread alongside our pasta and salad.
My twist of green (£8.45) main included spinach, garlic mushrooms, roasted peppers, spring onions and honey nuts with a vinaigrette. As my partner has a nut allergy I don’t often get the chance to enjoy them, which is why I chose the salad – in case you’re thinking I’m mad for having that over a pizza.
The honey from the nuts was slightly overpowering, drowning out any hint of the zesty vinaigrette. Thankfully the spring onions added a welcome sharpness to balance out the sweetness. I enjoyed each element of the dish, and the nuts added a good bite.
A self-proclaimed ‘carbo’ fan, Joanna had the spaghetti carbonara (£11.95) which unfortunately didn’t live up to the standard set by her starter. While she liked the creamy consistency, al dente pasta and pancetta, the sauce lacked flavour. Pairing it with some slices of the garlic bread thankfully helped add some extra taste.
After two carb filled dishes, Joanna was quite full, but I was excited for dessert. As a sorbet lover I could have easily gone for two scoops, but instead we ordered a sticky toffee pudding (£7.45) with two spoons.
This has never been my first or even second choice of dessert, but it was truly the highlight of the meal. Which is high praise coming from me. It was light, fluffy, sticky, gooey, warm – the perfect end to our meal.
The date flavour came across beautifully and mixed with the cold ice cream, the pudding melted in the mouth. As an added bonus, the toffee sauce and presentation of the dish were also wonderful.
The verdict
We were in the mood for a laid back venue with decent pub grub, and that’s exactly what we got at The West House.
The venue was almost full – and on a normal Tuesday night – which goes to show that this is a popular spot. This meant that the staff had a lot to do and table service was slightly slow, but not to the extent that it impacted our experience.
Our dishes were a bit hit or miss, with the dough balls and sticky toffee pudding the clear highlights of the evening.
However, we took several glances at the menu and we have already decided what we’ll be eating and drinking at our next visit.
Don’t be surprised if you catch us in the outdoor bar when the sun is out, sipping a cocktail and sharing a platter.
Information
Address: 2 West Port, Dundee DD1 5EP
T: 01382 525205
Price: £48.05 for one starter, one sharing plate, two mains, one dessert and two mocktails.
The scores:
- Food: 3/5
- Service: 3.5/5
- Surroundings: 3.5/5
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