Red Lion, Soi 13 Christmas Lunch

[SAGuy 9,981]

Backstory

My work requires meticulous planning, but when it comes to social occasions, the average Thai has better planning skills than me. 

So here I was at midday on Christmas Day, nursing a hangover and thinking where can I go for Christmas Lunch?

I live on soi 13 and whilst having a lung torpedo on the balcony, I looked down to the soi for inspiration and saw two very easy options - The German Beer House or the Red Lion...

OK that was easy, Red Lion it is.

Crimbo Lunch

By the time I got myself together it was around 1700, which was fine, as by my logic, most Brits eat Christmas lunch around 1500, so there should be some tables free. I crossed over the soi and walked in and luckily the theory was right. They also served until 2000 that night.

There were 2 options: main course only for THB 595 or 3 courses for 895. I decided on the latter.

The food options harkened back to the 1970s, which was fine by me, so I chose the prawn cocktail to start, washed down with a bottle of water as I couldn't face any more booze.

For the main course they offered turkey and ham with all the trimmings. It was served on a very large plate, so what looked small,, was actually very large. You could not fault the serving size or the quality of the main course.

For dessert I had the traditional Christmas pudding and another bottle of water.

Service was excellent, it was busy and I was lucky to get a table, as it filled up with what seemed like a second sitting around 1730. 

I'd give it 8/10 for what was a last minute decision. Very good value and close(ish) to original food, as I remembered it.

They also have a happy hour every day up until 2000 with cheap beer and they serve Baht Buster breakfasts, which I will give a try over Christmas, as they are served up until midday.

The only 2 negatives I had (which were minor) were

a. The prawn cocktail had onions in it, which I've never come across before and the raw onions overpowered the taste of the rest.

b. The Christmas pudding was served as a slice. I have never seen that before either.

I'd recommend the Red Lion overall and now have a go-to Christmas place for next year!

SAG

[sydney69er 1,570]

Red Lion has some good English Breakfasts too. Last time I was in town they had a Baht Buster deal 129 Baht for an English Breakfast, eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrown, tomato, baked beans, mushroom, toast, coffee, juice. Not a bad feed.

 

[SAGuy 9,981]

Christmas Lunch 25-Dec-24

In what seems to have become a Christmas tradition, I decided to book lunch at the Red Lion on soi 13 again.

The Red Lion is a traditional English pub that has become quite an institution in BKK over the years.

They were running 3 sittings: 1300, 1500, 1700 and so I opted for the 1500 slot. (I fully understand why businesses have a sittings system for busy event days, but I always have a sense of trepidation, as on occasion this has been problematic. Luckily the people who were at our table had finished and left, so all was well).

Just like last year, there were 3 courses and also a welcome drink. The 3 course option was priced at THB 950, which was very good value and considering that the Red Lion is just minutes away from where I live, the choice of venue was a no-brainer.

For the welcome drink they offered Cava, Bucks Fizz, and Beer. After 3 heavy nights in a row, I couldn't face drinking again, so opted to give 2 glasses of Cava to my Christmas companion.

The starters were similar to last year: pea and ham soup, prawn cocktail and a vegetarian option of Camembert spring rolls.

There were 4 main courses: traditional turkey and ham, steak, salmon and a vegetarian cauliflower cheese.

Desserts were limited to traditional Christmas pudding and trifle.

The portions were very generous and the food was both authentic* and good quality.

I really enjoyed the lunch and even my Thai LB companion, who was fearing the worst, seemed to enjoy it, although she struggled with the sheer volume on the plates.

I placed an asterisk next to authentic as some of the ingredients on my plate brought a smile to my lips. I remember endless annual arguments between my sisters and parents about whether peas and Yorkshire pudding were traditional for Christmas lunch. My parents had a Victorian colonial outlook and it was considered heresy to serve Yorkshire puddings with anything other than roast beef. Thankfully traditions do change with the times.

If you are in BKK next Christmas and at a loss as to where to celebrate on the 25-Dec I would highly recommend the Red Lion. This pub also serves very good all day breakfasts as well as other standard British pub food.

I was last in there for a Scottish Breakfast about 2 months ago with @Kingdomguy and he gave the Lorne sausages two thumbs up.

Photo 1 - Starters

Photo 2 Main Courses

[taaseesanuk 4,029]

9 hours ago, SAGuy said:

Christmas Lunch 25-Dec-24

In what seems to have become a Christmas tradition, I decided to book lunch at the Red Lion on soi 13 again.

The Red Lion is a traditional English pub that has become quite an institution in BKK over the years.

They were running 3 sittings: 1300, 1500, 1700 and so I opted for the 1500 slot. (I fully understand why businesses have a sittings system for busy event days, but I always have a sense of trepidation, as on occasion this has been problematic. Luckily the people who were at our table had finished and left, so all was well).

Just like last year, there were 3 courses and also a welcome drink. The 3 course option was priced at THB 950, which was very good value and considering that the Red Lion is just minutes away from where I live, the choice of venue was a no-brainer.

For the welcome drink they offered Cava, Bucks Fizz, and Beer. After 3 heavy nights in a row, I couldn't face drinking again, so opted to give 2 glasses of Cava to my Christmas companion.

The starters were similar to last year: pea and ham soup, prawn cocktail and a vegetarian option of Camembert spring rolls.

There were 4 main courses: traditional turkey and ham, steak, salmon and a vegetarian cauliflower cheese.

Desserts were limited to traditional Christmas pudding and trifle.

The portions were very generous and the food was both authentic* and good quality.

I really enjoyed the lunch and even my Thai LB companion, who was fearing the worst, seemed to enjoy it, although she struggled with the sheer volume on the plates.

I placed an asterisk next to authentic as some of the ingredients on my plate brought a smile to my lips. I remember endless annual arguments between my sisters and parents about whether peas and Yorkshire pudding were traditional for Christmas lunch. My parents had a Victorian colonial outlook and it was considered heresy to serve Yorkshire puddings with anything other than roast beef. Thankfully traditions do change with the times.

If you are in BKK next Christmas and at a loss as to where to celebrate on the 25-Dec I would highly recommend the Red Lion. This pub also serves very good all day breakfasts as well as other standard British pub food.

I was last in there for a Scottish Breakfast about 2 months ago with @Kingdomguy and he gave the Lorne sausages two thumbs up.

Photo 1 - Starters

Photo 2 Main Courses

Yeah, a three course Christmas dinner is gut swelling enough for us.......looks decent though!

[maxlamenace 432]

British meal is always foul.... so British meal in Thailand should be grounds for expulsion from the country 

[taaseesanuk 4,029]

53 minutes ago, maxlamenace said:

British meal is always foul.... so British meal in Thailand should be grounds for expulsion from the country 

Our food isn't great but is American any better, I doubt it. Still, could be worse, could be eating snails drowning in garlic and  butter

or trying to find a morsel of meat on some poor frogs leg.

Edited December 26, 2024 by taaseesanuk

[maxlamenace 432]

a French chef at the Brew House who makes good French food....

 

[maxlamenace 432]

16 minutes ago, taaseesanuk said:

Our food isn't great but is American any better,

the pepper steak at Buddy's bar is excellent 

[taaseesanuk 4,029]

33 minutes ago, maxlamenace said:

the pepper steak at Buddy's bar is excellent 

So is mine when I have a BBQ.

[hkaus72 620]

On 12/26/2023 at 10:59 PM, SAGuy said:

 

b. The Christmas pudding was served as a slice. I have never seen that before either.

My mum serves Christmas pud as a slice. Proper old-school-boiled-for-six-hours Irish Christmas pud.
It's probably slightly angled, because the pud is round. You're not after big wedges though so slice it thin, because it's quite a solid dessert. 
Bit of cream, or for me ice -cream on top, yes please may I have another!