Life is pretty good at the moment, but, if I’m getting picky, one of the things I long for is a decent local pub. It really is slim pickings where I live in Tamworth. And then I heard that the people behind the Owl in Lichfield were opening a second, right here in Tamworth. Now it’s still not quite walking distance, but at only a 3minute drive away I think its the best I’m gonna get at the moment. So not long after it opened in March we popped down after work for a bite to eat.
Just like its sister pub, I was instantly drawn to the decor. Its quirky, what with all the owls, but finds a nice balance of vintage and modern. It looks welcoming, and thats the main thing. The dining area is larger than its counterparts, and more spacious which is a good thing.
They seem to have employed some good staff as we were impressed from start to finish with the politeness, knowledge and efficiency. Again something that has sometimes been lacking at the other venue.
Now, onto the food – could they keep up the good work?
The menu is the same as its sister menu so was quite familiar to me. I decided on the Ham Hock Terrine, Pickled Vegetables to start. It was a good terrine, well seasoned and I liked the leeks running through it. The vegetables had a good kick to them with the pickle. It does annoy me when something says its pickled but you would hardly notice if you weren’t told. Presentation was rustic but this was fine. Lee chose the Chicken Wings. We had these Chicken wings before and they were quite good then, but executed a lot better this time in Tamworth we thought.
For mains we both fancied a burger. Beef for Lee and Chicken for me. My chicken burger came with BBQ sauce and smoked cheese. I really like the smoked cheese element as something a little different, and the BBQ was tangy and sharp. The chicken was a little dry, but nothing major, and the BBQ sauce hid this well. Chips and coleslaw were decent but bought in I expect. Lee’s burger was again of good quality and cooked actually very well. With classic gherkin and emmental cheese in the burger it was simple and tasty. It again came with standard chips and some tomato salsa. Neither of which would blow your mind but were perfectly pleasant to eat.
Overall our first visit to the Owl at Tamworth was successful, and the food decent pub grub. Perfectly adequate for an after work bite or quick lunch, but maybe not a special occasion. Certainly in Tamworth it’s one of the better options so if you live nearby its worth a look!
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Disclosure: We paid in full for our meals
