Pony Dining

Both the culinary and visual focus of Pony reside in its coal pit. In a space garbed by some seriously good designers, it's the pit, the guys working it and the flame, sizzle and mesmerising aromas from the meats being worked on it that steal the show, arguably upstaging even the magnificent vista of the Brisbane River, the city lights and the Story Bridge. Those meats (pork or lamb) are the pride of the menu, coming unadorned after six hours cooking as a plate for two. It's a simple concept, and its magic comes from the quality of the base product and the complexities gained from the time and method of the cooking. Simplicity runs deep through the rest of the menu too. It's all about a hero ingredient with minimal, but perfectly considered accompaniments: bug tails wrapped in prosciutto with white beans and fennel; a pair of giant prawns lightly battered and simply served with Sichuan salt; bite-sized pyramids of ice-cream covered in white chocolate. It's clever stuff without being too tricky.