Comments on: Pony Club http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/ Home cooked goodness Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:07:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ben http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/comment-page-1/#comment-5743 Ben Wed, 10 Jan 2007 02:37:44 +0000 http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/#comment-5743 I haven't tried Pony Club yet but know one of the managers so intend to soon. Duende - think it is a great place for what it does - there is no hiding of prices and it is popular so money talks in this instance. Flamencos - more reasonably priced - like the atmosphere and went back for some particular dishes - pity it is gone. MoVida in Melbourne is one you have to try. It is about the same price range as Duende but just has that touch of class on every aspect over Duende. The lane way thing and proximity to FedSq is also terrific. San Sebastian tapas - how do you match the price and taste of this kind of tapas? The ingredients are better, the chefs use those ingredients traditionally or much more intelligently than most Australian tapas places and the atmosphere (and sometimes character of service) is impossible to match. Raffles - you want a rip off for tapas. Go get 5 plates of tapas between 2 at the Raffles and then tell me what unsatisfied is! BTW 12 wedges for $7 is just a joke at the Raffles - surely they are aware of the absurdity. I haven’t tried Pony Club yet but know one of the managers so intend to soon.

Duende – think it is a great place for what it does – there is no hiding of prices and it is popular so money talks in this instance.

Flamencos – more reasonably priced – like the atmosphere and went back for some particular dishes – pity it is gone.

MoVida in Melbourne is one you have to try. It is about the same price range as Duende but just has that touch of class on every aspect over Duende. The lane way thing and proximity to FedSq is also terrific.

San Sebastian tapas – how do you match the price and taste of this kind of tapas? The ingredients are better, the chefs use those ingredients traditionally or much more intelligently than most Australian tapas places and the atmosphere (and sometimes character of service) is impossible to match.

Raffles – you want a rip off for tapas. Go get 5 plates of tapas between 2 at the Raffles and then tell me what unsatisfied is! BTW 12 wedges for $7 is just a joke at the Raffles – surely they are aware of the absurdity.

]]> By: jules http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/comment-page-1/#comment-5640 jules Tue, 19 Dec 2006 04:57:03 +0000 http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/#comment-5640 love your pony story matt. don't give up on tapas just yet...it can be good....I'm with Max...Bar Louhrinia in Melb is great and not that expensive and in Syd we have Bodega which is worth checking out. although you've made me a little nervous...there's a new joint in sydney called pony that isn't tapas but describes itself as 'small plates' and I'm heading there tomorrow.. love your pony story matt.
don’t give up on tapas just yet…it can be good….I’m with Max…Bar Louhrinia in Melb is great and not that expensive and in Syd we have Bodega which is worth checking out.
although you’ve made me a little nervous…there’s a new joint in sydney called pony that isn’t tapas but describes itself as ’small plates’ and I’m heading there tomorrow..

]]> By: Matt http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/comment-page-1/#comment-5639 Matt Tue, 19 Dec 2006 03:11:22 +0000 http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/#comment-5639 Hey Max, sounds like you got a better end of the stick than I did. Other things of note were the hair in my wine glass and the dirty plates... but I thought I had bagged them out enough for one day. I got a bunch of dodgy recommendations last time I went to Melbourne, so I'll keep those in mind. Steve, I'm thinking Highlander II was every bit the equal of Highlander the original... so nothing to be ashamed of... and I'd expect every handsome, witty, international gourmet traveller named Steve living in Perth would be reading this blog... g'day to all of you :) Hey Max, sounds like you got a better end of the stick than I did. Other things of note were the hair in my wine glass and the dirty plates… but I thought I had bagged them out enough for one day. I got a bunch of dodgy recommendations last time I went to Melbourne, so I’ll keep those in mind.

Steve, I’m thinking Highlander II was every bit the equal of Highlander the original… so nothing to be ashamed of… and I’d expect every handsome, witty, international gourmet traveller named Steve living in Perth would be reading this blog… g’day to all of you :)

]]> By: Steve http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/comment-page-1/#comment-5637 Steve Tue, 19 Dec 2006 02:04:08 +0000 http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/#comment-5637 Hmm.. not sure if I like being referred to as "the sequel" (aren't all sequels the poor cousin of the original?) :) Mind you I find it funny that there is another international gourmet traveller called Steve from Perth who reads this blog and posted only hours before me with a similar tale? I would assume he is also incredibly handsome, witty, erudite, charming and of course modest. Hmm.. not sure if I like being referred to as “the sequel” (aren’t all sequels the poor cousin of the original?) :)

Mind you I find it funny that there is another international gourmet traveller called Steve from Perth who reads this blog and posted only hours before me with a similar tale? I would assume he is also incredibly handsome, witty, erudite, charming and of course modest.

]]> By: Max http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/comment-page-1/#comment-5636 Max Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:43:54 +0000 http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/#comment-5636 Bang on with your review of The Pony Club and thoughts on tapas. How is it that the trendy set always seem to take something wholesome and unpretentious and completely whore it up and somehow wrangle it into something a million miles away from what it should be? Having said that though, I enjoyed my visit to The Pony Club far more than our trip to Duende. If you ever get the chance, see if you can check out Bar Lourinha in Melbourne - really really good and somewhat affordable. In my mind, it's even better than Movido near the exhibition centre and a lot more affordable. Marie and I dined there ordering plenty of dishes and a glass of cava and tempranillo each and walked away paying less than $80 for the both of us! Such value! Bang on with your review of The Pony Club and thoughts on tapas. How is it that the trendy set always seem to take something wholesome and unpretentious and completely whore it up and somehow wrangle it into something a million miles away from what it should be? Having said that though, I enjoyed my visit to The Pony Club far more than our trip to Duende.

If you ever get the chance, see if you can check out Bar Lourinha in Melbourne – really really good and somewhat affordable. In my mind, it’s even better than Movido near the exhibition centre and a lot more affordable. Marie and I dined there ordering plenty of dishes and a glass of cava and tempranillo each and walked away paying less than $80 for the both of us! Such value!

]]> By: Matt http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/comment-page-1/#comment-5634 Matt Mon, 18 Dec 2006 05:42:29 +0000 http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/#comment-5634 Hey <strong>Steve and Steve II</strong> (the sequel), Sounds like you both had great times travelling Spain and experiencing the real deal... something I'd love to do myself at some point. And not that I have anything against pretty boys and girls per se... but a restaurant culture dedicated to their appreciation is not one I want to have to pay for... <strong>Edward</strong>, did I mention I was a glutton ? Could have something to do with me still being hungry... but I had the same experience at Duende last time I went, so a trend is definitely emerging. I can't understand why they don't work either... but perhaps the Perth economy boom just isn't the right climate for cultivating simple, cheap, tasty places. <strong>Cin</strong>, I'm glad you liked my piece of extended creative non-fiction. I'm not the worlds best swimmer though... (I prefer floating), so if I can't afford to fly I'll probably be walking... wish me luck :) Hey Steve and Steve II (the sequel),

Sounds like you both had great times travelling Spain and experiencing the real deal… something I’d love to do myself at some point. And not that I have anything against pretty boys and girls per se… but a restaurant culture dedicated to their appreciation is not one I want to have to pay for…

Edward, did I mention I was a glutton ? Could have something to do with me still being hungry… but I had the same experience at Duende last time I went, so a trend is definitely emerging. I can’t understand why they don’t work either… but perhaps the Perth economy boom just isn’t the right climate for cultivating simple, cheap, tasty places.

Cin, I’m glad you liked my piece of extended creative non-fiction. I’m not the worlds best swimmer though… (I prefer floating), so if I can’t afford to fly I’ll probably be walking… wish me luck :)

]]> By: Abstract Gourmet : Blog Archive : Chorizo and Chick Pea Stew http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/comment-page-1/#comment-5633 Abstract Gourmet : Blog Archive : Chorizo and Chick Pea Stew Mon, 18 Dec 2006 04:42:20 +0000 http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/#comment-5633 [...] You may have just read my post on The Pony Club restaurant… a tapas restaurant Sharon and I went to visit recently. The other part of the story that I didn’t share was that we had a little encounter as we were leaving. As we were strolling out the door and down the steps, mumbling to ourselves at how much of a rip off it was, and how we could have made better at home quite easily, when suddenly we heard a “snap”, turned around, and there was a photographer standing on a ladder with her camera pointed directly at us. [...] [...] You may have just read my post on The Pony Club restaurant… a tapas restaurant Sharon and I went to visit recently. The other part of the story that I didn’t share was that we had a little encounter as we were leaving. As we were strolling out the door and down the steps, mumbling to ourselves at how much of a rip off it was, and how we could have made better at home quite easily, when suddenly we heard a “snap”, turned around, and there was a photographer standing on a ladder with her camera pointed directly at us. [...]

]]> By: Cin http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/comment-page-1/#comment-5631 Cin Fri, 15 Dec 2006 11:20:57 +0000 http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/#comment-5631 I like how you set the mood for that review! Btw, are you going to be weary of these places cos you're swimming to Spain? :) I like how you set the mood for that review!

Btw, are you going to be weary of these places cos you’re swimming to Spain? :)

]]> By: edward http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/comment-page-1/#comment-5630 edward Fri, 15 Dec 2006 08:12:18 +0000 http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/#comment-5630 Matt, Perth should be perfect for a string of good cheap tapas and wine bars. We have the right climate and a growing cafe culture. $100 for 2 for tapas is outrageous - especially if you still feel hungry afterwards! Toledo's was an old place in Northbridge - next to Torres the butcher. It was ok - but still far from the Spanish ideal that I recall from my travels of too long ago. Matt,
Perth should be perfect for a string of good cheap tapas and wine bars. We have the right climate and a growing cafe culture. $100 for 2 for tapas is outrageous – especially if you still feel hungry afterwards!

Toledo’s was an old place in Northbridge – next to Torres the butcher. It was ok – but still far from the Spanish ideal that I recall from my travels of too long ago.

]]> By: Steve http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/comment-page-1/#comment-5629 Steve Fri, 15 Dec 2006 03:01:43 +0000 http://abstractgourmet.com/2006/12/pony-club/#comment-5629 Years ago (too many I'm afraid) my wife and I traveled the world and fell in love with Spain thanks to a wonderful retired English couple we met who lived on the south east coast. Unlike the traditional Pommie retirees they had embraced the Spanish way of life and we were treated to a wonderful tour of little out of the way tapas bars and restaurants. We became addicted to the tasty flavoursome inexpensive morsels served with ice cold beer or crisp white wine. We come back to Perth and tapas suddenly become overpriced trendy tiny bites. Not good. Lucky I can sort-of cook so it fun whipping up my own versions of favourites. Why can't someone open a tapas bar for real people? Years ago (too many I’m afraid) my wife and I traveled the world and fell in love with Spain thanks to a wonderful retired English couple we met who lived on the south east coast. Unlike the traditional Pommie retirees they had embraced the Spanish way of life and we were treated to a wonderful tour of little out of the way tapas bars and restaurants. We became addicted to the tasty flavoursome inexpensive morsels served with ice cold beer or crisp white wine.

We come back to Perth and tapas suddenly become overpriced trendy tiny bites. Not good. Lucky I can sort-of cook so it fun whipping up my own versions of favourites.

Why can’t someone open a tapas bar for real people?

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