Many would never believe that 'affordable' and 'Manchester tasting menu' could appear in the same sentence. Fortunately, Nico Simeone's Six by Nico restaurants were some of the first to prove that wrong on a nationwide scale, offering an accessible way to try many more courses than the usual a la carte meal. It seems us Brits agree, since we're now regularly dining out at 16 of his locations across the UK. One such venue? Six by Nico Deansgate, which opened in 2023, joining its Spring Gardens sister restaurant as a beacon of affordable fine dining in Manchester - without any stuffiness.
Admittedly, I'm no stranger to Six by Nico's six-course tastings, having tried their Hollywood, Hanoi and Sunday roast menus (ranked in order from my most to least favourite) in the past, and enjoyed them all. So, when they announced their latest theme, Space, I had to head over to see whether it really was 'outta this world.
Six by Nico Deansgate (pictured) offers a sultry setting for a tasting menu.
DesignMyNight's Review Of Six By Nico Deansgate
Having been met by Six by Nico's usual enthusiastic welcome and introduction to the menu concept, our very attentive server left us to peruse the menu (and the gorgeous interiors, including deep grey-green lime-washed walls and a bustling open kitchen). Made up of six courses, Space (£45 per person) is the only option for dining here Monday to Saturday until 16th November. Our decisions, then, were three-fold: whether or not to open or not with the themed aperitif, what snack to order, and whether to go for the cocktail or wine pairing option. Naturally, the answer to whether or not we wanted a Launch Sequence cocktail (£11) each to begin was a resounding 'yes', and we were quickly rewarded with a summery spritz to whet the appetite beautifully, made up of elderflower, prosecco and soda, balanced nicely with a unique, ever-so slightly salted cucumber cordial.
Our Pommes Anna 'Chips' (£9) snack to share also landed at the table at the speed of light; deep-fried layered potato sticks that were stacked neatly like Jenga at the beginning of the game, with a side of rich Parmesan and Truffle Royale for dunking. The potato was beautifully seasoned and the dip, delicious - moreish, without being too overpowering on the truffle. I could see that other tables' chips were a lot more golden-brown and crisp than ours, which were slightly limp and anaemic by comparison, and this gave me a bit of FOMO, although didn't detract from the great flavour that got us excited for the meal to come.
First up in the main event? The Zero Gravity Oyster, which was, in fact, not an oyster at all. Here, buttery smoked salmon, a dreamy oyster emulsion, and tart Granny Smith apple sat in edible shells shaped like that of oysters, ready to be popped straight into our mouths. A little bit of tableside theatre added further joy to this already exceptional treat, with liquid poured around the edge of the bowl to create a smoke-screen illusion that the 'oysters' were floating.
Zero Gravity Oyster (pictured left) and Biopack 3-06 (pictured right) offered fun, inactive elements to complement the Space theme.
I find that Six by Nico craft creamy, comforting dishes and egg dishes exceptionally well, often combining the two (the Sunday Roast's cauliflower cheese veloute with crispy hen egg and Hollywood's dreamy chicken ballotine, cannelloni, confit yolk, and chicken broth number spring to mind here). Luckily, our second course on this visit continued the trend. Last Harvest was a delight, encompassing a cacio e pepe-inspired sauce in a sweet caramelised onion-lined bowl and topped with a roast chicken crumb-crusted egg - perfectly cooked to 63 degrees for delicately soft whites and a runny yolk. But the fun didn't end there, thanks to the accompanying clay-baked potatoes, which arrived bursting from meteorite-like props and made the ideal carb for mopping up any leftover sauce. It's at this second course that our wine pairings (£30 per person) started too, kicking off with Violino Bianco Spumante Gran Cuvee, Cabert - a refreshing, sparkling wine with elegant fruit to cleanse the palate after the previous fish course.
One success led into another with the arrival of Biopack 3-06. This playful dish elevated an otherwise quite simple smoked ham hough and chicken terrine with 12 garnishes, all neatly arranged on a futuristic-looking grid. Trying all the different flavour combinations felt fun and interactive. Our personal favourite garnishes included the carrot marmalade, the thick dollop of mustard-y dressing, the pickled kohlrabi and the spicy mojo verde. We also admired how the dish mellowed the tannins of our medium bodied red, Rouge Pesquet, Les Marmandais.
Black Hole provided a taste of Six by Nico's current Sunday offering, which revolves around a dining in the dark experience - complete with a blindfold and headphones playing ethereal music to wear while you dig in. Typically, I love dishes with squid or cuttlefish ink and Black Hole certainly looked the part, taking after its name in colour, although I will admit this course wasn't my favourite. I thought the balls of crunchy pork fat crumb combined with the also-round, al dente fregola sarda pasta created a strange texture in the mouth, and the pieces of burnt lemon overpowered the delicate cuttlefish flavour entirely with their sourness. The accompanying wine - Saxa Passerina del Frusinate, L'Avventura - won me round though, with a mix of clean, fresh flavours ranging from white flowers to a hint of savoury herbs.
Solar Flare (left) and Goodbye Earth (right) are just some of the standout dishes.
Not to be deterred, we still waited in eager anticipation of Solar Flare. Once thought of as lower-quality than other cuts, flat iron is becoming increasingly popular with diners, and Six by Nico did a great job of demonstrating why. Cooked perfectly medium rare with a nice char, this typically lean and yet oh-so-tender cut of steak was served with a richer, fattier ox 'parcel' to an add extra dimension, as well as al dente squash, saffron and orange, a lovely meaty jus and black garlic sauce. I've always loved this brand's meat courses, and Solar Flare hit the nail on the head again. Aglianico del Vulture DOC, HelioLaitry was the paired wine this time, a welcomed, bold red of an unusual violet and cherry leaning.
With the arrival of dessert imminent, our final glass of wine was whisked to the table: Grains de Plaisir, Les Marmandais. I usually find dessert wine overbearingly sweet, but this French white took me by surprise with some slight acidity to balance out the sweetness. Wine going down nicely, a show-stopping dessert came in the form of Goodbye Earth. An orange-coloured, apricot-flavoured dome alongside tufts of torched meringue, and dollops and drizzles of orange marmalade and Grand Marnier sauces, this visual treat turned out to be equally tasty. I love cracking the top open on a crème brûlée, but this pudding took things one step further. As we prised open the casing, a sea of creamy custard - not too thick, not too thin - oozed out onto the plate, revealing the main event. Bravo.
Overall: Six By Nico Space Menu Review
Consider this Six by Nico fan satisfied. Although I didn't love every course on the Space menu, it delights me to see this restaurant continue to maintain its reputation as the place to go when you want to try a tasting menu, but don't want use up all your date night fund for the foreseeable doing so. Bang for your buck while still maintaining a special occasion feel? Six by Nico offers that in droves, accompanied by friendly staff who know all the dishes and drinks pairings inside-out.
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💰 Price: Around £180 for a welcome cocktail, six courses and five wines each, plus a snack to share (excluding service charge) 📍 Address: 2 John Dalton Street M3 2BY 👌 Perfect for: a reasonably priced, quality tasting menu, with or without paired wine and cocktails ⭐ Need to know: if you're interested in having your whole experience in dining-in-the-dark style, try Interstellar Trust at Six by Nico - running on Sundays only until 21st September |
