Review: Toby Carvery, Not Just for Sundays!

Everyone in my family is a big fan of Toby Carvery. I visited my first one with my husband when we were just 21 years old, so that's 24 years ago and we've been going regularly ever since. We love their format and truly think they are the best carvery chain out there. You get served the meat but the potatoes, yorkshire puds, vegetables, stuffing, crackling, gravy and condiments are all help yourself and that makes them perfect for a family who have a big apetitite and love their veg!

Our local Toby Carvery is in Eastbourne and we probably go there at least once a month. A short while back it was refurbished and today was our third visit since it has re-opened. I have to say that I feel as if they have really upped their game along with the new decor. We've always had pleasant staff serving us there but it's as if they all have an extra smile and are enjoying their job more since the place has had a makeover, and their sunny personalities are matching the new smart interior.

As well as the hearty meal, another reason we regularly visit Toby Carvery is because you can often get great discount vouchers to be used on weekdays. Take today for instance, I'm using a 50% off main courses voucher and often I can find 33% or 40% off. Sign up to the Toby Carvery mailing list (or download the app) and you'll be sent great deals.

My dinner (the meat is hiding under the veggies) and bottomless soft drink

Sunday is of course the most popular day for people to traditionally enjoy a roast dinner and for this reason we always avoid Sundays, as we like the restaurant to be a bit quieter when we go there. My recommendation would be to go early evening on a weekday, around 5.30/6pm or late afternoon on a Saturday, around 3/4pm as you'll then find the restaurant quieter but thankfully, we never have any problem with dry meat or old vegetables like you might in some restaurants for the non-peak times.

Review: Saltdean Tavern Stonehouse Restaurant, Brighton

On Saturday night my husband and I headed over to Saltdean, Brighton to try out the newly refurbished Saltdean Tavern. The restaurant has recently been re-branded as a Stonehouse restaurant specialising in pizzas and carvery roasts. My first thought was that this was an odd combination but actually upon being in the restaurants and seeing the breadth of the menu and all the big family and friends tables I could understand that there is logic in having opposites as the attraction it it means everyone in your party can be satisfied and enjoy their meal out.

First Impressions

The restaurant is situated behind the old Saltdean Lido, which is currently being renovated (over a very long term and with a few tricky issues) so the location is super easy to get to and there is tons of well-lit parking. The outside looks really smart and there is lovely wooden play equipment for the kids, I know mine would love it and we'll come back in the warmer months to enjoy the local area and a meal there.

As you enter the building you have a bar area to the left and restaurant to the right and the refurbishment is lovely. The decor looks really smart and very welcoming. You can see the chefs working in the pizza preparation area as you arrive and that looks very inviting. There is also a salad bar, carvery and ice cream factory on show too.

We arrived about 8.15pm, a quarter of an hour after our reservation but this wasn't an issue to the restaurant, which made us feel at ease. When we arrived there was not a clearly defined welcome area so we just stood in the entrance and waited and a waitress took the initiative to approach us. We told her we had a reservation and she checked this out and took us to a marked table. There was plenty of space in the restaurant area and between the tables so you could feel relaxed but the floor was full of crumbs and the menus were sticky from split soft drinks and beers. So our first impression was a bit mixed to be honest.

Five Outdoor Activities for some Good Old Family Fun

Does it take some coaxing to separate everyone from the television? Do your children flinch away from sunlight like age-old vampires? If you’re on a mission to banish the couch potato blues, you’ve come to the right place. Here are five fantastic outdoor activities that the whole family can enjoy together. Warning – resulting fun may be overwhelming.

1. Camp Out in the Back Yard

You don’t have to pack the car to the gills and brave the hazards of communal toilets to enjoy a night under the stars. Pitch a tent right in the backyard, roast some marshmallows over a portable heater and listen to the sounds of nature, as you step away from the comforts of your home. This is an awesome way to introduce the uninitiated to the wonders of camping and a great way to spend some quality time with the family.

2. Scavenger Hunt

With a little preparation, you can create a scavenger hunt that promises to be just as exciting as a treasure hunt led by Jack Sparrow and the other Pirates of the Caribbean. You can confine the scope of your hunt to the back yard, tailor it for a nearby park or use the whole neighbourhood as your playground. A scavenger hunt is a good way for the kids to keep their minds and bodies active as they learn about their surroundings and run about gathering clues.

3. Have Dinner Outside

This time of year is wonderful for bringing the family’s dinner ritual outside. Fire up the grill and toss the footy around while the scent of delicious barbeque fills the air. Set the table as you would inside, light a few lanterns and voila, you have an outdoor bistro fit for a king. If you don't have a large backyard or if you’re a city dweller with only a balcony, a full-sized grill may not be practical. Don’t fret, you can always pick up a disposable BBQ tray.

4. Plant a Garden

Nothing beats the smell of freshly picked herbs from the garden or the taste of organically grown fruits and vegetables from the backyard. Planting a garden is a wonderful season long project that can involve the whole family. If you were struggling to find a way to make your kids interested in vegetables, nothing instils a sense of wonder and excitement in children like watching seeds they planted grow into mature plants. Again, if you don’t have much space or just have a patio or balcony, you don’t have to be left out. Have a look into container gardening; it's a practical alternative for people who don’t have much space.

5. Turn the Driveway into A Work of Art

With a few pieces of sidewalk chalk, your kids (or your inner child) can turn your driveway into a work of art. Or you can create a veritable wonderland of chalk games like London Calling or Hopscotch. It not only gets the kids playing outside, but it also provides them with a canvas other than the hallway walls for their art.

So there you have it, five easy ways to get your family out of the house and soaking in some much-needed vitamin D. What are some of your family’s favourite outdoor activities?

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Time with my husband at Frankie & Benny's

Do you ever find that life gets so busy that you just end up spending no time with your other half? Or if you do it is to do something for or with the kids?  Oh yes, my husband and I will stand at the side of a football pitch and cheer on our boy or we might catch up about  parents evening before one of us runs out the house but sadly right now ‘us time’ seems not to be making it to the top of the list.

We have been together 18 years now and that’s a fair while, so during that time there have been many periods, especially since having children when we have temporarily forgotten that we must schedule time together, time just to be husband and wife. For months at a time we can be really on top of things and scheduling date nights, going out or cooking for each other and then all of a sudden I catch a moment and wonder when the last time we did that was.

When I was in Ethiopia recently I really missed dh and the thing my heart most wanted was to have him there with me.  I knew he would ‘get’ my trip and really enjoy it but most of all I wanted the closeness that only we have. So returning from my trip and finding that Frankie and Benny’s had sent me through a voucher to enjoy a meal and their new cocktail menu I knew who I would be going with.  By chance we both had last Friday off work and we headed to our local Frankie and Benny’s in Stevenage Herts whilst the kids were at school so we could enjoy some time together.

What a lovely time we had, the restaurant was about half full and had a really warm atmosphere, it was not too noisy and the booth we were seated in was intimate and comfortable. What made our visit even better was that we had the best waiter, he is Russian and called himself 5star, which made us laugh but he had such a quirky/ dry sense of humour and really engaged with us.

Dh and I both enjoyed our meal, we did not go for anything adventurous but who says you have to?  Well except for 5star who teased us about our ‘exciting’ tastes, but as I told him ‘better to know I would enjoy it’. I had New York chicken with chips, coleslaw and a corn cob and dh had a beefburger and chips. Both were well cooked and a good size portion.

After, we decided it would be rude not to enjoy some desserts together and dh went for the brownies, ice cream and cream and I had cheesecake. I thought dh’s brownies looked a bit small but when I tried them they were rich and delicious.  My cheesecake was good too and was slightly chewy, just the way I like it.

Whilst we choose from the main menu we could happily have chosen from the Frankie and Benny’s lunch menu as there is a good range and the price starts at £5.95 for one course or £8.25 for two courses or £9.25 for three, which present really good value.

The main reason we were asked to go and try out a Frankie and Benny’s restaurant was to try their new cocktail menu out. Being a week day and a lunchtime I sort of assumed that we would be trying the non-alcoholic cocktails but no dh decided to surprise me and had a Long Island ice tea, a bit of a turn up for the books considering he drinks about twice a year!  I think the time away from the kids and the American Italian inspired restaurant must have transported him back to much younger years and working in New York drinking many a Long Island ice tea! He told me it was a really good one and he nearly fell asleep as we drove back home to pick the kids up!

I tried out the fruit punch and also the gentle breeze and I was impressed to see four non-alcoholic cocktails on the menu.  Both that I tried were good but the fruit punch was exceptional and the almond liqueur in it really lifted it and made it different to something you might have every day. The cost of the non-alcoholic cocktails is £2.95 and the alcoholic ones range from £4.95 to £5.95 each which is comparable with other similar restaurant chains.  Some of the cocktails are also available in a two eprson pitcher for £8.95 or a four person one for £13.95, both of these represent good value.

I can honestly say that I’d happily come back and have another meal and I’d also love to try a Woo Woo cocktail next time I come, that’s peach schnapps, vodka, cranberry juice with a hint of lemon in case you’re wondering!

Go on share, what's your poison when it comes to cocktails? 

Disclaimer:  I was provided with a voucher for a two course meal for two with two cocktails each for the purposes of undertaking this review.  I was not instructed what to write and I remain honest.