Dining Out at The Red Lion, West Deeping
Congratulations to Frazer and Emma King who celebrate three years as custodians of West Deeping’s Red Lion. This summer sees some great dishes for summer dining, special events and the return of the ‘picky bits on the patio,’ a relaxed, enjoyable tapas-style menu
Time flies when you’re having fun. It passes by quickly when you’re busy, too. So if you’re having fun whilst being busy, it’s easy to see how three years can pass by in what seems like an instant.
But as Pride goes to press, both Frazer and Emma King are thrilled to be celebrating their third anniversary as custodians of the Grade II listed village pub in West Deeping, The Red Lion.
In our last editorial we told how, despite studying marine biology, Frazer instead fell into and then fell in love with hospitality, returning to the area after working in London with Mark Hix MBE, then in Norfolk, and finally close to home at Clipsham’s Olive Branch, at Paten & Co in Stamford and at what is now known as The Barnsdale.
Lockdown provided a chance for the couple to evaluate their work/life balance and they set about creating a restaurant of their own in West Deeping. The Red Lion dates back to at least 1632 and it’s a handsome place, the centre of the village with tonnes of character, a lovely sunny terrace and log burners for the cooler months.
Frazer’s mission statement from the outset was to provide ‘elevated pub dining.’ His words, not ours, but frankly we can’t sum up Frazer’s philosophy any better. Take his fish ‘n’ chip main course for example, which improves substantially on a Great British classic: the chips are triple cooked, lovely and fluffy inside with just a bit of bite on the outside. Instead of a flat fillet, there’s a lovely big portion of hake, cider-battered and served with home-made tartare sauce and crushed minted peas. A great dish, made better.
“Good food doesn’t need to be fussy, but I think diners can always tell when effort has been made and time has been taken,” says Frazer. “It’s a pleasure and an obligation to make the most of the really good ingredients and really diligent producers that we’re lucky to have all around us.”
“We also feel a real duty to look after our many local diners and our regulars who have looked after us and have appreciated our efforts right from the start.”
“When we first opened we were still unable to have people in the building, so we were limited to serving people outside. When restrictions eased our guests came into the place and they’ve supported us ever since, sitting by the log burners in winter and enjoying the terrace in summer.”
“In return we’ve always tried to create dishes which are prepared with both skill and imagination, providing a really good dining experience, one that reflects both seasonality and provenance.”
“Our meat is provided by Price & Fretwell and Grasmere Farm, with lamb from Lavinton and fresh fish delivered every day. We source bread from Hambleton Bakery because we don’t believe there’s a bakery that comes close, and we create our own sorbets, ice creams in house.”
Frazer’s efforts even extend to creating his own caramelised butter using Poacher Butter as a starting point, then creating a beurre noisette for a nuttier, toasted flavour.
Meanwhile, there’s a productive kitchen garden to the rear of the pub with about 12 beds, heaving at this time of year with heritage rhubarb first grown by Emma’s great grandmother, plus heritage tomatoes, chillies, herbs, nasturtiums and heritage herbs such as hyssop.
Frazer & Emma appreciate all of their suppliers, but two deserve a special mention. The couple’s daughters have the very special responsibility of caring for their six rare breed hens and two cockerels. The couple’s daughters care for their Peking Bantams, Speckled Sussex and Olive Eggers, and in return, mum and dad let them keep the proceeds of any eggs purchased by locals over the bar. Seems fair to us, and the eggs are lovely, all different colours with bright, healthy yellow yolks.
“As a village there are lots of growers and producers of ingredients all around us, and we’ve a pub shop selling charcuterie, honey, jam, and bottled ales to enjoy at home.”
As Pride goes to press the family is also preparing to replace their set lunch menu with ‘Picky Bits on the Patio’ which as its name suggests is provision of tapas-style dishes, big on flavour with no lack of talent invested; Cromer crab, mussels in cider, flatbread with homemade hummus and pork crackling are all examples. Thursdays see Frazer’s ‘not a pizza’ night with homemade flatbreads served, topped with local seasonal ingredients… like a pizza, but truly British!
There’s a cheese board too, which one regular of the pub enjoys out in the fresh air with a bottle of Malbec on a Saturday night. If that doesn’t suit, there are four real ales including the pub’s exclusive golden ale, King Street. Look out too for an ever-evolving wine list plus cheese and wine dinners and other events like hedgerow and foraging dinners, and a harvest festival later in summer.
Elsewhere there’s an à la carte menu with seven starters and main courses brimming with seasonal ingredients at this time of year like Tallington asparagus and strawberries.
As the family celebrates its third anniversary at The Red Lion, they’ll also reach the end of their year-long tenure as The Great Food Club’s Pub of the Year 2023/2024.
Time may fly when you’re having fun, in the kitchen, or at front of house, doing great things, but your hard work will always be rewarded, in this case with a reputation for being one of the very best pub restaurants in the area.
Dining Out The Red Lion at West Deeping
The Pitch: “Local, fresh and sustainable food and drink with friendly-family service courtesy of Frazer & Emma King. Ingredients sourced within 30 miles where possible. Beautiful Grade II listed 17th century pub restaurant.”
Opening Hours: 12 noon to 11pm Wednesday to Saturday (kitchen 12 noon to 2.30,
5pm to 9pm) and Sunday 12 noon to 6pm (kitchen 12 noon to 3pm).
The Red Lion, West Deeping, PE6 9HP. Call 07421 977661 or see www.theredlionwestdeeping.co.uk.
