The one where I go for a ‘chippy tea’…
It only opened today, but it would be fair to say that Six by Nico has Manchester in a bit of a tizzy. On Friday, and over the weekend, press and hospitality were welcomed in to sample the menu, themed around a chippy tea. It’ll be served for a total of six weeks, before the menu will change and something else will feature for another six weeks.
I was lucky enough to be able to head to the press lunch for a sampler of my own – the site is the old Roc & Rye, and it’s fair to say that the venue has had a bit of a transformation both in set up and in offering.
Gone are the huge chesterfields, and bright neons. It’s simpler, darker, as ever with Manchester a good bite of industrial, in this case mixed with dark wood and simple seating. Perhaps that’s my only grumble, after nearly two hours on the wooden chairs I was a little numb, and this bottom has a lot of padding.
There’s also a sneaky nod to chef Nico Simeone’s previous concepts, if you just look upwards.
Though the menu is fine dining style, the price won’t leave you wincing. For all six courses it’s just £29 per person, yes there is a veggie version, and matched wines are a further £26. If you fancy the snack (we did) then that’s an extra £5 each, and the aperitif (a gin cocktail) is another £6 per person. Sadly it was lunchtime on a working weekday, so it was a small glass of wine for me, and lots of envious looks at my fellow diners who were not so restricted.
So, we’ll skip the wine, and concentrate on the food.
The snack is a Manchester egg. Pickled egg, black pudding, served with house-made brown sauce. There’s also sourdough with chicken fat butter – which we ate before pictures could be taken. The sourdough walked the fine line between soft and chewy, and butter was rich, but whipped light, the egg, exactly what you’d expect from a classic done well. Meaty, rich, tart, a little creaminess from the egg and the black pudding. One of the better versions I’ve eaten. And I’ve eaten a fair few.
Then the six began. First course was ‘Chips & Cheese’. In the centre of a soft and fluffy Parmesan espuma was a salt and vinegar Potato Croquette, crisp, crunchy and hot, with a dotting of curry oil, adding that little chip shop curry background. Imagine those late night post pub cheesy chips but turned into a refined dinner dish, and that’s exactly what you’ve got (which is kinda the point).
The second course, was perhaps my favourite, ‘Scampi’. Monkfish cheeks coated in breadcrumbs and fried til the outer has a real crunch and the inside is soft, and just right. Pea emulsion as a nod to mushy peas, herb butter sauce (because butter sauce) and Gribiche. Think tartare sauce with a little more zsusch, the addition of hard boiled egg yolks adding a little creaminess to the crunch of the gherkins and tartness of the capers.
Onto the third course, ‘Steak pie’. This is no Holland’s. This is rich and earthy. Soft slow cooked beef shin, burnt onion ketchup, red wine jus, and mushroom duxelle. All the best bits about the inside of a good steak pie. That satisfying, lip smacking deep flavour that you normally just let ooze over your chips. This time is on a plate all it’s own.
The fourth course was back to seafood with the ‘Fish Supper’. A just done piece of cod topped with batter bits, sitting ontop of confit fennel and samphire with beer pickled mussels, a sharp celeriac remoulade, and Brandade. Salt cod was served in it’s own little crunchy jacket, atop the Brandade (olive oil and salt cod sauce). The inclusion of batter bits was such a clever touch, keeping the dish light, but still giving you the texture of a battered piece of fish. And of course for me (and the others at the table) the memories of asking for ‘scraps’ when in the chip shop.
Finally to the last of the savoury courses, ‘Smoked Sausage’. Arriving under a smoked filled cloche, smoked celeriac, black pudding, green apple to cut through the pork belly, rolled into a crispy covered sausage. The essence and flavour of a chip shop sausage, but with more texture, and layers than the usual floppy, somewhat suggestive reality.
When it came to pudding, there could be only one. ‘Deep fried Mars bar’. Along with a little battered nugget of the real thing was a chocolate and caramel mousse, segments of orange and orange gel, and an orange ‘chocolate’, and chocolate soil. It was intense and I must admit a little too much for me. I prefered the real thing (even in small bite form). The savoury crisp of the batter, pulls back the sweetness, and even so, one bite is more than enough.
Overall? This is a great addition to the city – and a bit of a must go for me. It’s accessible. It’s fine dining without being overly pretentious. It’s creative. And when it comes to price point? It hits the spot. I’ve no doubt I’ll be back. None at all.
This meal was part of a press launch, and as such was provided free of charge by the venue.