Tucked among a myriad of storefronts and other unassuming restaurants lies Ponty Bistro, a small French African restaurant, which has been so successful in its eight years in Gramercy that it has opened up a second location in Harlem. The intimate space has West African paintings strewn about, with wooden tables, classic bistro chairs, and leather banquettes (score a chair if you can, the banquettes aren’t so comfy). But the real reason the neighborhood spot is so popular is because of its food. Chef Cisse has an array of both classic French and classic African dishes, as well as dishes that fuse the two together. Additionally, Ponty Bistro has a full service bar, with specialty martinis (which you can snag 2-for-1 during happy hour from 12-7pm daily), wines and spirits.
The menu has a huge variety of dishes, ensuring there is something for everyone. There are numerous selections of salads, seafood, pastas, meats, and sandwiches, in addition to a hearty sampling of appetizers. Some of our personal favorites included the Kale Salad, which was so tasty I wouldn’t mind eating it every day. It was topped with pine nuts, apricots, cranberries, apples, goat cheese and a honey lemon vinaigrette. Another favorite was the Moules Africana, which comprised of mussels with unique African spices and shallot garlic white wine sauce, and was served with perfectly cooked and crispy French fries.
Honorable mentions include the flavorful Wild Mushroom Risotto, was topped with truffle oil and parmesan cheese, as well as Le Poulet Tagine, which was a delectable tender chicken dish, served with diced baby vegetables and unparalleled couscous. The desserts are pretty typical, with options such as chocolate cake, creme brulée, and tiramisu, among which the tiramisu was the best.
We loved the unique spin on the cuisine at Ponty Bistro; their entrees especially hit it out of the park. And now with two locations in the city, no matter if you live downtown, uptown, or somewhere in-between, you can venture to either of their locations to score a flavorful meal.
Twisted Talk: Have you had African cuisine before? What’s your favorite dish at Ponty Bistro? Discuss below!
