Fed up with cottage cheese and crispbreads? MICHELLE TOMPKINS advocates blowing the diet with a good old-fashioned roast dinner

APOLOGIES to those of you in the midst of your January cleanse, but I’m about to make your healthy eating malarkey a whole lot harder.

While you try to convince yourself that celery sticks and hummus make the perfect midwinter lunch and that spiralised courgettes are a substitute for spaghetti, I’m here to tell you about the mountain of a meal I had when I sampled the Marriott hotel’s new Sunday roast menu a few weeks ago.

Succulent slices of roasted turkey meat, sizzling pigs wrapped in their bacon blankets, herby stuffing baked crispy on top, mounds of crunchy roast potatoes giving way to their fluffy insides... are you salivating yet?

Velvety squash soup for starters with warmed rolls and salty butter, rich chocolate torte for dessert coating your tongue and teeth, crumbly mince pies with coffee rounding off the feast... oh heck, put down the Ryvita and get yourself booked in for a proper meal. Go on, you know you want to.

There was, of course, a Christmas theme to the Sunday lunch when my parents and I visited in the middle of December. Crackers and party poppers were laid on the tables and a glass of Prosecco or Buck’s Fizz was part of the £20 festive package, but the basic carvery premise of the restaurant was the same as usual.

Starters were either that butternut squash soup or a ham hock terrine and we were divided in our choices. My slice of terrine was a vision of layered loveliness, the salty smoked ham sitting beautifully with its melba toast accompaniment and setting me up nicely for the rest of the meal.

Mum and dad both opted for the soup and that was impressive too; steaming hot, vividly orange with a swirl of cream completing the appetising picture, they both polished it off to encouraging noises.

It was up to the carvery for the main course, and a choice of turkey or beef (or in my dad’s case, both – the term ‘hollow legs’ was invented for him). We were at the tail end of the sitting, booked in for 2pm, and there wasn’t masses of meat left, but what there was was still appetising and juicy, not at all dried out by sitting on the hot plate throughout lunch.

Pigs in blankets were obligatory, as was a mound of stuffing, and Yorkshire puddings for those that wanted them (dad). As a good girl who likes her vegetables, I found the choice fairly limited – Brussels sprouts, roasted carrots and parsnips – but I love all of those and they were well cooked so I wasn’t too disappointed. A vat of rich gravy sat the end of the service to be poured as liberally as we liked, along with all the usual accompaniments of cranberry sauce, horseradish etc.

I’m not sure whether second helpings are allowed, but we didn’t need them anyway, having heaped our plates in the first place. It’s just as well we didn’t, as a choice of Christmas pudding, that chocolate torte or cheese and biscuits was to follow and it would have been rude not to at least try one of them.

With our reviewers’ heads on, we opted to each try something different. Dad’s rich slice of torte hit the spot, as did mum’s neatly presented slice of Christmas pud, which came doused in cream. I went for the cheese and biscuits and was impressed to be guided to a well-stocked cheese board, where I could help myself to as much or as little as I wanted, along with celery, grapes and chutney.

That familiar Christmas Day ‘I’ve eaten so much I can’t move’ feeling kicked in soon afterwards and belts were surreptitiously loosened beneath the table. When a dainty plate of mini mince pies arrived with coffee, mum and I looked at one another in panic and shook our heads. Dad dived in though, enjoying his share.. and then mine, and then most of mum’s, before finally admitting defeat.

Despite looking a little green around the gills, he said they were superb and a great first taste of a festive favourite (he has since gone on to demolish three more boxes and is working his way through a fourth).

If all this talk of roast potatoes, chocolate puddings and pastry has left you even more resolved to stick to your healthy eating plan, good on you. I admire your willpower.

Personally, it’s reminded me of all that’s good about winter fuel food and left me hankering for the comfort of another good, old roast. Perhaps I’ll invite dad over for dinner – he’s a great way to get rid of any leftovers.

MARRIOTT HOTEL

Pipers Way, Swindon SN3 1SH

Tel: 01793 512121

Parking: Yes, plenty

Disabled access: Yes

Adver ratings:

Food: 10/10

Choice: 7/10

Decor: 9/10

Customer service: 9/10

Sunday lunch price: £13.95 for three-course carvery

Tripadvisor rating: 4/5