Sunday Lunch (Toby Carvery, Willerby)

After our failed mission to eat at the Toby Carvery in Willerby last week, we thought we'd try again on our way back from a long journey to a christening in the Midlands. We arrived there at about 5pm and expected it to be quiet - too late to catch the lunchtime rush but too early for those arriving for tea. Apparently not, it was still extremely busy- there must be Michelin starred places where it is easier to get a table. But James and I'd not eaten lunch - we'd left before the post-church buffet - and Kasper had only had a cheese sandwich in the car, so we decided to sit out the 20 minute wait. It passed quickly and we no-sooner settled than jumped up again to get in the queue for the carvery. I was a bit concerned how we would manage holding Kasper's hand, keeping him away from the hot food, and carrying three plates of roast dinner. However, we weren't offered a separate plate for Kasper - just a bowl with a Yorkshire pudding in - the idea being he could share some of the monstrous portions on ours which seemed sensible and certainly easier on the pocket. The food itself was lovely - fresh seasonal vegetables, tender meat and tasty gravy but overall, the experience was stressful. The restaurant was baking hot - thanks to the heat radiating off the carvery area and, as I mentioned, there were lots of people. The service was friendly enough but we ordered some drinks at our table which never arrived and weren't mentioned again until we decided to leave and no longer wanted them. It was clear that it had been a busy day and that meant everything felt a bit fraught, despite the very best efforts of everyone. Had there been a more relaxed atmosphere, we would have stayed for pudding but it was just too much and we came home. I felt as though it would have been easier for me to cook my own carvery at home, complete with choice of four meats and eight vegetables but the experience hasn't put me off, it's just that this branch seems to be something of a victim of its own success, becoming slightly overwhelmed on Sundays. Therefore, we'll make our next visit a midweek one, it's cheaper then too!