Want A Cheap Meal? Go Here!
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Recommendation added: 13/04/2006 23:41
By: dewberry (YSUK rating +1061)dewberry has been thanked 6 times for this contribution
"The Three Crowns in Walsall is possibly THE cheapest carvery in the Midlands. For the bargain price of £2.99 you'll get a fantastic meal which, apart from the meats, is basically as much as you can eat. You pay for your meals at the bar while ordering your drinks and are given a voucher which is handed to the chef. Once is formality is out of the way, you'll be ready to choose your food.
Typically for a carvery, you have a choice of gammon, turkey or beef which the chef carves in front of you to go on the plates. I usually have a slice of each, although any combination of meats is possible. For example my children find the gammon too salty so they leave this and have extra turkey, while my partner doesn't like turkey so he'll ask for more of both other meats. Flexibility is the key to eating out as a family!
The Yorkshire puddings and stuffing balls are also served by the chef, but this is a hygiene issue rather than portion control so don't be embarrassed to ask for extra!
Alongside the chefs domain is a hot self service area containing all the potatoes and vegetables you can choose from, not forgetting that you can have as much or as little as you like from here. The roast potatoes are to die for, crispy outside but deliciously fluffy inside. The boiled spuds are also fabulous; small new potatoes boiled in their skins and then drizzled in butter. Gorgeous. There's a good selection of veg including carrots, peas, green beans and cauliflower cheese. The vegetables are always cooked well and manage to sit in the heated containers without drying up or going rubbery.
To compliment your meal, you have a choice of sauces and gravies. The standard gravy is deliciously thick and rich, or you can have a more golden gravy which doesn't smell so meaty but looks absolutely lovely! Cranberry, mint and horseradish sauces are also available in little silver dishes for you to help yourself.
It's a gorgeous meal; really filling and just called for some dinnertimes when you've overdone the booze the night before. The tables are nicely laid out with cutlery and dessert menus already on the table as you arrive. Tables are available in a good range of sizes, from small tables for two all the way to huge round tables which seat eight. A couple of high chairs are provided for toddlers, and children are welcomed to eat until 8pm.
The restaurant itself has a modern country feel to it, there are lots of wooden beams and carved room dividers with a clean tiled floor in the food service area. It has a relaxed and bright atmosphere throughout, making for a lovely eating environment. Another thing I always notice immediately is how clean this restaurant is, it's amazing because you don't notice the staff cleaning but they must be constantly wiping and polishing in the background to keep the place looking so sparkling all the time!
A smaller area in The Three Crowns is available if you just want to go and have a drink without eating. Again, this area is light and airy with a pleasantly quiet feel to it. The bar serves a variety of beers and spirits at pretty cheap prices; the beers including Carling, Kronenberg and Fosters. One thing worth mentioning is their delicious fruit juice drinks, a choice of summery juices served on masses of crushed ice. The Apple & Mango concoction is divine, while my kids adore the Orange & Cranberry – these drinks are so yummy that I'll actually opt for this healthier beverage than sip my usual Baileys!
The £2.99 price is only available until 5pm, when it goes up to £3.95 which is still an absolute bargain considering the quality and size of the meal. The great thing about the carvery aspect is you can mix and match your meal to suit your tastes, I pile my plate with the spuds and a mixture of the veg while tending to stay away from the calorie laden Yorkshire pudding. The kids have enormous piles of carrots (which are always wonderfully fresh) as well as extra Yorkshires, and my partner eats the equivalent of the EEC food mountain in roasters. And there's never any waste.
The dessert menu isn't bad, although basic. Ice cream, apple pie and gateaux is the order of the day with prices being around the £2 mark. The apple pie is definitely the best option, served with a choice of custard or ice cream – homemade kinda tasty with a definite cinnamon twist.
There's a large car park at The Three Crowns, and also a small area to sit outside which unfortunately is so close to the car park and main road that you can't breathe for choking on exhaust fumes. To find The Three Crowns you'll really need to go by car as it's a bit of a trek using public transport, and definitely too in the middle of nowhere to contemplate the journey home after a huge meal! Follow the signs to Walsall, and the Sutton Road is a major junction on Beacon Hill (B4151) immediately before you head into Walsall proper. The Three Crowns is roughly a mile down Sutton Road, but is located on a slight bend so look out for the laid back pub grounds.
The Three Crowns
Sutton Road
Walsall
WS53AX
Tel: 01922 623951"
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