Trying out the new tasting menus at Six by Nico in Leeds

There are those who love a tasting menu and those who don't know or care to learn what all the fuss is about.

Six by Nico sets itself the task of making the world of the tasting menu fun and accessible to all, serving it up with verve, theatre and a wry smile.

The Six is the six-course menu – changed every six weeks. The Nico is Nico Simeone, the Scottish chef who started this dining concept back in 2017 in Finneston, Glasgow

The new Six by Nico building in Leeds. (c) Six by Nico

Nico decided to launch his Leeds restaurant with The Chippie – his witty take on chip shop classics, the like of which you will never have seen in wrapped in fish and chip paper.

This cheap as chips meal is elevated to very glamorous heights in the restaurant which opened in July on East Parade, Leeds, an easy step from the station.

The grand building has had a swish makeover that’s all about deep paint colours, wood and tiled floors with pops of colour on the walls and furnishings. Sip a cocktail at the bar or people watch as you wait for the main event.

Tables in the restaurant by the open kitchen mean diners can see the chefs in action. Six by Nico. (c) Six by Nico

Once you sit down, the six course menu awaits. You can try a paired cocktail – seaside spritz on this occasion, with lemon, earl grey, prosecco and samphire, a sourdough bread course and as scotch egg.

You won’t need them. Once the courses start rolling out there is a lot of food to be consumed. As with tasting menus, dishes can appear dainty and slight. But rich flavours, scores of ingredients and more than few sauces and garnishes add up to fulsome feasting. For example ‘Cheese and Chips’, the first dish delivers up a moreish cube of crispy layered potato with a flaky topping of parmesan cheese and a dab of curry oil.

‘Scampi’ is in fact a fresh take on the prawn classic – this time a moussey brandade in light breadcrumb with beurre blanc and a refreshing pop of colour and bite from spring peas – a long way from the mushy version at the chippie.

You’re getting the picture by now?

There’s the ‘Steak Pie’ - a chunk of lovely rich 24-hour beef shin with burnt onion ketchup and mushroom duxelle.

What a deep fried Mars Bar looks like at Six by Nico. (c) Six by Nico

We were sitting near the open kitchen and it was fascinating to watch the intensity of a pacy service for diners who are all eating the same menu – it is a production line of flavours.

Next we were served up the ‘Fish Supper’ - a chunk of pan fried coley with confit fennel samphire and beer emulsion. This was followed by a ta-dah moment – as ‘smoked sausage’ (an homage to saveloy presumably) arrived on a plate beneath a glass dome which was removed with a tasting-menu-worthy flourish. By now it must be said, I was pretty replete, but I did tackle the neat trio of pork to my best.

The last hurrah and a canny wee joke came in the form of the ‘Deep Fried Mars Bar’ which was elegantly turned around to a new vision of a chocolate pave, a teeny nugget of the deep fried and battered sweet - and refreshingly pleasant shot of orange in Irn Bru sorbet – of course!

Inside the restaurant. (c) Six by Nico

It was a really fun way of dining and at a crowd-pleasing price of £39pp with decent matching wines at £30pp. It is entry-level tasting menu and full of entertainment and fun. Go with a gang and you’re never going to be scrapping over the bill or the ‘is anyone having a starter’ dilemma.

That said, Six by Nico caters to all dietary requirements, offering a full vegetarian menu for each new menu concept. Plus, customers can swap courses from the meat menu to the veggie alternative, if they wish.

Sadly, The Chippie menu is likely to have been usurped by the time you read this but a thrilling new food journey will be waiting in the gourmet wings.

sixbynico.co.uk/leeds

@sixbynicoleeds