Restaurant Review: The Pony Chew Valley

Dine Out editor Genna Ash-Brown visits The Pony Chew Valley, Josh and Holly Eggleton’s reimagined restaurant, for a gloriously fresh seasonal feast – topped off with gorgeous views and a sunny garden stroll

I had the pleasure of interviewing Josh Eggleton, a certified culinary legend of the Southwest’s hospitality scene, for our February 2022 issue. He certainly left an impression, with his warm and casual nature immediately drawing me in, and his informal tone a refreshing change from the corporate spiel that often gets spun in ‘the biz’.

He struck me as someone who was bursting with ideas, a man who trusts his instincts and isn’t afraid to put his money where his mouth is to bring them to fruition.

Back then, when I asked him about the evolution of The Pony & Trap – the gastropub he launched with his sister, Holly, in 2006 (and which earned a Michelin star in 2011) – his response was nothing short of iconic: “Funnily enough, we demolished the pub the other day,” he told me with a mischievous glint in his eye. “Well, most of it,” he qualified. “We had these steps out the back of the pub that led to the kitchen. We ripped everything else down, but they were still there. I used to sit there in a puddle of sweat thinking, why am I doing this?”

The goal was to transform the former pub into a produce-led restaurant, with a menu heavily centred on fresh, seasonal ingredients grown in the venue’s own kitchen garden. But the concept was so much more than just a dining destination; Eggleton envisioned a food education experience, a sort of micro-farm that would run in tandem with the restaurant and provide a space where people could get to grips with the entire growing process. His team would show them how to cultivate top-notch seasonal produce, teaching them how to incorporate fresh fruit and veg into irresistible recipes and instilling a vital understanding of the field-to-plate lifecycle.

While there was never any doubt that the idea was incredible, it can’t have been easy watching his first (and award-winning) bricks-and-mortar business being torn down in favour of an outcome that was essentially unknown. For a mere mortal, perhaps, that would be the case, but when I asked Eggleton if he was okay, he laughed. “Of course I’m alright!” he chuckled. “Sometimes to make things better, you’ve got to strip them back. I’ve been thinking about this since day one.”

And so, the former Pony & Trap was no more. Enter the era of The Pony Chew Valley.

Homely, hearty and wholesome

The interior’s understated beauty was reminiscent of The Pony Bistro – the Bedminster venue where I’d first met Josh, but which has since closed down to allow the siblings to focus on this, the group’s new flagship restaurant. Its design is undeniably yet effortlessly stylish, with features like exposed brick, sage-green panelling, contemporary pendant lighting, Persian rugs and an old-fashioned velvet sofa seamlessly blending old and new. It has a relaxed and rustic country charm, elevated by showstopping views of the garden and the rolling Somerset hills beyond.

We got stuck in with a couple of sparkling wine cocktails (£9.50), the Elderflower French 75 offering classic flavours in abundance, and the Homemade Limoncello Spritz providing a zing to cleanse the palate – the perfect way to prepare for the feast that lay ahead.

First, for the table, House Bread with Cultured Butter (£5), a bake so fresh it was still warm when served, and one so irresistible it was impossible not to load up on unnecessary pre-meal carbs. Onto the starters, which for us comprised of the Mendip Wood Pigeon with Carrot Purée, Walnut and Game Jus (£13.50), and Cured & Grilled Smoked Cornish Mackerel with Smoked Mackerel Pâté and Cucumber (£12). Both were perfectly sized and carefully balanced, on top of being so beautifully presented. It almost seemed a shame to mess up the aesthetics. Almost.

With all that flavour we’d worked up a thirst, so my husband wet his whistle with a glass of Terra Remota Ales Negres 2021 (£6.50), a crowd-pleasing easy drinker he loved so much that he ordered some online there and then. For me, the Calcaires Nord Orange Vermentino (£8), a fairly light wine with flavours of stone fruit and orange pith, along with some complex herbal and mineral notes.

Now, for the main event, with my husband opting for the Hereford Angus Cross Fillet Steak with Braised Ox Cheek, Mustard Sauce, Garden Caesar and Hand-Cut Chips (£38). Rich, comforting and familiar – the crisp, fresh side salad adding a welcome crunch – this was a treat of a meal that hit all the right spots.

I chose the Garden Courgette Tart with Cornish Girolle, Garden Pesto and Green Bean Salad (£19), a generous dish I happily munched while gazing out at the very patch where most of its quality ingredients had grown. We also shared a portion of the Roasted Heritage Carrots with Marmite Butter (£5), an absolute umami-drizzled winner of a side I could have eaten three times over.

Had I had room for a pud, or ‘afters’, as the Pony menu calls it, I would have chosen the Milk Stout & Apple Sticky Toffee Pudding with Baked Apple Ice Cream, Date and Walnuts (£8), while my husband would have gone for the Pony Orchard Frangipane with Cherry Stone Ice Cream (£9). Instead, we took our rounded bellies for a stroll around the bountiful Pony Garden, soaking up the lazy late autumn sun and reflecting on what had shaped up to be a lovely afternoon.

(Images: Ed Schofield)

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