Pony Bistro: ‘A flawless next chapter for the Pony & Trap’ – restaurant review

On one wall of the Pony Bistro are a dozen or so framed menus from the Pony & Trap in Chew Magna.

This new restaurant is the latest iteration of that country pub which under the stewardship of brother and sister duo Josh and Holly Eggleton held a Michelin star for a decade.

But the siblings are no longer chasing stars. The Pony Bistro – which has an address of North Street but a front door on St Francis Road – is a flawless next chapter of the Pony & Trap, with a strong emphasis on seafood and sustainability.

The original Pony meanwhile is due to reopen as a community interest company and be called the Pony Chew Valley, whose motivations Josh has described as “a Robin Hood thing” in an interview at the end of 2020.

“We’re going to charge the rich and give it back to people who need it. That’s the way the world should work: redistribution of wealth.”

A snack of cured Cornish river trout, pickled cucumber, crème fraiche and rye crisp – photo: Martin Booth

Mackerel, hash brown, horseradish mayonnaise and pickled ginger – photo: Martin Booth

The Pony North Street opened in mid-May but a lunch sitting at the end of June was the earliest that I could visit due to not booking as soon as reservations went on sale.

In what is possibly a sign of things to come, all meals here are pre-paid: with the dinner menu costing £42, weekday lunchtime £37 and Sunday brunch £35.

It might take a bit more organisation, but it does mean that the industry-wide problem of no-shows is immediately solved, leaving just extras such as Porthilly oysters, sides such as fried potatoes and drinks needing to be settled at the end of the meal.

Unsurprisingly, all the beer here is from Bristol Beer Factory – whose brewery and taproom is just the other side of the wall – while there is also a local cider made from apples grown in Dundry by Wilding Cider, gin distilled by Psychopomp in Kingsdown, and grain spirit and rum from its sister distillery, Circumstance, in Whitehall.

Much of the wine is on display underneath framed prints, many of which are by Bristol artists including 3D of Massive Attack, produced to raise money for the Bristol Food Union.

A starter of char siu pork belly, barbecue fennel and corn vinaigrette – photo: Martin Booth

Mushroom parfait, smoked pear chutney, roasted hazelnut and grilled fruit & nut loaf – photo: Martin Booth

The food menu is split into four sections: snack, starter, main and dessert.

Lunch for me on this recent Thursday was with my colleague Ellie, making a welcome change to be talking about court cases, press conferences and website issues in real life rather than over Zoom.

Both of our miniature snacks arrived on slates. My slice of mackerel balanced on a hash brown was no bigger than a large postage stamp, but was beautifully sweet accompanied by the tang of horseradish mayonnaise and pickled ginger.

The best part of my starter was being able to ask for more bread (it’s handy having Mark’s Bread bakery almost next door) to mop up the salty, sweet and spicy juices from the char siu pork belly.

Harvest Farm rainbow trout, trout belly & guanciale sausage, asparagus and shellfish sauce – photo: Martin Booth

Twice-baked Cornish gouda soufflé, walnut salsa, bitter leaves and apple – photo: Martin Booth

The pork belly was a rare meat dish among a menu featuring a plethora of seafood including Cornish river trout, Atlantic prawns, Orkney scallops and Bay of Biscay anchovies.

Ellie’s main was a gravity-defying twice-baked Cornish gouda soufflé while my rainbow trout had a skin as crispy as the top of a crème brûlée and surprisingly white meat, with small medallions of sausages made from trout belly and guanciale, an Italian cured meat which comes from pigs’ cheek.

As it was lunchtime and I was still on duty, I chose to drink a non-alcoholic beer, Bristol Beer Factory’s Clear Head, which raises money for men’s mental health.

But this could have been dashed with a boozy and deliciously gooey tiramisu, and I’ll certainly be back to sample the walnut whip Alaska.

Treacle tart and clotted cream ice cream – photo: Martin Booth

One of the major aims of the Eggletons as their businesses adapt to the ever-changing circumstances is to offer exceptional training to those who want a career in hospitality.

Behind the scenes, this dream is slowly being realised and meanwhile the Pony Bistro shows what can be achieved in these still perilous times for the hospitality industry.

Hidden away off North Street, the next chapter of the Pony & Trap has been immaculately realised.

The best of the Chew Valley has now been replanted to Bedminster, and framed photos of menus in years to come could be from the Pony Bistro.

Pony Bistro is tucked behind Bristol Beer Factory’s taproom and its brewery – photo: Martin Booth

Pony Bistro, 291 North Street, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 1JP 
www.theponynorthstreet.co.uk

Main photo: Martin Booth

Read more: The Garden of Easton: ‘Come for the style, stay for the sensational food’ – restaurant review