The Black Horse, West Boldon

Jan 13 2008 by Caroline Smith, Sunday Sun

NOT so long back, the missus and I enjoyed a very pleasant scran at the Red Lion, in West Boldon, South Tyneside.

As we trundled through the pretty village in the Eatsmobile I remarked to Mrs Eats that the local residents seemed spoiled for choice when it came to boozers, with three or four situated just yards from each other.

I made a mental note back then to return and sample the offerings of the Red Lion’s rivals.

So, last Sunday, it was the turn of the Black Horse.

We had taken the precaution of booking a table, even though we weren’t anticipating it being busy at this time of year.

We arrived in plenty of time and were greeted by a friendly waitress who said we could have a drink in the bar area or be shown to our table right away.

We opted for the former and settled ourselves into a squishy leather sofa with a warming glass of red and a pint of Black Sheep.

It is a snug little establishment, with an eccentric mish-mash of furnishings and decor . . . including a washing line complete with underpants and socks strung across the restaurant area.

It is nevertheless charming and cosy, and the service relaxed but efficient.

Mrs Eats was not too impressed with the music, however, and said she almost felt obliged to perform a rousing march to the 1940s jazz and swing.

After we had finished our drinks, we went through to the restaurant where blackboards displayed the day’s lunch menu.

There was a choice of appealing-sounding starters, including tomato and sweet potato soup, smoked salmon and prawns and an asparagus and Parma ham salad.

Mrs Eats had already stolen a glance at the desserts, however, and decided to order a main — all at £6.95 — and pudding instead so, for ease’s sake, I opted to do the same.

I chose the roast pork, while She Who Must Be Fed plumped for turkey . . . despite having eaten the equivalent of at least two birds herself over the festive period.

There was a also a bizarre sounding crab lasagne on offer and, for the veggies among us, there was a goats’ cheese and mushroom bake.

No more than five minutes later, our meals were brought from the kitchen. We both had a generous portion of meat, a couple of roasties, Yorkshire pud, carrot and swede mash and lashings of gravy.

And we were brought a large dish of fresh veg to share, which included carrots, boiled potatoes and sprouts.

My pork — which was a touch fatty as pork can be — came with apple sauce, and the Missus’s turkey was covered in cranberry.

The juicy and tender turkey met with her approval and was wolfed down in lightning speed.

She thought the carrots were a little on the raw side but, personally, I prefer my veg with a little bite.

After a short breather we asked to see the pudding menu, which was another blackboard that the poor waitress had to prop up in front of us while we ummed, aaahed and drooled over the options. While a little steep at £4.50 a pop, all the desserts sounded absolutely delicious.

Mrs Eats was in a quandry over what to choose . . . the white chocolate bread and butter pudding, Irish coffee creme brulee, or even the cheeseboard.

In the end she settled for an old favourite — the sticky toffee pudding — while I opted for the raspberries with cinder toffee.

As it turned out, I made the better choice. The Missus said that, while the sauce was scrumptious, her cake was a little dry.

My concoction was mouth-watering however. Fresh juicy raspberries, cream, chocolate sauce and chunks of cinder toffee . . . a delicious combination which I scoffed in seconds as Mrs E turned green with envy.