Who doesn’t love a roast dinner (apart from vegetarians of course)? It’s a British institution and something that I have certainly grown up having on my plate every Sunday.
I’ve always seen it as a time to catch up with family and friends whilst I stuff myself silly and then have a nice post grub snooze on the sofa.
So with that in mind, I was very obliging when asked to do a review of the Toby Carvery in North Swindon last weekend.
With my hungry three year old daughter in tow, we both ordered a roast with gammon and turkey -with lots of vegetables and roast potatoes.
It became evident very quickly that Mya’s favourite part of the roast was the large crunchy Yorkshire pudding and the dollop of apple sauce on the side. I could understand her preference to be honest because the mix does go well together.
The turkey was very succulent and filling, whilst the roast potatoes were cooked to perfection – being crispy and crunchy on the outside and really soft in the inside.
However, we did both find the gammon to be a bit fatty but the vegetables were the right consistency and full of flavour.
Moving onto desert, Mya had a child’s portion of ice cream with chocolate sauce and I opted for one of the famous fruit crumbles.
The apple and cinnamon crumble was truly delicious although I do prefer a more solid, congealed coating rather than the flaky topping that Toby Carvery provides. The ‘bottomless’ custard jug, a bit of a crowd pleaser, did help it to go down a treat though.
And judging by the rate my daughter finished her ice cream, with a large chocolate covered smile on her face afterwards, I think it’s safe to say that desert was also a winner for her.
Of course Sunday is always the most popular day for a roast so it isn’t the cheapest option to go for, but the Friary is currently offering a new-year deal which consists of 2 courses for £6.99 from a Monday to Friday.
If you do decide to go on a Sunday, make sure you allow some time for parking as it gets packed and by experience, there is usually a bit of a wait time until you get a table.
But to sum up - if you’re looking for a tasty roast in a busy, homely, atmosphere – this is the place.
