A Taste of Pink Pony
For many years, Pink Pony in Old Town Scottsdale was a favorite stomping ground of spring training fans, the space decked in baseball memorabilia. The New Pink Pony, however, is a freshly remodeled space that still nods to its decades-long presence in Old Town while still boasting a modern, even glamorous, flair, with tufted yellow booths, gorgeous lighting and a beautiful patio perfect for people-watching. Not just relying on good looks, the New Pink Pony menu, by Executive Chef Stephen Eldridge, is bound to please those experiencing the restaurant for the first time, as well as its longtime cult followers.
The starter lineup features a little something for everyone, whether you’re satisfying a high-end craving or wanting something more casual. The Pony Pretzels can do no wrong; two large, beautifully browned pretzels are sided with zesty mustard and decadent beer cheese that you might end up finishing with a spoon. The Spanish octopus, on garbanzo bean puree, is packed with flavor and just a hint of spice while the salad of braised and wood-roasted beets is the perfect light summer starter. The dish is rounded out with watercress, Marcona almonds, mascarpone, parmesan and maple-and-sherry vinaigrette.
The entree list comprises super-hearty eats like meatloaf, green chile pork, Australian wagyu (which the chef is particularly fond of) and bone-in pork chop. For our lunchtime visit, a burger was in order. The umami burger was super delicious–a mouthwatering sweet-and-salty, crunchy-and-creamy combo topped with parmesan frica, tamari emulsion, roasted mushrooms and cheddar. And the brioche bun was worthy of its own plate; perfectly golden and crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the interior.
A meal at Pink Pony simply is not complete without sinking your spoon into dessert. The Pecan “Pieeeeee” is a glorious reminder of Christmas at Grandma’s house; served in a circular cast-iron skillet and topped with house-made bourbon ice cream. For something more summery, the blueberry ice cream sandwich spotlights blueberry ice cream housed between two chocolate cookies. The dish is then rounded out with whipped white chocolate ganache and blueberry gastrique. Obviously, this isn’t your average, everyday ice-cream-man ice cream sandwich.
