Records shops in Liverpool - and somewhere to eat - advice please!

I'll suggest the West Indian place - but in case my friends aren't keen on that style of food I also read about two veggie cafe type places that sound interesting - The Egg and the Pudding Bowl. Are those nice?

Tag's mum works in Ormskirk. I haven't been there in ages...what's your restaurant called? We should check it out sometime! (Unless you were joking and you meant cooking chez toi...)

Probe is all new stuff isn't it? Like our Piccadilly Records. Or do they do second hand?

My Mum works in Ormskirk, but not for much longer as she retires in a couple of weeks.

I think I've been to the Egg, is it upstairs and home(l)y?

Last time I was there, Probe did a bit of s/h stuff, but I wasn't moved to write home about it (just as well: my mum probably wouldn't have been interested). I was disappointed that the old Probe had closed to be replaced by some useless clothes shop for fools. There were a few secondhand shops which I recall being OK up that hill (Bold Street?) and I recall them being underground. That may be false memory syndrome of course.

We used to eat at some vegetarian cafe on the top floor of something which I remember being called Bluecoat Chambers. It had quite a decent little record shop in it called Pink Moon, which put out triffic Jactars records and closed down (it's now internet mail order only).

Some people like eating in the bistro in the Everyman Theatre, apparently. I saw the Hellfire Sermons play there, so I like it there too. It's just over the road from the fabulous Philharmonic Dining Rooms (a pub) which you should definitiely visit. It's where I was filmed at my toilet by American tourist ladies.

I used to like drinking in Ye Crack until someone I took along there started enthusing about how it was where John Lennon drank when he was a student and then I went off it.

That's mostly what I know about Liverpool. Oh, and I know where Pete Wylie lives.

One I went in there and Phil Thompson was at the next table. It put me off a bit. I thought he was going to shout at me for bad eating decisions. Sit down Pinocchio!

This was probably eight or nine years ago and Cafe Bar was OK. At that time, there wasn't a great deal of choice as far as Ormskirk eating went, as I recall. But I was being guided by residents, so I did what I was told.

I must confess I didn't like Le Frog when we went, but as Tag said that was at least 3-4 years ago. I'm glad you've whipped it into shape - we'll definitely check it out sometime.

I live on Roberts & Co. napoli espresso and the columbian after dinner drip coffee. Mmmmmmm. Smelly goats there though.

gosh but isn't the north ace ?

I like Skeletons in Birkenhead, too, but that's perhaps a little way off the beaten track.

I think they stopped calling themselves Skeleton in the early 90s, but, yes, the only really good rummaging record shop I can think of from my time on Murkyside. Probe lost much of their space for secondhand stock when the old shop (Rainford Gardens? I can never remember the name of that little alley off Whitechapel) shut; it probably peaked when they had both stores open ('94ish?). Lots of little places in the Palace and down Bold Street, but it's been years.

My last two attempts to eat out in Liverpool were at the Russian/Ukrainian place on York Street and both ended in failure.

I'm having a tiny pang of nostalgia for the racks of cut-out ECM vinyl that incongruously used to sit in Penny Lane Records. It's passed now.

Russian/Ukrainian place? I want pierogies and I want them now. Well, on Saturday anyway.

1. The dough should definitely have sour cream in it as well as eggs
2. The filling should just be mashed potatoes seasoned well with salt & pepper and a finely chopped raw white onion mixed in. Then I put the spoonful of potato on the dough and top with some grated strong cheddar before sealing. What's with the cream cheese and green onions? Ugh.
3. I prefer to serve pierogies with fried onions seasoned with oregano to go with the sour cream.
4. You can also try mashed sweet potatoes or sweet fillings like applesauce.
5. My ukranian aunt used to serve savoury pierogies with both sour cream and applesauce - they're both nice.

And definitely go for the boil-then-pan fry approach.

At least they're talking about them though!

I love the Rigbye! Tons of choices, cheap and a nice atmosphere. But to be avoided until they finish their renovation, I think - it's a bit jostling elbows while they try to keep people coming in through the work.

Ludwig is a scary name. What is the menu like now? To be honest we only had Christmas dinner, which can be awful at lots of perfectly nice restaurants who are just getting through the season rush with bulk carby food slapped onto plates.

What was that HORRID pub we went to in Eccleston, Tag? It's to be avoided... crap food, too smokey and rude patrons who lean into you while they wait for a table or let their brats run around and annoy you while you eat.

An experience only improved by the excellent wine list.

I'm in Liverpool later in the week. Can anyone point me in the direction of record shops in Liverpool (or surrounding area)? I'm mainly interested in dance 12s but pretty much everything else as well.. new or second hand. Last time I was in Liverpool I managed to pick up a couple of balearic comps on CD from CeX and that was it..

Didn't make it to Liverpool, too cold. Stayed in St. Helens. Found Kaleidoscope Records. The vinyl in there wasn't really my thing, instead I bought some CDs;

V/A - Famous When Dead Two (Playhouse Recs)
Was (Not Was) - New Steak Trend
To Rococo Rot - Taken From Vinyl
Hector Zazou - Sahara Blue

All £3, except Taken From Vinyl which was £5.