“Guilty” pleasures at Six By Nico

Liz Nicholls

We try a sneaky preview of the new menu at Six by Nico on Oxford’s Westgate Roof Terrace, launching on 11th August and available for diners until 1st September.

What’s your ‘guilty pleasure’, foodwise? You know, that sweet taste of childhood that you might turn to when you need a bit of comfort… Your go-to fast food when you’ve got a hangover… Maybe your choice of takeaway when you’re happy to indulge your inner slob and chomp in bed (I call this a ‘bed picnic’ and don’t knock it till you’ve tried it).

The third menu at the buzzing new Six By Nico in Oxford takes this lusciously indulgent concept and runs with it. But, as you’d expect from the team headed up by foodie star and restaurateur Nico Simeone (see our takes on the first two menus, The Chippie and the Amalfi Coast) this is food that’s incredibly easy to enjoy but with made with big helpings of complexity and skill.

Here’s another carefully curated menu that stokes and strokes your memory, starting with the ‘snacks’ including the salty Cheesy Beano Croquettes that had everyone at my table of foodies smitten. As with all the six-course tasting menus (changed up every six weeks) each treat is accompanied by its own drinks menu, starting with a cocktail (in my case a delicious chocolate espresso martini; the strawberry cheesecake spritz is also a stand-out star) curated by the in-house bartenders.

And then, appetite sharpened, you’re off. If you’ve wisely chosen the wine pairing option, there will be a glass of vino that really helps each course sing.

Just as well as that the flavours pack a punch: the Breakfast Muffin is a spicy salsiccia bon bon, aged cheddar, truffle emulsion & egg yolk jam that’s like a party in your mouth. This is not the sort of fare you’d grab at a McDonald’s Drive-Thru on a walk of shame.

The Loaded Potato Skins are the perfect guilty pleasure too, with an amazing smoked bacon jam, chive emulsion & whipped creme fraiche, with a perfectly crisp Sicilian tipple.

Cheeseburger & Chips (aged beef tartare, house burger sauce, dill pickle, parmesan & beer battered cornichon) held up well with another pickly punch. But my stand-out fave was the veggie alternative Mac & Cheese with cauliflower couscous, jalapeno gherkin ketchup & pickled golden raisins. Deeeelicious!

The still-surprising element of the Six By Nico experience is how the different courses play with your levels of hunger. You feel ravenous at the start and think the portions aren’t going to satisfy but courses four and five, the Fish Finger Butty (coalfish, salt & vinegar hash brown, smoked tomato caviar, toasted brioche polonaise) and Nico Fried Chicken (crispy chicken, NFC crumb, baked celeriac, charred corn and a sublime black garlic emulsion & chicken jus gras) fill not just your eyes but your belly, in just the right way. And if not, you can add on the Buffalo Fried Chicken (“Franks” hot sauce, gorgonzola royale & pickled celery).

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