The Pony & Trap, located in Chew Magna, just outside Bristol, has a strong reputation and a Michelin Star, and when I booked myself a lunch there, I expected 'the usual': a nice country pub with some well cooked food using more or less local ingredients but not too much more. What I found was a super star in the kitchen and food that was stunning.
In the kitchen is owner Josh Eggleton, a young, energetic and entrepreneurial chef who is sure to become an even bigger name in UK food going forward. What was really fantastic about Josh and his food is how connected it is to his local environment. In talking about his dishes, he would tell me who supplied what and then point and say 'his farm is 500 yards that way' or 'that white house up there on the hill'.
That connection to the immediate farming community put me in mind of the likes of Simon Rogan, with the connection not ending there, for Josh is similarly looking to not only grow more of his own produce but even to rear chickens and pigs in the immediate grounds around the pub. With the Pony & Trap set in the heart of some glorious countryside (I watched a tractor ploughing a field as I ate my lunch), the space is available, and Josh has already started a community farm nearby.
I also got lucky today. Josh had heard about my Devon/Cornwall travel plans and Tweeted me asking if I might be stopping by the Pony & Trap not knowing that I was in fact already booked in. Brimming over with ideas (Josh, not me), he asked if he might experiment on me with a long form tasting menu of smaller bites that he is considering offering on an occasional basis at the restaurant. I readily agreed. Bear in mind, when you see the food below, this menu is very much work in progress.
In the kitchen is owner Josh Eggleton, a young, energetic and entrepreneurial chef who is sure to become an even bigger name in UK food going forward. What was really fantastic about Josh and his food is how connected it is to his local environment. In talking about his dishes, he would tell me who supplied what and then point and say 'his farm is 500 yards that way' or 'that white house up there on the hill'.
That connection to the immediate farming community put me in mind of the likes of Simon Rogan, with the connection not ending there, for Josh is similarly looking to not only grow more of his own produce but even to rear chickens and pigs in the immediate grounds around the pub. With the Pony & Trap set in the heart of some glorious countryside (I watched a tractor ploughing a field as I ate my lunch), the space is available, and Josh has already started a community farm nearby.
I also got lucky today. Josh had heard about my Devon/Cornwall travel plans and Tweeted me asking if I might be stopping by the Pony & Trap not knowing that I was in fact already booked in. Brimming over with ideas (Josh, not me), he asked if he might experiment on me with a long form tasting menu of smaller bites that he is considering offering on an occasional basis at the restaurant. I readily agreed. Bear in mind, when you see the food below, this menu is very much work in progress.
Unable to hold back his creative urge, Josh sent out rather more food than I think than he intended to, and I, in turn, ate rather more than I intended to because it was all so good. Worth noting however is that normally, there is a choice between a seven course tasting menu, an a la carte with treats like roasted wood pigeon with potato cake and girolles and pub classics like ham egg and chips. But also, the Pony & Trap it seems often holds special events and if you live local, keeping an eye on the website is probably a good idea to tip you off on when Josh might be doing something a little different.
We start the menu with a number of fun and one bite type items. There's a Hendricks cucumber Martini to start, and a cucumber, almond and toast gazpacho. There's an English version of insalata Caprese with a local ewe's cheese and beetroot. The cheese, of course made just up the road, is stunning and one bite seems hardly enough.
There's an oyster from the River Foye, the shell almost overflowing with its own juices (and a potentially messy one to shoot) served with a simple mignonette. Venison merely flash cooked with an elderberry jelly and shavings of foie gras torchon highlights how good these ingredients are and how little needs to be done. Josh is clever enough and confident enough to avoid overdoing it. The term 'allowing ingredients to speak for themselves' is now a hackneyed phrase but here at the Pony & Trap, with such great produce on the doorstep, nature needs only a slight and sure touch to deliver a perfect finish.
We start the menu with a number of fun and one bite type items. There's a Hendricks cucumber Martini to start, and a cucumber, almond and toast gazpacho. There's an English version of insalata Caprese with a local ewe's cheese and beetroot. The cheese, of course made just up the road, is stunning and one bite seems hardly enough.
There's an oyster from the River Foye, the shell almost overflowing with its own juices (and a potentially messy one to shoot) served with a simple mignonette. Venison merely flash cooked with an elderberry jelly and shavings of foie gras torchon highlights how good these ingredients are and how little needs to be done. Josh is clever enough and confident enough to avoid overdoing it. The term 'allowing ingredients to speak for themselves' is now a hackneyed phrase but here at the Pony & Trap, with such great produce on the doorstep, nature needs only a slight and sure touch to deliver a perfect finish.
English insalata Caprese (soft cheese and beetroot)
venison and foie gras
Then there's a scallop lollipop (scallipop?), the scallop wrapped in bacon and served with a spoon of scallop tartare, both absolute treats. Bone marrow with shrimp on toast, served St John style, the bone cut through in cross section, always a favourite of mine at St John, fabulous here too with juicy brown shrimp.
scallop and scallop tartare
bone marrow and shrimp
Talking of respecting the ingredients, the pollock is served Japanese style with English condiments like mustard and horse radish though my preference is to go for the fish alone. In my eagerness to eat the haddock and egg yolk, I failed it picture it.
pollock Japanese style
mackerel and it's tartare
Pigeon is next with everything two ways, two way pigeon with the breast and also a pigeon 'bressaola', carrot (sliced and and puree), apple (red and green), shallot (cooked and raw). The pigeon is, you guessed it, local, and difficulties around plucking pigeons are discussed (ripping apart the skin) but Josh's man delivers 80 perfect pigeons a week suggesting it's already a favourite of the locals.
Pork three ways is a very much a trial plate, served for the first time here. There's the loin, head croquette and a cleverly done mini ham hock. There's three condiments too, parsley purée, cooked in clay roasted pineapple, and a sauce reduction. It's a beautiful pork plate done well. The head croquette which if overcooked can be dry and underdone too loose was perfectly delivered. A mini ham hock meanwhile is a remarkable thing in its own right. Nothing like this plate is on the current menu as far as I can see but should be, it's a total taste winner.
Pork three ways is a very much a trial plate, served for the first time here. There's the loin, head croquette and a cleverly done mini ham hock. There's three condiments too, parsley purée, cooked in clay roasted pineapple, and a sauce reduction. It's a beautiful pork plate done well. The head croquette which if overcooked can be dry and underdone too loose was perfectly delivered. A mini ham hock meanwhile is a remarkable thing in its own right. Nothing like this plate is on the current menu as far as I can see but should be, it's a total taste winner.
pigeon two ways
pork three ways
The cheese course is inspired. Originally Vacherin, it's great to see Josh bring this closer to home and use locally produced Montgomery cheddar. Described as a fondue, it's more mousse like and some crisp green apple sits on top and some fruit (not quince from memory) sits in the bottom. This is one of the most delightful cheese courses I have ever had. The additional benefit of the light mousse is also to allow a very full diner to enjoy the full cheese flavour without adding more bulk. A little touch of genius.
cheese fondue
A trio of desserts starts with late season raspberries picked that morning, dark red and fit to burst. Filled inside with a raspberry puree it comes simply with a granola and Mascarpone.
The next dessert is a panna cotta made of 'pineappleweed', a weed so called because its flowers exude a pineapple aroma when crushed. This grows on the side of the road outside the front door of the pub. It puts a smile on my face even before I discover that it's a superb panna cotta.
Finally there's a chocolate fondant with beetroot (which I'll admit to being as little afraid of, beetroot in desserts should possibly be banned by law), though he gets away with the beetroot ice cream here as the chocolate presides. However, I can't help feel that, rather like they do at L'enclume, chocolate should be set to one side on this fabulous local menu.
The next dessert is a panna cotta made of 'pineappleweed', a weed so called because its flowers exude a pineapple aroma when crushed. This grows on the side of the road outside the front door of the pub. It puts a smile on my face even before I discover that it's a superb panna cotta.
Finally there's a chocolate fondant with beetroot (which I'll admit to being as little afraid of, beetroot in desserts should possibly be banned by law), though he gets away with the beetroot ice cream here as the chocolate presides. However, I can't help feel that, rather like they do at L'enclume, chocolate should be set to one side on this fabulous local menu.
raspberry, granola and Mascarpone
pineappleweed panna cotta
full sized chocolate fondant
petit fours
This was a lot of food and my early lunch booking became a four hour stay and a late afternoon. Josh was incredibly generous with his time and like so many great chefs doing fabulous food, he is an evangelical ingredient enthusiast. With each plate focusing too on one super star ingredient, there was a real affinity between the food at Pony & Trap and the contemporary much lauded menus of Hedone, Dabbous and Bubbledogs& (Kitchen Table). Giving the best of the London boys a run for their money was certainly not what I expected to find in a country pub just outside of Bristol.
Josh Eggleton
Writing the blog pushes us to try new restaurants and it is discovery of places like Pony & Trap, and meeting people like Josh, that makes it all seem worthwhile. While the menu today was a one off experiment, the ingredients used at Pony & Trap are always local and are always this good; second, the Josh and his team clearly know how to cook, enhancing those ingredients, so whatever menu you opt for, you can be confident in a great meal. Third, this menu or something quite like is almost inevitably to be made available to the public soon, so keep your eyes open!
In summary, The Pony & Trap: loved it!
Visit The Pony & Trap website
Follow Josh on Twitter @josh_eggleton
The Pony & Trap was the first stop on my drive around the UK. Next stop: The Masons Arms, Devon.
Disclosure: I was the guest of the chef.
The Pony & Trap location Map
In summary, The Pony & Trap: loved it!
Visit The Pony & Trap website
Follow Josh on Twitter @josh_eggleton
The Pony & Trap was the first stop on my drive around the UK. Next stop: The Masons Arms, Devon.
Disclosure: I was the guest of the chef.
The Pony & Trap location Map
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