Guilty pleasure reality tv, a controversial Facebook post with hundreds of bickering comments, a glass of wine enjoyed while gossiping with a friend. Some things in life are just undeniably improved with a little bit of drama.
The same is true of Six by Nico on Argyle Street.
There’s an extra bit of magic that comes with a meal full of theatrics like a dessert served in swirls of smoke or red wine poured at the table from a decanter decorated with a silver duck’s head.
Yes, with their new 'Once Upon A Time' theme, Six By Nico has really delivered.
Menus are presented as a storybook with inked illustrations and back pages that reveal a recipe for each of the courses.
We save this for later knowing full well that’s there’s no way we’ll ever be able to recreate the feast that we’re about to be served.
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No dish disappoints, but you would be forgiven for skipping the supplementary snacks of Fantastic Mr Fox inspired doughnuts with duck liver mousse or crispy onion and bramble. They’re far from unpleasant but don’t pack the same punch as the main event.
As always, the restaurant offers a full vegetarian menu. It’s a pleasant surprise to note that two of our dishes, the confit Hasselback potato (Oliver Twist – Please Sir Can I Have Some More) and carrot five ways (Matilda – Hey Dipface, Have A Carrot) are exactly the same, meaning that we can both focus on our own plates without any food envy caused by subbed out ingredients.
It’s a good thing too, as the hard working carrot unexpectedly steals the show. It's light and well balanced with a goat’s cheese that cuts through a tandoori spice with just the right amount of acidity.
Another high point is course number four, (Danny Champion of the World - Let’s Go Trout Poaching) which brings flaky sea trout and a rich smoked bone velouté that has my fellow diner feeling squeamish on paper, but turns out to be his favourite element of the plate.
If there was only one wish upon a star to be made for this experience it would be a little more time between courses.
Eager as we are to see what will be served next, by the time that we reach the duck and pumpkin gnocchi offering (The Ugly Duckling - The Most Beautiful/Cinderella -...Shall go to the ball) we have to call a brief time out.
The Six By concept makes for fuss-free dining and a slick operation, but why rush a good thing?
It has to be said, however, that this is no fault of the brilliant staff who walk us through the fairytale experience like attentive fairy godmothers, cracking jokes and providing meticulous rundowns of each dish.
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Rounding off the Once Upon A Time menu is a shamelessly dramatic dessert (Beauty and the Beast - The Last Rose Petal) which consists of a sweet Marscepone Creme Rose served under a glass dome of swirling vapour.
It's over the top, but delicious and just the right amount of kitsch.
As far as Six By Nico experiences go? This one’s a goodie.
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