It’s been a while since a new restaurant opening has caused such a stir in Leeds. Six by Nico has had Yorkshire foodies in a social media frenzy for several months leading up to its grand opening.
Headed up by Scottish-Italian chef Nico Simeone, the brand has a reputation for delivering ever-evolving tasting menus that are playful, inventive and unpretentious. Add to that a far more modest price point than your average fine dining venue and you have a recipe for success.
Located on East Parade, just opposite SALT, the venue itself is sleek and contemporary, but not over the top. There are no statement walls, glowing marble floors or neon signs designed for Instagram here. It’s clear that Nico wants his food to do the talking.
And he’s picked a great menu to launch his Leeds restaurant. The Chippie menu is a no-brainer given Yorkshire’s obsession with good old-fashioned fish and chips. As you’d expect, Nico’s take on the British staple is far posher than your typical fish supper.
On top of the six courses, there’s an optional snack, which happens to be a rather delicious Black Pudding Scotch Egg with piccalilli, served with sourdough bread and a dangerously moreish shellfish butter.
We enjoy this with the Sea Side Spritz, an optional aperitif which mixes Prosecco with lemon and Earl Grey samphire. The tipple also includes a side serving of sherbert, which made the drink a little too sweet for my taste.
The first course of Chips and Cheese was a big win. Consisting of a crisp potato terrine with a beautiful curry oil, the most surprising part of this dish was the deliciously rich parmesan espuma. Lots of bold flavours going on here, but perfectly balanced.
Next up came the Scampi, which was complemented with a glass of Cavalleri extra dry Perosecco. Served with spring peas, beurre blanc and dill emulsion, this delicate dish was more like a fish pie croquette than scampi to me, but delicious all the same.
The third course of Steak Pie was hands down my favourite. The 24-hour beef shin was melt-in-the-mouth tasty, and paired with a rich mushroom duxelle, burnt onion ketchup and meaty salsa. Served with a bold Xavier Jaubert red Bordeaux, this dish may be a million miles from my local chippie but spot on all the same.
The Fish Supper combined scrabster coley with pickled mussels, confit fennel and beer emulsion to great effect, again, impeccably paired with the ViteColte Gavi. This dish took me back to my childhood trips to Filey, where some distant relatives sold cockles and mussels by the beach.
The penultimate dish of Smoked Sausage was another personal highlight for me and in particular the tender pork belly. Accompanied by apple, crispy crackling, salt-baked celeriac, and a glass of Romanian Pinot Noir, this dish delivered plenty of bold smoky goodness as promised.
For dessert, Nico’s Scottish-Italian heritage really comes to the forefront with the Deep Fried Mars Bar. Having enjoyed one of these from a chippie near the Corn Exchange many moons ago, I was keen to try the elevated version.
The rich chocolate pave is nicely offset with the Irn-Bru sorbet (far nicer than it sounds as a non-fan of the sugary Scottish staple), and of course the bitesize battered Mars Bar was a calorific treat.
Final verdict
Dining at Six by Nico is definitely an event, but it’s one that you would be happy to repeat more than just once a year on special occasions. The dishes are both delicious and imaginative with lots of unusual flavours, whilst also being accessible simultaneously. Service was both slick and friendly, and the joint has a vibe.
We can’t wait to see what Nico serves up next, but if The Chippie is anything to go by, we’re in for something special. Six by Nico offers the city something fresh and an experience everyone should indulge in.
Six by Nico, 9 East Parade, Leeds, LS1 2AJ