Whatever your taste in food, you can’t go wrong if you visit the Toby Carvery near Harlow Railway Station, serving  Pub food at its best, at very reasonable prices.

The generous portions of roast turkey breast/roast beef/honey glazed gammon individually carved for each customer, the biggest Yorkshire pudding, plus the largest selection of fresh roasted and steamed vegetables I’d ever seen, make the price of £8 Monday to Friday after 6.30 pm, £8 Saturday after 5 pm and all day Sunday, very inviting.  Even better value are Carvery meals on Monday to Saturday until 5 pm, when you can obtain two courses for only £8!  This includes a starter of tomato soup or melon, dairy ice cream for pudding or tea/coffee.  There is a selection of delicious sauces to accompany the ice cream.  If any other pudding or starter is chosen, £1 can be taken off the normal menu price (except on Bank Holidays).

The choice of starters is great.  Here are a few examples:  Creamy Mushroom Coriander, Soup of the Day, Classic Prawn Cocktail, Spicy Lamb Kebab and Chicken Tikka.  All these can be ordered as snacks at the bar, too, as  well as sandwiches in various types of bread and, at a cost of only £1 extra, you can help yourself to a selection of freshly steamed and roasted vegetables.

Delectable desserts are also plentiful – here are just a few examples: Cherry Pie, Chocolate Orange Profiterole Sundae, Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream Sensation and Knickerbocker Glory.    

There are plenty of alternatives to the Carvery, such as Beef and Guinness Pie, Braised Shoulder of Lamb, Chicken Tikka, Chef’s Signature Club Salad, Turkey Caesar Salad or Cod in a Cheese Sauce.

Vegetarians are also well catered for and there is always a Vegetarian choice, marked with a green V, including vegetarian gravy.  This reminds me to tell you that there is a large selection of gravies. 

There is a Children’s Menu, too, including a vegetarian option.

Mondays to Saturdays until 5 pm there is a special Curry and Stella Meal Deal, when you can have a Toby Curry with a chilled pint of Stella or, if you prefer, you can opt for a standard glass of one of their famous Toby juices, all for £4.75.  If you’re very hungry, you can have a Mega Meal, such as Mega Chicken Tikka, Mega Spicy Lamb Kebab or Mega Spicy Combo for only £6 each.  

The choice of Pub Meals like Ploughman’s, Turkey Curry or Beef Curry is also available.  Accompaniments, such as Home Roasties, Chilli Roasties, Cheese-topped   Home Roasties, Garlic Bread and Cheesy Garlic Bread, are also reasonably priced.

The Drinks Menu, containing many Spirits, Draught Beers, served refreshingly cold, very many Wines, white, red, rosé and sparkling, as well as wines from the wood,  

is very comprehensive. 

The themed décor is based on the last century, with witty cartoons, pictures, photographs and postcards – some a little risqué, but funny – decorating the walls.  There are also some unusual and quirky examples of pottery and china on shelves, which make a good talking point.  The seating is comfortable.                         

Since The Toby Carvery opened, I have often lunched or dined there with friends, who have always remarked on the excellent variety and taste of the food offered, as  well as on the good value of our meals and friendly, efficient service.  Recently, my family and I celebrated one of our grandchildren’s birthdays and both the children and all the grown-ups voted it the best birthday lunch ever.  I particularly liked the  succulent turkey, stuffing, Yorkshire pudding, mushrooms, onions, roast potatoes and parsnips (there were mashed potatoes, too), garden peas, steamed carrots, broccoli, cabbage, swede, cauliflower in cheese sauce., mustard gravy and red currant jelly, followed by vanilla ice cream with  butterscotch sauce.  My husband had a similar meal but, as I couldn’t eat a whole Yorkshire pudding, we shared that.  The children enjoyed the honey glazed ham, and, of course, the chocolate brownie ice cream sensation.

The fact that The Toby Carvery opens at 11.30 am and is often full, is testament to its popularity.