Ah Um Perth
- The Scoffers
- Apr 12
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 15
All care and a lot of cool.
Our visit to Ah Um was purely accidental, and we want accidents like this all of the time. Located in behind Astral Weeks Bar in Northbridge, we knew when we walked in, this was going to be a good time. It’s got the swagger of a jazz lounge, the comfort of your cool aunt’s living room, and the kind of energy suggesting they care about food but they aren't going to lecture you about heirloom carrots.
Tucked away like Perth’s best-kept secret that everyone’s kind of already in on, Ah Um's vibe is too busy being excellent to be pretentious. It's all warm lighting, vinyl spinning something smooth, and staff who actually like what they do and appear to genuinely like people.
The food.. holy umami. This menu from Branden Scott is a love letter to fusion done right without clumsy cultural mashups. It is bold, thoughtful flavour choices from a chef who clearly knows how to have fun without losing the plot. Scott was previously a co-head chef at Wines of While, and this menu is minimalistic and seasonally driven. Miso-glazed eggplant is sexy if eggplant can be such a thing. Smoked Mushroom dumplings might just be a spiritual experience and crisp-skinned chicken with koji butter should come with a warning label for being so addictive. We talked about it for a few days afterwards.
There is something about Perth’s laid-back cool meeting global flavours and having a dinner party here. You smell what’s coming before it hits the table and you’ll start salivating like one of Pavlov’s dogs in a soy glaze factory. Funky ferments, charred aromatics, and buttery sauces hit you like a gentle slap of excitement. It's clever without telling you so.
Whether you're on the natural wine bandwagon, sipping sake, or just chasing a perfect yuzu spritz, the bar’s got you covered. The list is curated but not snobby, with just enough flair to make you trust the bartender even when you don’t know what you ordered. Service is friendly, switched-on, and present without hovering but should you need something, sure, we are here.
When you go, wear something loose, order more than you think you need, forget you are on a budget and always trust the specials. Oh and do not skip dessert unless you hate joy.
This our very much our kind of vibe and we can not wait to be back for another experience.
Ah Um is at Shop 12/60-66 Roe St, Northbridge
Open Tuesday - Saturday from 5pm
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