Mexican food and drink
Pontoon Pop-up
Pontoon was first imagined as a Pop-up in an unused building in the outer habour by a small team for the summer of 2015, Mariel, Billy, Alys, Harry, Ella, Chris, Claire and Anna all worked together to bring their artwork, cocktails, a relaxed atmosphere and sharing platters to the public giving everyone involved an experience they could take and build on for the future.
The Higson's
After that summer the Pop-up came to an end and Chris and Anna decided to become first time business owners and carry on with the project.
With both only able to invest a small amount Pontoon's interior has grown slowly with most lamps, tables and decorations all being hand made by their father Martin using salvaged items. This has given Pontoon a quirky and individual interior mixed with items brought back from Mexico and Art work by locals the space is full of colour and fun.
Chris is one half of the sibling act and is the resident chef 'Chef Crango' (the nickname stuck with him from Art college) Chris is an artist and self-taught cook with a huge passion for history. His passion for Mexico in particular came from learning about the Aztec and Mayan civilisations which then passed naturally onto Mexican cuisine once he started playing with flavours in university. After purchasing Mexican cookbooks he spent all his wages on authentic, imported Mexican ingredients and goods while setting off on a journey teaching himself about a completely alien cuisine. That was it, the Mexican obsession had well and truly started!
With the mexico seed now sewn, the pop-up decided Chris was the guy for the kitchen and after never really working in a kitchen before it was a massive learning curve, but since then his passion and confidence has grown massively - I think all these fully booked weekends have shown him he must be doing something right!
With the support of their mum, Claire, in the kitchen helping with prep, starters and desserts and then their dad, Martin, flipping the burgers the kitchen is very much a family team!
Anna and Chris during a Mexican themed open mic.
Chris, in Amatitan, Mexico holding a Pina (heart of the Blue Agave from which they make Tequila from.
Anna is the other half, straight after finishing her fashion degree she helped Chris in the kitchen during the Pop-up and has since taken over the front of house and bar role along with putting her passion for graphics, art and publications to good use with the marketing of Pontoon.
Pontoon has been and continues to be a huge journey for the family with our small team helping our vision of creating a slice of paradise where you can relax, have some great drinks, an incredible view and try some flavours you may not have tasted yet!
