WebMayJun18

46 | www.westendermagazine.com
@ Taphouse
Reviewed by
Emily Donoho
It’s pretty much a rule of Finnieston
restaurant and bar reviews that you have
to include a line about the ‘trendiness’ of
the area and mention how it has gone from
docklands and warehouses to a mecca of
restaurants and bars. I’m saying it in this
review because the Taphouse Bar and Grill
perfectly encapsulates the whole vibe of
Finnieston in 2018.
In its previous incarnation, it was the
Neighbourhood Bar and Grill, more of a
football pub with a Tex-Mex theme to its
menu, but owner Phil McDonald refurbished
and rebranded it last year to reflect the way
the neighbourhood was going. The TVs and
sofas are gone. Now the Taphouse has a
range of seating: a few booths, but mostly
high tables and wooden chairs while the wall
that once divided the restaurant into two
rooms is mostly gone, opening up the space.
The stone walls of the original building are
exposed in places, the trendy, yet rough;
new, yet vintage look. It’s the architectural
answer to the flat cap and flannel shirt.
They have a wide selection of craft beers
and gourmet burgers, hot dogs, and pizza.
I don’t think there is anything more hipster
than a gourmet burger (or even more so, a
hot dog: being American I can’t help but feel
‘gourmet hot dog’ is the biggest culinary
oxymoron to ever come out of a kitchen).
I ordered the incomparable bohemian
archetype of burgers, called Meat is Murder
on the menu, made with falafel, spinach
and sour cream. I asked for it with haggis
and undermined the whole message. The
waitress laughed when I told her I would
have Meat is Murder but with haggis. It was,
however, excellent haggis and falafel, and I
believe those are a combination that should
Image I Gregor Reid
be put together more often. The chips that
came with it were perfect, crunchy on the
outside and soft on the inside. All of the food
is reasonably priced, so you can have a night
out here without breaking the bank.
The drinks menu spoils you for choice.
They sell draught beers from all over, from
Blue Moon in Colorado to Paolozzi in Italy, as
well as the pub’s own brand Taphouse Lager
and two ever-changing guest ales. There are
even more bottled and canned beers and
ciders. The staff are knowledgeable about
the beer and more than happy to have a chat
about it. For those who like their spirits, it’s
not as much of a whisky pub as others in
the area, but the gin menu is mindboggling:
twenty-seven gins. They also have a selection
of tequilas, vodkas, and bourbons, some of
which look unusual and are probably quite
good.
My only complaint with the place was
the background music playing on the PA.
It was too loud, making conversation difficult.
That’s a problem afflicting bars everywhere,
but for a pub whose atmosphere and
menu seem to encourage socialisation and
chat, the overly loud PA detracts from the
experience.
Taphouse Bar & Kitchen
1046 Argyle Street G3 8LY
0141 237 7931
taphousefinnieston.com