Special thanks to Pony Tale De’ Cafe for extending this food review invitation.
Update: This business has ceased its operations.
Following the success of the first restaurant at SPICE Canopy, Pony Tale De’ Cafe has expanded its presence to Auto-City. The new branch resides in a cottage-style building that was formerly occupied by Soho Country House.
Although the building has two floors, only the ground floor is currently open to the public. Near the entrance are two private dining rooms. One of them doubles as a gift shop, while the other has a small collection of books for children’s reading pleasure. It is always comforting to see restaurants that are family-oriented.
Towards the back of the dining section is a large mural which features the restaurant’s titular pony mascot. The mural also emphasizes the fact that the restaurant’s menu covers cuisines from all around the world.
The Pony Signature Breakfast Set menu is available from 9:00am to 11:30am on weekdays, and from 9:00am to 12:00pm on weekends and public holidays. During this time, customers enjoy free flow of Americano, peppermint tea, fruit punch and desserts at the buffet counter.
The main appeal of Pony’s Country Breakfast (RM23.80) is sautéed mushrooms and potatoes – juicy and delectable. Also commendable is the buttery appeal of croissant. Other items in this breakfast meal are jumbo chicken sausage, scrambled eggs and coleslaw.
Next, the American Big Breakfast (RM24.80) features American comfort foods such as hash browns, baked beans, chicken ham and toasted wholemeal bread. Jumbo chicken sausage, scrambled eggs and coleslaw are included too.
As the name implies, European Vegan Breakfast (RM18.80) uses vegan ingredients only. The constituents of this dish are sautéed mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, hash browns, baked beans and coleslaw. A multigrain bun provides dietary fiber.
Norwegian Smoked Salmon Pony Special Omelette (RM20.80) presents an interesting gastronomic experience. Saltiness of smoked salmon is somewhat toned down by the omelette, allowing both ingredients to complement each other.
Another crowd favorite is Nutella Butternana Pony Baker’s Pancakes (RM23.80). The three pancakes are spread with creamy Nutella. Served on the side are buttery pan-fried bananas, which go pretty well with pancakes. There is also a cup of chocolate ice cream. Overall, I enjoy this dish very much.
Seafood English Muffin (RM24.80) uses two halves of an English muffin that are baked with cheese, mushrooms and seafood. Seafood ingredients are shrimps, New Zealand mussels and squid. I must say that the seafood at Pony Tale is extremely fresh.
Moving on to pasta, Seafood Aglio Olio Angels Hair Spaghetti (RM30.80) is sautéed with garlic and olive oil. Angel hair, also known as “capelli d’angelo” in Italian, is dyed black using squid ink. This pasta dish comes with large shrimps, New Zealand mussels and Canadian scallops. Overall, I am quite satisfied by this lovely dish.
Sicilian Seafood Pumpkin Pot (RM43.80) is one of Pony Tale’s most iconic dishes. After hollowing the pumpkin, the shell is reused as the bowl for soup. The soup contains penne and marine delicacies like shrimps, New Zealand mussels and blue mussels. The rich taste of soup, combined with extremely fresh seafood, makes this a highly recommended dish.
Filipino Seafood Sinigang (RM24.80) is a traditional Filipino stew based on tamarind, onion, Filipino chili (siling labuyo and siling mahaba) and other spices. Also included are salmon fillets and shrimps. Thanks to tamarind, the stew carries appetite-inducing sourness reminiscent of Thailand’s tom yum. The stew also packs a substantial dose of pungency.
Pony Tale currently uses two types of coffee beans: House Blend and Italian Roast. Although most coffee drinks are prepared from espresso, manual brewing techniques like drip brewing and siphon brewing are available upon request.
Espresso is usually extracted from the House Blend, which consists of 70% Arabica beans and 30% Robusta beans. The drinks shown here are Espresso Macchiato (RM8.80), Americano (RM8.80) and Caffe Latte (RM10.80).
Irish Shakerato (RM11.80) is an iced coffee drink which is prepared from espresso and Irish cream. The foamy layer on the top half is whipped cream. Coffee is meant to be drunk through the cream. The traditional Irish Shakerato uses Irish whiskey and is served hot, but no alcohol is used in Pony Tale’s version.
The primary components of Chaipresso (RM12.80) are chai tea leaves, cinnamon powder and espresso. The allure of this hot drink is the soothing aroma of cinnamon and other herbs. Go for a single shot of espresso if you prefer cinnamon to take the center stage. I personally prefer to have two shots (additional RM2.00) for the extra “kick”.
Chococado Espresso (RM22.80) is the signature drink of Pony Tale. The thick emulsion is blended from fresh avocados. There are three steps to enjoy this drink. First, the avocado shake is consumed as it is, resulting in creamy sensation on the lips. Secondly, chocolate ice cream stirred with the shake to present a unique hint of sweetness. Espresso is finally poured in, culminating in bitter-sweet aftertaste.
From the Autumn series of fruit juices, Apple Cinnamon Booster (RM14.80) is blended from fresh apples and dashed with Ceylon cinnamon powder. This version contains yogurt, but non-yogurt version is also available for vegans. For something greener, Greenish Pony (RM15.80) is blended from spinach and passion fruit. Meanwhile, Green Bonanza (RM14.80) is prepared from a variety of greens, apples and lemon juice.
Virgin Berries Mojito (RM15.80) hails from the Spring series of fruit juices. The combination of wild berries, citrus fruits and mint presents refreshing coolness to the tongue. No alcohol is used to prepare this mojito.
Finally, Coffee Berry (RM18.80) is a mixture of coffee, Belgian chocolate and selected wild berries. This drink is also served chilled. I love the way these three distinct ingredients are brought together in a seamless manner.
In summary, Pony Tale offers a unique dining experience by presenting a diverse range of international cuisines. Managing the kitchen is not an easy feat. I appreciate that the food is cooked in a healthy way, for instance, by using olive oil to cook most dishes. It is also worthwhile to mention that Pony Tale’s menu is entirely pork-free.
Name: Pony Tale De’ Cafe
Address: 1832-G1, Jalan Perusahaan, Auto-City, 13600 Juru, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-502-1631
Business hours: 9:00am-11:00pm (Sunday-Thursday), 9:00am-12:00am (Friday-Saturday)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/ponytaleAC
Coordinates: 5.33707 N, 100.42914 E
Directions: From the North-South Expressway, take the Bukit Mertajam exit and head west. Turn right at the end of the road, and then take the next left turn to arrive at Auto-City. Pony Tale is located between Seoul Garden and Sushi King. There are plenty of parking spaces throughout Auto-City.
