Not Just A Pub Meal
If you get the chance to visit The Red Lion Inn @redlionraithby I highly recommend you do so. I paid a visit on Friday evening and was very impressed. The service is what you would expect from a big city ‘high end’ establishment but the ambiance is exactly what you would expect of a country pub. David and Richie have really got the mix right. Let’s face it, when we go out these days we all expect a high level of service and with that in mind we weren’t disappointed. Sat at our table for two we were able to hear the comments from the table behind us. Needless to say , it was very complimentary indeed.
Drinks in hand we were shown to our table and handed the menu. Nothing too complicated and not too long either but making a choice was still difficult because everything sounded so nice. In the end we both chose the same meal (a delicious chicken and leak pie). Mine came with mashed potatoes and my wife chose home cooked chips. What a treat! My starter was a warm brie with marmalade and crackers – we shared that of course but I could easily have eaten it myself as it was light enough to enjoy while not being too filling before my main course. Half way through the meal chef Richie came in to the restaurant area. We recognised each other but neither of us were quite sure. Richie made the connection first and confirmed my thoughts. I had known Richie some time ago from a previous restaurant of his and now this excellent food quality made perfect sense. I had made a couple of trips to Richies restaurant in Scunthorpe several years previously. The first time was to say hello because we had been chatting on Twitter and the second time was because I had enjoyed his cooking so much on my first visit that I had to go back and take my family with me. This time though I had no idea that Richie would be cooking our dinner. However, I immediately recognised the quality of the meal and it made perfect sense when he walked into the restaurant.
David was the perfect host (should I be calling him Landlord)? We enjoyed a good chat at the table between courses and he explained how they had only taken the pub on about 15 months ago. They have certainly made their mark on the pub and in the village too. Last New Years Eve they hired the village hall where entertainment was organised and villagers were able to enjoy the party atmosphere of the entertainment while having the option of combining it with the quieter space of the pub throughout the evening.
Dessert Sir?
My photography doesn’t do justice to this but trust me, it was absolutely delicious
If you ask me if I would like dessert the answer is normally ‘no thank you’ but this is Richies cooking so obviously I couldn’t refuse. At the top of the dessert board was ‘jam roll polly with custard’. My eyes stopped there! I had no reason to look any further because this is proper ‘man food’ and it was cooked by ‘the man’ himself so I knew it was going to be good. I certainly wasn’t disappointed either. What a treat.
I don’t get out very often for pub meals (work usually gets in the way) but when I do I really enjoy a pint of @batemansbrewery Batemans XB. A perfect pint to accompany a perfect pub meal. My wife chose a G&T from the Gin menu and, needless to say, we were both happy with our choices.
Getting There
If you’re not sure where Raithby is and are wondering how to get there I have some very good news for you; There is an hourly bus (No 56) that runs from Lincoln via Horncastle to Skegness and it stops outside the pub. Honestly, it couldn’t have been designed better if if they tried! By car it’s quite simple too as it’s just off the A158 between Horncastle and Skegness. When you get to Hagworthingham you know you’re only a couple of minutes away.
What’s On Offer
Obviously the food comes highly recommended and the Gin menu (if you like gin) will certainly make you happy. The village pub atmosphere is just ‘spot on’ which is exactly what you would want and expect. In fact, if I describe it as ‘homely’ you’ll probably understand what I mean. To get that homely atmosphere David and Richie view their customers as guests in their home. That’s their words not mine but it makes perfect sense – you’ll understand when you visit.
I also spotted a couple of notices around advertising their quiz night on 28 March. It starts at 8.30pm so that gives you chance to book a table for dinner beforehand. On that note, I really do mean ‘book a table’ because when you do, it’s yours for the evening. That may limit the number of people they serve in the restaurant but it’s done for a reason because it means you won’t be rushed to eat up and move out to make way for the next customers. It really is that relaxed. Oh, I also noticed that they are serving dinner on Mothers Day too. Needless to say, you’ll need to book early if you want to treat your Mum. It’s a dog friendly pub which makes it the ideal place for a meal after a walk in the Lincolnshire countryside. Don’t worry if you don’t have your own dog though as Teddie can be found patrolling the premises.
Teddie will be on patrol of course
Get In Touch
If you would like to make your bookings for a meal and/or the quiz give them a ring on 01790 753727 but bear in mind that the pub is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Opening hours are from midday until 11.00pm and from 9.00am on Saturdays when you can pop in for breakfast. It’s also worth noting that they don’t take bookings via social media. Take a quick look at the website here to give you an idea of what’s on the menu and what events they have coming up www.redlioninn.pub
Changes Are Coming…
As promised the blog format will be changing slightly over the next few days. I’ll be including #WhatsOnLincs for a few Whats On notices ahead of the new Whats On page and calendar plus there will be a few charity notices pinned to the end too. If you would like to advertise on these blogs please do get in touch.
That’s it for now. Have a good day and stay safe.
