Peter Tavy Inn Pensioner Lunches
Pull into any pub car park when you've just decided to treat yourself to lunch on a cold wet Tuesday in January
and you can be forgiven for mixed feelings. A.) Great, this means that it's a popular place to eat and B.) Oh drat,
does this mean that we won't get a table ? This is the Peter Tavy Inn about 5 miles out of Tavistock.
Fortunately for my pal Pat and I, the Peter Tavy Inn at the village with the same name is used to serving large
numbers of walking parties, and holidaymakers in the Summer months, so seating and serving many covers is not
a problem. Service at the bar is swift and friendly and we are invited to view the Pensioners Lunch menu or the
full blackboard choices before we take a seat next to a well stoked woodburner that's throwing out plenty of heat.
In the 30 years that we have lived in Devon, this pub has had a consistently good reputation for food and ale.
Come with the family during the Summer and children can make use of the village playing field next door.
We like the look of the menu. 3 starters, 7 mains including a veggie choice, and 3 pudding suggestions, if you
include the 2 scoops of ice cream. The sad news though is that Pat is not yet in the Pensioner bracket, so we fess
up to the bar lady, and she says that's quite alright, they serve it to any age "In fact we had some teenagers
in yesterday and despite the servings being slightly smaller than our normal helpings, they said there was plenty"
Oh, so that's the plan then? Pensioner deals mean that it's a slightly smaller portion. I hadn't realised.
So we choose and sit and chat and enjoy the warmth of the fire. And then just as we think it might
be getting a tad on the long side to wait, up comes this pretty waitress with our meals
Mine's the Chicken, ham and leek pie with fresh veg and saute potatoes. The pie is brilliant, stuffed with
masses of meat chunks and leeks in a heavenly stock. The potatoes get 10/10. Usually I'm a big fan of
kale but this is in need of a little more cooking and then chopping with a knob of butter and a sprinkle
of white pepper. Having said that I eat it all up and there's plenty on the plate. No leftovers.
Pat's lunch was a Sweet potato, chilli and Coriander Ball (not plural as on the menu) stuffed with goat's cheese.
Again with saute potatoes and this time a side salad plus a little pot of chilli jam. Pat gave her considered
opinion... "Not something I'd make myself, but interesting, spicey, very good, and I'd say just enough to satisfy"
This is my treat, so we wait at the bar to pay, and I pull a £20 note out, mentally thinking, only one course each,
that's under £12 and 2 soft drinks. That should cover it. But the bill handed to me comes to about £24.
So not wanting to cause a fuss, I rummage in my purse for more money, when Pat points out that the bill is
about a fiver too much. Turns out we'd had 2 puddings added to our tab that we'd not ordered.... oh dear.
The lady behind the bar apologises and I'm sure it's been a genuine mistake..... She didn't seem to
me the person who would want to fleece her O.A.P.customers..... even if one of us was bogus !
So Pat and I definitely give it the thumbs up
Visit their website for more The Peter Tavy Inn Postcode PL19 9NN
You might want to check that the Pensioner's Lunch is still running
Ring them on
Tel 01822 810348