The Pony Bistro on North Street in Bristol is the newest offering from brother / sister team Josh and Holly Eggleton and its fab. Since it opened in May 2021, it’s been raved about by local diners (including myself) and has even been added to the Michelin guide. Not bad going for such a new restaurant which opened in the tail end of the pandemic.
The Pony & TrapWe’ve been twice and loved it both times. The balance between fine dining and a casual, relaxed environment is spot on. Pair that with great staff, fantastic food and a location which is walkable from my house and for me, The Pony is the perfect neighbourhood restaurant.
Just outside of Bristol, the Pony & Trap in Chew Magna was Josh and Holly Eggleton’s Michelin starred ‘country pub’. They closed during the pandemic but are relaunching in Spring 2022 so I’ll be interested to see what’s changed. We ate there and enjoyed it but for me, I think The Pony is fresher and doing more innovative cooking. Of course that’s just my opinion but let’s be honest, isn’t that what food blogging is all about? Opinions?
The food
With an open kitchen headed up by Hugo Harvey, with nowhere to hide, the team cooks over open fire — focusing on seafood from the South West coast; vegetables and herbs from their own Pony Garden and local growers, as well as quality reared meat — to create a seasonally changing menu. Their menu is a four course, with several options per course and is priced at £43 in the evenings, £38 at lunch which I feel is very reasonable. Sure, it’s not cheap but the quality of the food and service you receive are so excellent that it’s worth the dosh. Plus, the lunch menu is the same as at night, so if you want to save a bit, go early!
There is a definite lean towards fish on the menu which isn’t surprising seeing as its Head Chef Hugo’s main jam. And even if you’re not a fish lover, I urge you to try it. My step dad is a meat and two veg guy and surprised us all by choosing fish for his main. He had plaice, prawn bisque, charred corn and confit prawn and loved it!
A sample menu
As I’m writing this after several visits – and the menu changes frequently, I thought I’d just show you a sample of the type of dishes you can expect when you visit.
The four course menu is made up of a Snack, Starter, Main and Dessert. You an also choose to add extras and sides.
Snack
This was cured mackerel, hash brown, fermented mustard and pickled ginger. A perfect mouthful of salt and acidity. And over too fast!
Starter
I can’t explain how delicious this was. Orkney scallop, miso beurre noisette, seaweed and Pernod sauce. I actually cleaned the shell of sauce with my finger (when no one was looking)!!
Main
This was actually Dave’s main course on our second visit and proof that the team may love cooking seafood but they certainly also know what they’re doing with meat. Pork collar, salsa verde, confit shallot, fermented mustard smoked jus.
For those of you who don’t know what the collar is (I didn’t) its the muscle that runs from the jowl of the pig and is sometimes known as pork neck or neck fillet. It was incredibly tender, served pink. With a good fat content, it suits low and slow cooking or roasting, according to Mr google.
Dessert
This walnut whip alaska feels like the type of pud a place becomes known for and it was on the menu both times we visited. Look at it. Nothing more to say!
Side
It doesn’t matter what their treatment is, get the potatoes. These, with truffle oil and westcombe cheddar, were so delightful I was gutted to see they weren’t on the menu for our second visit. I needn’t have worried because the fried new potatoes with brown lemon butter were just as scrumptious!
Payment structure
I’ve talked about no shows before, about how damaging they can be to small independent restaurants. This was a problem before the pandemic but even more so now. Many places have started taking deposits (and I think rightly so) but The Pony Bistro has gone one step further and they take the whole food payment upfront. I personally think this is a good idea and have been happy to pay at the time of booking on both visits. This also has the added benefit of lulling your mind into thinking you’ve had a bargain when, on the night, your bill is just for drinks!
In conclusion
I think it’s clear that we really like The Pony Bistro. For me, it has the full package – cool space, excellent staff and really delicious food which is just a touch fancy for a treat. The fact that it’s not far from home is a massive bonus.
I spend a lot of time seeking out and eating food from all over the world, trying new flavours and experiences, so to find a moderrn British bistro that excites me the way this place does is pretty rare.
Treat yourself – it’s worth every penny.
