As his hip-hop mixlist booms from the speakers, bar manager Balázs Molnár sets a classy tone as well as an edgy one at this cellar dive. The attitude and mission here are radically different from that of its globally acclaimed upstairs neighbour, the Boutiq’Bar once included among the 50 best in the world by the UK’s Drinks International.
The Pink Pony Club aims to be a modern, experimental cocktail bar, breaking away from tradition, where the guest isn’t faced with standard choices but new mixes and special drinks created by expert staff. Alex and Balázs spent several years abroad as bartenders in top hotels around the world.
Upon entering, it is immediately noticeable that there is no snazzy back bar surrounded by trinkets but two large refrigerators. Here, the boys store fresh ingredients, such as the fruit sourced from regular visits to the market. A juicer is also set on the counter.
“When I asked Alex to bring a juicer, he said that no-one in Hungary does that. But it’s the custom abroad. In contrast to canned apple or grapefruit juice, fresh-fruit ones are unbeatable,” explains Balázs, as he starts to concoct two highballs, an Apple Vermouth and an Aperol Grapefruit, by peeling the fruit.
Indeed, there’s much more intense, lively fruit flavour from the drinks: the sweetness of the Vermouth, the acids of green apple, the sweetness of the Aperol and the sourness of the grapefruit complement each together. It’s no coincidence Apple Vermouth is proving to be their best-selling mix, and one that’ll stay on the drinks list, too.
Balázs has worked in London, Hong Kong and Sydney, among others, and moved home just before the pandemic. Boutiq’Bar owner, Zoltán Nagy, first talked about the potential of a new bar two years ago. In nightspot-swamped District VII, they almost rented a space but a larger firm swiped it from them – thankfully, because if they had started there, they might not have opened it to this day due to the shutdown conditions there. However, the B’B’s cellar was free, so the Pink Pony Club was set up in pop-up fashion to try out the idea of a minimalist, modern cocktail bar.
Starting at the very beginning, there are basically two types of each spirit (of course, they keep a couple of exclusive items for key ones, such as vodka and gin). Behind Balázs over the years, many other back bars have been lined with hundreds of bottles and he wanted to deviate from this. Which of course, also provides an aim and a purpose.
“The golden rule of any hotel is not saying ‘no’ to any guest. There is always a choice – if something just isn’t there, we get it quickly. A tiny bar like ours can relax these obligations,” explains Balázs. "Too much choice easily leads to waste, and a lot of bottles take up space anyway. When bar culture developed about 100 years ago, there wasn’t as much choice as there is today.”
They open from Thursdays through Saturdays but work the whole week like everyone else. “We don’t waste any time. We prepare the ingredients for three days, and on Sunday, after we close, there is very little left of everything. If we run out of something during a shift, we have the freedom to change the menu, replace the given item with another one,” says Balázs.
The menu also depends on the season. They have brought in their own-grown cherries before, used lavender from Tihany or a bucket of redcurrants offered as a gift by one of the guests. The short drinks list, which varies from week to week, typically features seven signature cocktails, three classics, two highballs and a spirit selection. What the guys recommend depends on the mood of the guest, but also on the ingredients available that particular week.
We duly ask the boys to sort us out a livener near the end of a hot, tiring Friday. Balázs launches into a Next Episode, which most closely resembles Sex on the Beach with its summery, fresh character. With a base of vodka and apricot liqueur, the acidity of the lemon is offset by orange syrup, cubes of fresh watermelon added for a longer, more solid end result.
Plum Tree provides a slightly heavier, fuller experience, for which the syrup is made from plums bought at the market, and spice provided by the Vermouth. Cherry also features for a kicking mix not found on classic drinks lists.
According to Balázs, high-alcohol drinks sending you over the edge are starting to go out of fashion anyway, at least abroad where, as a result of the spread of a more health-conscious lifestyle, cocktails made with gentler, high-quality liqueurs, and Vermouths are gaining in popularity. Even if it doesn’t kick you from here to Monday, a drink can be complex, with flavours complementing each other.
Of course, staff here can make you something stronger if that’s what you’re after. It is conceivable that after this pop-up operation, the concept of the PPC and its recipes will be tested in a new, larger place but planning in this market environment must proceed with caution.
In the meantime, right under the classic Boutiq’Bar, you can discover a slightly more modern, more relaxed alternative with a concise drinks selection.
Pink Pony Club
District VI. Paulay Ede utca 5
Open: Thur-Sat 8pm-1am
