Mulligatawny soup

Ornate pubs and listed toilets
Top hats, bustles and pepper water


Over the last two bank holiday weekends I succumbed to temptation and joined a like minded group of friends on the Liverpool pub run. To call it a pub crawl would do it an injustice. We are far more discerning than that. Being of a more senior demographic we are looking for traditional pubs, dark wood paneling, big solid bars, brass fittings, wood or stone floors (preferably slopping), cask beer, real ale and in my case a great selection of whiskies. It is hard to fault a pub that has it's whisky listed in a menu folder!

Of all the fantastic pubs we visited, thanks to Ken our guide and guru of all things Liverpudlian, the standout drinking establishment must be 'The Phil' or to give it it's full title The Philharmonic Dining Rooms.

Opposite the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (hence the name) and commissioned towards the end of the last century, well actually the century before last now. Although we are already ten and a bit years into this one I've not quite got my head around it yet. Indeed I'm still having millennium bug flashbacks. Built in the style of Gentleman's club the Phil lays claim to be the most ornate pub in Briton. It is certainly magnificent and even though I try not to endorse or give recommendations this pub is a must be visit if you find yourself in Liverpool's fair city. Have a look at the photographs on CAMRA's historic pubs website and don't forget to have a peek in the Gents, it's listed!

Standing at the bar in the spectacular 'drinking lobby' I couldn't help thinking of frock coats and top hats, bustles and Suffragettes, Empire and mulligatawny soup. Why mulligatawny, I've no idea. Up to that time I'd only every had mulligatawny from a tin!

That was then but this is now...