The Red Lion, West Boldon

May 6 2007 By The Sunday Sun

I used to think this week's pub of choice was one of those places you drove past on the way to somewhere else.

The Red Lion in West Boldon, South Tyneside, is perched right on a main road, with a constant stream of traffic passing by, although we have called in a couple of times in the past

It has always caught my eye, not least because of the trouble the management take to make it look inviting . . . especially at this time of year when the exterior is blooming marvellous thanks to so many colourful hanging baskets.

I was about to drive past yet again as I scoured the area for somewhere that would meet with Mrs Eats' approval when she announced, to my surprise, that our search was over. "Really?" I said. "But we've driven past this place dozens of times."

"Exactly," said the missus. "It's about time we gave it a try again." It was probably the best decision we've made in months.

From the moment we walked through the door we felt welcome and at ease. The subdued lighting, low wood ceiling and traditional stone floor all help to create a lovely, homely ambience at the pub.

It's the sort of place where you could happily while away a couple of hours reading the newspaper and supping a pint to the sound of regulars clinking away with their dominoes or putting the world to rights. But if that gives you the impression that the pub is a bit rough and ready you'd be sadly mistaken . . . this is a fabulous place to enjoy Sunday lunch.

The menu may be far from extensive on a Sunday - there's just three starters and four roasts to choose from, all priced £7.95 - but what's on offer is done very well.

If I had any quibbles at all, I'd say it's that the starter I chose - garlic mushrooms - weren't great value for money. A £4.20 price tag seemed a bit steep for just seven ordinary field mushrooms with a few leaves of rocket.

That said, my main course more than made up for this early set-back. The lamb was among the best I have had at any pub in recent memory. To begin with, it was a huge portion . . . but that wasn't what made it special. What set it apart was how melt-in-the-mouth tender it was . . . perfectly crisp on the outside and deliciously succulent inside. It really was first-class.

The accompaniments were good too . . . a monstrous Yorkshire pudding that dominated the plate, boiled and roast potatoes, baby carrots, cabbage, and carrot and turnip mash.

And all of it was finished off with a lovely, thick, flavoursome gravy.

To be honest, there was even too much for me . . . and that's saying something.

Mrs Eats opted for beef which, although not as sensational as the lamb, was nevertheless expertly cooked.

The policy here appears to be to keep things simple so, while the choice of desserts is not huge, there seems to be something for everyone.

Mrs Eats said she couldn't eat another thing but I was torn between the homemade kirsch cherry gateau and the American toffee cheesecake at £4.80.

In the end, I chose the latter. As delicious as it was, it was perhaps a bit too sweet for my taste and defeated me halfway through.

Thankfully, as is so often the case in these situations, She-Who-Must-Be-Fed came to my rescue. Bless her.

• The Red Lion is on Redcar Terrace (A184), West Boldon, South Tyneside. The A184 runs from Gateshead to Fulwell, near Sunderland. If travelling on the A19, the pub is located just east of the roundabout near Boldon.