SIX BY NICO GREEK REVIEW
Nico Simeone never serves the same menu twice. Well, almost never. When he opened his first Six by Nico restaurant in his home city of Glasgow back in March 2017, he served a tasting menu named The Chippie. A fitting tribute to his Italian Grandparents who owned a fish and chip shop. Since then, Simone has gone on to explore various ideas and cuisines through his Six By Nico concept, which has a six-course tasting menu that’s rewritten every six weeks. On the tasting menu this season he’s taking diners to Greece.
A love letter to the continent, the brand-new menu has been created to ensure there is something for everyone: for the first time ever, diners can choose between the classic six-course menu, a vegetarian menu, or a fully vegan menu. Standout vegan dishes include Glazed Aubergine, Roasted Cauliflower and a vegan Baklava served with a Cherry Sorbet, with the standard set menu including traditional Lamb Belly, Sausage with Baba Ganoush, Chicken Gyros and Baklava for sweet treats. All courses nod to the history and heritage of Greek cuisine, with traditional delicacies such as Gyros, Olives, Feta, Olive Oil, Tzatziki, Mezze, and Baklava served alongside, to name a few.
As we arrived at the restaurant, with the the hustle and bustle of City high-rise buildings towering over us, we were quickly escorted in through the Six By Nico doors, overlooking the water at The Quay Club, (not quite the Aegean Sean, but close enough). As we took our seats ready to be wined and dined like true Greek tourists.
Waiting for us was a gorgeous blue cocktail, KUAVÓ (KYANÓ) – Ouzo / Orange Liqueur / Lemon / Orange Essence, thankfully it was too sweet for my editor, so I had to have two, as well as the tasting wines and sherry, insert tiddly emoji here…
The menu includes:
Course 1: Moussaka – Lamb Ragu, Pickled Aubergine, Cheese Espuma, Potato Tuile
Course 2: Greek Tomato – Tomato Gazpacho, Compressed Tomato, Whipped Feta
Course 3: Lamb Belly & Sausage – Smoked Baba Ganoush, Barbecue Cucumber, Red Pepper & Kalamata Olive, Caper Dressing
Course 4: Stone Bass – Baby Courgette, Green Olive Tapenade, Courgette & Basil Puree, Crispy Squid, Squid Ink, Lemon Emulsion
Course 5: Gyros – Breast of Chicken, Tomato & Oregano Terrine, Crispy Confit Potato & Roasted Garlic Emulsion, Tempura Pickled Chilli
Course 6: Baklava – Walnut & Honey, Creme Fraiche, Cherry Sorbet, Cherry Gel
The vegetarian menu, equally transports you away:
Course 1: Moussaka – Aubergine & Tomato Ragu, Cheese Espuma, Potato Tuile
Course 2: Greek Tomato – Tomato Gazpacho, Compressed Tomato, Whipped Feta
Course 3: Halloumi – Smoked Baba Ganoush, Barbecue Cucumber, Red Pepper & Kalamata Olive, Caper Dressing
Course 4: Stuffed Baby Courgette – Baby Courgette, Green Olive Tapenade, Tomato & Butterbean, Courgette & Basil Puree, Lemon Emulsion
Course 5: Roasted Cauliflower Steak – Green Harissa, Almonds, Cauliflower Puree & Couscous, Preserved Lemon
Course 6: Baklava – Walnut & Honey, Creme Fraiche, Cherry Sorbet, Cherry Gel
As well as the main tasting menus guests can expect to enjoy aperitifs and snacks, including a Chickpea & Roasted Garlic Hummus, Dukkah, Greek Olive Oil & Pitta Bread.
When the food arrived the Six by Nico staff were for me a little too robotic and seemed to have learnt a script in monotone speeches. I got the impression they weren’t excited to be there, which was a shame as mediocre service equally matters when dining. Or at least I would expect that from Six by Nico staff with it being a quirky restaurant.
Overall the food was incredible and as a Greek food fan, I’d highly recommend a trip,
Diners can book a table for the Greek themed menu, for all Six by Nico sites, now. Open from midday, Tuesday through to Sunday, each six-course menu will be available from noon to late. At Canary Wharf the menu will be priced at £44 per person with the option to enjoy an expertly selected wine pairing for an additional £35 per person – do note that prices vary slightly between sites. To make a reservation today and book now, visit www.sixbynico.co.uk.
The Greece menu will run from Monday 29th August for six weeks until October 9th across all Six by Nico sites, including Six by Nico London Canary Wharf. Bookings are now open for all restaurant locations (Aberdeen, Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London Fitzrovia and Manchester) and can also be made online here: www.sixbynico.co.uk.
