Credit Munch; If you're looking to eat out without breaking the bank MARTIN WELLS could have found just the place.

Byline: MARTIN WELLS

IT was Bonfire Night last year that we first sampled what Toby Inns was trumpeting as its "new and improved menus".

While the night sky outside was ablaze with rockets and whizz-bangs, the experience at its Cardiff Gate outlet was something of a damp squib - good, wholesome, reasonably priced food let down by grim surroundings and a waitress who, on a quiet night, resented having to clear away a table so we could have our preferred spot.

As you might imagine, we were less than fulsome in our praise while Toby Inns, to be fair, argued that Cardiff Gate closed down for refurbishment between our visit and the review appearing some weeks later. It also pointed out that in the interim its staff had benefited from a certain amount of "retraining".

So, in the interests of fairness, we threw ourselves on the mercy of Toby Inns again recently, choosing this time the Barons Court, newly acquired by the chain. Most recently a Beefeater, it has an illustrious history, although it was never what you might call a great boozer.

Today, it has joined the ranks of the growing number of pub-carveries, all eager to spare mum the cooking while at the same time offering meals at a price that won't have dad going cap in hand to the IMF.

On this score, the Barons Court can't be faulted. The four of us shared three starters, piled our plates high at the carvery and washed it all down with a reasonable amount of beer. And we still managed to rack up the sort of bill that made us think we'd diddled the joint.

The cheesy garlic bread was a delight, the chicken tikka pieces and salad nothing short of spectacular. That the cheese and bacon potato skins were a little bland didn't stop us wolfing them down as if they were devils on horseback.

The purpose of the carvery meats - turkey, beef and ham - is to offset the carbohydrates of the vegetables with some much-needed protein, no more, no less. Go expecting to be knocked out by the chef's dazzling way with gammon and you'll be disappointed. But neither will you be disappointed if you go expecting to come away with your belt loosened and a vow to yourself to go on a diet in the morning.

But when you've broken that vow, will you come back here? Well, the waitress certainly didn't need any retraining. She was very polite and attentive. Meanwhile, the surroundings were clean and welcoming, if a little spartan in places.

THE When the credit crunch is getting us down, Le Manoir is right out of our budget but we still can't face beans on toast at home, we know where to come.

The Barons Court is on Penarth Road, Penarth, at the Cogan interchange (CF64 1ND). Tel: [phone].

The bill Bacon and cheese skins pounds 3.20 Chicken tikka pounds 3.45 Cheesy garlic Four carvery Two pints of Two halves of Two halves of Pint and half pounds 3.38 Total: pounds 51.90

BARONS COURT potato and salad bread pounds 1.55 meals pounds 30 Carling pounds 4.94 Stella pounds 2.90 Carling pounds 2.48 Brains SA

On the menu Lemon and pepper chicken salad Beef and Theakstone's ale pie Turkey, gammon and mushroom pie Vegetarian special could be mushroom lasagne, bean hash, broccoli and brie parcel or spicy vegetarian crumble