Pony Lounge and Dining
Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane
July, 2013
With its rustic wood fire grill, coal pit, and a pervasive aroma of woody smoke, you could be forgiven for thinking you were entering a parrillada in downtown Buenos Aires. But at its core, Pony Dining is very proudly Australian.
Here, it’s all about fresh, seasonal produce - and the menu is undoubtedly oriented towards carnivores, with fifty per cent dedicated to steak. It showcases modern Australian food, and the wine list has been meticulously sourced from some of the very best local and international regions.
For Executive Chef Damien Heads, Pony Dining in Brisbane is somewhat of a homecoming. The Brisbane local opened the restaurant in 2012 after taking a working tour of Europe, and after opening several successful Sydney eateries - including Pony Lounge and Dining in the Rocks (and later in Neutral Bay), and Steel Bar and Grill in the CBD. He has also worked at Sydney’s Bennelong Restaurant and Milsons, where he was awarded the SMH Josephine Pignolet Award for Sydney’s Best Young Chef in 2003.
After all this worldly experience, when it came to fitting out Pony Dining, Heads’ brief to the architects was to make it quintessentially “Brisbane”. The result is a very open plan, natural, contemporary design - where diners are part of the entire food experience. And the various pieces of serious cooking equipment - including the coal pit - are very much the focus of the layout.
When it came to the kitchen, Heads was determined to pick the equipment that would allow his produce to shine. Being an entirely new venture (on the site of an old McDonald’s), Heads started from scratch when it came to choosing the equipment.
Despite the serious focus behind the scenes the vibe here is incredibly relaxed and comfortable. So if you’re looking for a great night out in Brisbane city, Pony Dining is definitely a restaurant worth backing!
IN THE KITCHEN
Executive Chef Damien Heads chose Moffat equipment largely because of its reputation and ease of maintenance.
“They [Moffat] really are at the forefront. They meet my high expectations, and offer a complete range of products suitable to any task”, he says. He also points out that Moffat equipment is
“easy to clean and easy to pull apart”.
For baking purposes, Heads selected a Convotherm Convection Oven, which he says “alleviates the need for a second oven” and “creates a saving on valuable space”. He also chose a Washtech Dishwasher - largely due to its power and volume. “It’s a doubletray which covers our 200 seat capacity”, he says.
A long-standing Moffat devotee, Heads says that when it comes to kitchen design, the stylish, sleek Waldorf range is his favourite. “It’s fantastic! It heats very quickly, and maintains the heat well”, he says.
