Brooke Combe - Jacaranda Baltic

Brooke Combe - Dancing at the Edge of the World Album Launch Show

Jacaranda Baltic - Liverpool

Saturday 8 February 2025

 

Went to see Brooke Combe at the Jacaranda Baltic last night with Holly and her nephew Adam and his girlfriend Ava. It was an unplanned night as Holly's sister was meant to be going but she asked me the night before if I wanted to go. It was an album launch show like when I went to see Bastille back in December. You bought the album and got a ticket to the show.

We went for dinner before but didn't know where to go and ended up going to Tokyo which we used to go to all the time when we were 16. I haven't been in years and felt like noodles.

Meat & veg dumplings - £4.90

Tokyo Udon in bone broth soup - char siu, king prawn, fish balls and veg - £10.80

Tokyo Udon with Miso soup - £10.80

Siu Mai - £4.80

You can choose you noodle, soup, then filling. I didn't like the options but spotted the Tokyo Udon which is a stir fried udon with char siu, king prawn and fish balls so we asked if we could have that but with soup. It was a bad idea. As the stuff was cooked in the Tokyo Udon sauce then just thrown into the soup of choice with the udon noodles. It wasn't good. Food was really salty and not the same as it used to be. Think it's got new owners as the inside has been refurbished. The price of things are cheaper than other places but we were disappointed and won't be going back again.

We got there for 7pm in time for doors - there was a bit of a queue but nothing like when I went to see Bastille. She's still quite new and unknown as I've heard of her but didn't know any of her songs and listened to the album earlier on in the morning.

She was due to come on at 7:45pm and was actually 5 minutes early. Was just her and her guitarist boyfriend. We were right at the front as the gig wasn't sold out.

She was really good, her voice is so good! She didn't need anything other than the guitar. She has a bit of jazz going which might be fine she's not fully mainstream. I will definitely be listening to her. It was a shame she only did 5 songs I think it was and went on for about 20 minutes I think it was but that's what an album launch is. She's playing the Arts Club in April. She talked quite a bit interacting and is really Scottish.

When she finished she said see you back here soon and everyone was so confused. We thought she was doing an encore and coming back in stage but actually she was coming back out to do album signings. There was no mention of an album signing and most people were stood in a weird line so we didn't actually know what was going on till she actually did come back out. She spent ages with people and we waited an hour and 15 minutes! She signed the album then a woman from the venue too your photo but was rubbish. She took quite a few and they were all bad.

After the gig me and Holly were going to go home but then ended up going for one drink in Hobo Kiosk as it was right by where I was parked and none of us have been apart from Holly.

It's mad inside but it's cool! Some of the stuff were pretty creepy like the dolls we were sat by but it was definitely something different. The guy who owns it was really nice as well as he came to speak to us when we we walked in.

It was a fun unexpected night as I never go out and my first gig of the year ticked off. Hopefully more to come!

Twitter || Instagram || Facebook || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Pinterest || Last.fm

Naked Noodle

Tried Naked Noodle on Bold Street which I've been wanting to try for a while. I actually thought it was a noodle bar as the name suggests but does sushi - the best I've had in Liverpool and since it's on the eat out to help out scheme I had to try it and make the most of the half price. (Annoying my birthday is tomorrow and not on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday when the offer is on!) Not had sushi in ages so needed my sushi fix. I've really missed my chance with it as it's been happening all through August to get people out again. The last day is bank holiday Monday next week which will be busy anyway.

We got there just after 6 and manged to get a seat straight away but as soon as we sat down there was a queue outside.

All staff wore face masks and when we were seated we were given a sheet to write our name and phone number with the time we entered and a bottle of hand gel was put on the table. They were definitely more cautious than Yum Cha.

I went with Jo and we went all out and ordered the most expensive platter - we both love sushi and we're getting it for half price so of course we went for the most expensive thing!

Set C (28 pcs) - £25.99

5 salmon sashimi, 5 tuna sashimi, 3 salmon nigiri, 3 tuna nigiri, 6 salmon roll, 6 tuna roll, seaweed salad & edamame

The platter only cost £13 and it was so good. All the sushi people were ordering was presented so nice and is so much better than Etsu.

Chicken Gyoza - £6

This was better than what we had at Yum Cha on Sunday. It might have cost more but you got more. It wasn't just a lump of chicken meat in pastry! It was done properly mixed with veg and minced.

Altogether it come to £16 which was really good. I could have easily ate more sushi but I'm going back on Sunday with Holly.

Jo actually bought a me a little carrot cake and sang Happy Birthday to me on her own. It was really sweet and nice and I knew she was going to do it as it's our tradition now she just couldn't get them to bring it out as it's only small in there.

After we went to Maccies to get an ice cream. They're not doing cones due to hygiene so we got 2 plain McFlurries and it was 2 for 1 as the two of them cos us £1 which is what they usually are each. Maccies are doing the eat out to help out too.

Town and Bold Street were so busy. It's all been pedestrianised now as part of Liverpool without walls so restaurants can have seats outside to social distance. Ko bar and grill, Kasbah and a steak house (don't know the name) had really long queues outside of them. Pretty much every restaurant was busy as they're doing the offer. If people are eating out they should be going to independent restaurants rather than the big chains or fast food. Should be taking the chance to try some where you wouldn't usually go or some where you've always wanted to try.

The ox from last Chinese New Year zodiac art commission is still up where me and Jo went round and found all 12 zodiac animals and won a meal for 2 with The Guide Liverpool. All other 11 animals have gone though sadly!

Thanks for dinner Jo!

Twitter || Instagram || Facebook || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Pinterest || Last.fm

Tattu

Went to Tattu tonight with Jo and Rich for my early birthday meal as I'll be away in Canada. Heard about it years ago and always wanted to try it. Didn't really expect the food to be that good as it's Asian style and that it's more of an experience like the food and this place is really Instagrammable. But it turned out the food was better than expected and there's only 1 tree right in the middle and the restaurant is quite small. Thought it was going to be pretentious and people had to be dressed up but there was all different people in there not really dressed up could just wear anything really.

Downstairs bar

  

Rich got the smoking Skull Candy cocktail - Vodka, bubblegum and strawberry.

I got the mocktail version Sweet Skulduggery - Kiwi, blueberry and apple. It was nice!

  

  

Beef Gyoza - Teriyaki and soy

Crispy duck rolls - Cherry hoisin sauce

Chicken truffle shumai - Freshly shaved truffle

Black cod parcels - Spinach, candied orange and orange ponzu

Wagyu dumpling - Kimchi and spring onion

The starters we got - All nice but still definitely prefer Chinese dim sum though!

Crispy baby chicken - Szechuan plum sauce, five spice, and baby pak choi

Caramel soy beef fillet - Shiitake and asparagus

Duck egg fried rice and Chinese sausage 

White Miso salmon - Picked ginger, red onion and caramelised lime

The salmon is the best salmon I've ever had it was so nice! So soft and flaky. The steak was nice and was cooked well but the chicken wasn't anything special bit disappointed with it. The fried rice was nice with the Chinese sausage. That's the only sausages I will eat won't eat ones you have in a fry up!

White chocolate and citrus cheesecake - lime, Matcha and strawberry

Fortune cookies and cream - Selection of ice cream and sorbet

Coconut and mango smoothie bowl - Granola, lychee and pineapple

Was a bit disappointed with my fortune cookies - normal ones would have been better. Jo's smoothie bowl didn't look like what I thought it would but it was like a full on meal rather than dessert. Rich's cheesecake was nice with the Matcha!

Jo and Rich got me a little cake to sing to Happy Birthday to me!

Had a really good night but it was expensive. Thanks Rich for the birthday meal! We can say we've been to Tattu now!

Twitter || Instagram || Tumblr || Bloglovin || Google+ || Pinterest || Last.fm