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| - The negative reviews are from disgruntled Cleveland Brown's fans. As if their team wasn't bad enough, they have to take their frustrations out on a great local restaurant.
In the mid 80s, as a member of the United States Air Force, I was stationed in England at RAF Lakenheath in East Anglia. I was told that England was a great place to learn to play snooker or watch a Cricket match, but the food left a lot to be desired. When I consider the traditional English restaurants, I would agree in most cases. However, in an unlikely place, I found some of the best tasting food that ever passed my lips. That place was the English Pub and the food was traditional fayre better known as 'pub grub'.
I remember driving past the various pubs in Bury St. Edmonds, a small village not too far from the base, and slowing down to see the chalkboard specials and smell the home-cooked aromas from doorways. Without exception, I always stopped at the places that had the most tantalizing menu or beckoning smells wafting into the streets. After a while, I knew which pub served what on any given day. I made a habit of frequenting them, especially when I needed gastrointestinal relief from "mess hall" food. I left England over twenty years ago not anticipating a longing for the delicious pub grub.
All of these memories came crashing down on me as I entered the Red Lion Restaurant and Tavern at 2127 Ayrsley Town Boulevard in southwest Charlotte. My flashback was triggered when walking to the door and glimpsing the chalkboard with the day's specials written on it. As the door opened, the memories intensified, as my olfactory glands were flooded with the eerily familiar emanation reminiscent of my time spent supping in ancient buildings with strange names like Ye Olde George Inn and The Fox and Hounds. Other than the big open windows, omnipresent in American restaurant architecture, one is transported to a British pub. In fact, their bar is retrofitted from a 250-year-old English church, which raises the authenticity level up more than a notch or two. Combine this with a meticulous collection of old-fashioned furniture that has been collected from around the world, and surely the Red Lion is as genuine a pub as one can find this side of 'the pond'.
A few things make the Red Lion uniquely American. First, no pub I ever frequented had the plethora of television sets that don the walls of this beautiful yet unpretentious establishment. Second, and most important, was our waiter, Action Jackson. In England, traditional pubs are owned by breweries and managed by landlords or managers who typically live on the premises. I am confident this is the cause of the less than stellar service one receives while indulging their culinary curiosity. Of course, most people do not frequent pubs for their service alone.
Action Jackson is worth the price of admission. He is entertaining, intelligent, and very knowledgeable when it comes to the menu and its dishes. He loves his job and serving the patrons of the Red Lion. This enthusiasm is reflected in everything he does, right down to the personal touches he adds to the dessert. I recommend requesting a seat in Action Jackson's station.
The menu is a fusion of traditional English pub grub and American iterations of the same. Although the shrimp and grits entree are never found on a pub menu in England, the way it was prepared and served creates the illusion that it could be a favorite among patrons of the Duke of Wellington in Southampton.
I disdain grits. It is a southern thing beyond my comprehension, right up there with fried okra and collard greens. However, the shrimp and grits at the Red Lion are nothing short of heavenly. Made with plump juicy shrimp, scrumptious chunks of bacon, mushrooms, lemon-butter, and fresh corn grits, I am confident I could be converted into a regular grit gourmand (provided all grits are made this way). If you experience nothing more than the service of Action Jackson and the mind-blowing taste of the shrimp and grits, your trip to the Red Lion will have been worthwhile.
A favorite amongst traditional English pub regulars are 'bangers and mash'. If you are not familiar with the term, bangers get their name from the sausage's predilection toward bursting or "banging" open during high frying temperatures, and of course, mash is just short for mashed potatoes. To the uninitiated, this may seem like a very odd combination, but at The Red Lion, your taste buds will dance with delight. The Irish sausage used in preparing this dish is of the highest quality. Sourced from a purveyor of fine gourmet foods, they are not available to just any restaurant. The mashed potatoes are creamy and delicious, and when combined with the bangers, scallions and whiskey gravy, they are elevated to divine. Although bangers and mash were one of my favorite culinary treats in England, none offered there provided the savory satisfaction as these.
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