Six by Nico London — Restaurant in London

Six by Nico Alice in Wonderland Theme

Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Experience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As soon as you step in, you can just feel the warm and wonderful ambience that this place has to offer. The interior was also very pleasing to look at; it went with the whole vibe of the restaurant. I was also given a warm greeting by the host, and she was really helpful and attentive to guests. The servers were also quite knowledgeable in explaining what it was that I was having and what was included. Furthermore, they were very nice, and their customer service was as you'd expect from Six by Nico. Here is my review of each dish.

Mad hatters tea party:

The scone had a light and fluffy texture, which made it easier to slice and bite into. It was a rather interesting dish as there was a mixture of flavours where the saltiness from the cream inside the scones, the sweetness of the jam tart and the tea fully complement each other to bring out the best taste.

The white rabbit:

The mixture of the sweetness of the puree and the meat was beautifully done as it helped to balance out the flavours but not clash; rather, it was executed well.

Paint the roses red:

The visual effect of this dish was just beautiful to look at, almost made me not want to eat it, but the only way to find out if it was as nice as it looks was to eat it, and when I did, I was not disappointed. The tanginess of the beetroot was nicely balanced by the celeriac rose in the middle, and having the whole dish with the sweet red apple caramel further enhanced the exploding flavours of each ingredient.

Eat me, drink me:

The texture of the cod was so soft and was cooked pretty well that when I bit into it, it simply disintegrated inside my mouth. This had to be the softest cod I have ever tried in any restaurant I have been to. The taste was quite on the salty side, which made me think, to maybe put a little less of the dashi broth, and it would have been a perfect dish. But overall, all the ingredients came together and was done well.

Off with its head:

I must say, this dish may not have been the most visually appealing of all the dishes, but it was by far the most surprising, like what others say, don't judge a book by its cover, this applied to this dish. When you first look at it, it doesn't look like much but as you take that first bite into the pork belly, it just leaves your taste buds wanting more. Firstly, the texture of it was exquisite, the pork was just so soft and tender that it just melts, along with a crispy skin makes this dish even better as this is not an easy feat to accomplish. The taste was perfectly balanced, so many ingredients into one dish but somehow, they each had a role to play that brought out each other's best features.

Learn how to make mushrooms:

This was such a perfect finish to the 6-course meal as it was just a sweetness paradise. Although it was full of sweetness, it was not too overpowering, meaning it wasn't a dessert that would make you feel sick after having a few bites. All the flavours were complementary to each other, and it made me want to have just a little bit more, but sadly, I was too full. The plating done on this dish was simple, yet you can see that quite a bit of work was put in to make sure that everything was perfect and just has the right amount...

I went for the Chippie pop up this week, which couldn’t have been more different to the 5 star review from 3 years ago when the place was still relatively new:

Every course is carefully constructed and presented. It was just amazing and tickled all your taste buds. Quite busy as it’s always booked up but not overly overcrowded. Decline the table near the door because there’s a cold draught.

This week, in 2024, we went to celebrate a birthday. The food couldn’t have been any more different from the first time I visited in 2021. The chef in charge of the Chippie pop up menu, which I chose because I thought it must be great if it’s stood the test of time, was really, really salty.

The first course with Parmesan mousse, was on point. The second scampi course was probably the best. It got progressively worse with the beef shin filling being over seasoned with salt, unless the aim is to make you thirsty. We had to send back the coley with scraps because the chef had really dropped the salt in the scraps batter, seasoning the fish heavily as well. The server - I think was a female manager - was kind enough to send it back to be redone, though she tried to insist the salt was supposed to be balanced by the pickle acidity. It was saltier than seawater! When it was redone, 1) I realised the previous piece was in fact overcooked and 2) it wasn’t seasoned at all - but we couldn’t be bothered as at least it wasn’t an assault on the taste buds.

The trio of pork course was interesting. The two items that looked like sausage rolls were also over salted, though still not near the fish level described above. The pork belly was served cold, which I’m not sure whether was intentional. It was odd as the fat was solid and it tasted like it had just come from the fridge and eating leftovers. At this point we were just dreading the next courses and wanting to go home, but the courses took longer and longer to come as the restaurant got busier.

Dessert was mixed. The chocolate caramel dessert overall was way to sweet that it masked the flavours other than sugar. Eating the top part of the chocolate dessert was lovely, but the bottom caramel biscuit layer isn’t worthy of the calories and digging it out your teeth.

Not sure whether the chef is just ill and can’t taste this week or it’s an indication that this place isn’t what it used to be.

Getting out the place also took ages. It took over ten minutes to get the attention of a server to get the bill and another ten to get a card machine even though I offered to walk up to the front of house. There was no apology for keeping us waiting from a young waiter (Harry?) and I questioned myself in not kicking up a fuss about this 15% service charge because all I wanted to do was LEAVE.

After getting home, all throughout the night I was thirsty and drinking water. It was worse than a night out with shots. I had a meal the following day at a well known British restaurant for steak and can confirm that 1) my sense of taste was fine and 2) money...

Six by Nico X Six Disappointments by Nico

Six by Nico promises an innovative fine dining experience: six courses for £50. However, with the menu inflated from its original £30, much of the charm seems lost.

The restaurant itself is beautifully designed, offering a cozy and intimate ambiance. Unfortunately, the experience quickly unraveled. Arriving 10 minutes late (within the 15-minute grace period), we waited an additional 15 minutes to be seated, so being late saved us waiting time luckily.

We started with cocktails—a mulled Negroni and house Margarita. The Negroni, while pleasant, tasted more like mulled wine, which I’d imagine is the goal - but felt bland compared to a mulled wine or Negroni. The Margarita, overly salted both in the rim and drink, resembled seawater. Both drinks tasted watery, possibly from a high turnaround of hot machine-washed glasses.

The festive menu began with smoked ham and cheddar croquettes and sourdough bread with chicken fat butter. The croquettes were a triumph—crispy, gooey perfection. Unfortunately, the bread was dry and stale, paired with butter that lacked any notable flavor, tasting like plain supermarket spread.

The first course, “pigs in blankets,” was a standout—succulent pork belly paired well with mustard and sauerkraut, though the dish failed to match its advertised presentation. From there, the meal went downhill. The smoked salmon arrived as small, uninspiring cubes rather than the advertised plump fillet, missing a vital textural element like a crisp garnish. The Brussels sprouts dish was nothing more than sautéed cabbage with a few pickled mushrooms, lacking flavor or balance.

The main course, a three-bird roast with carrot and liver parfait, was overcooked and dry. A single carrot baton felt miserly, and while the parfait was enjoyable, it was disproportionate to the rest of the plate. We also ordered a £6 “sensational yorkie,” only to receive a dry, precooked baby Yorkshire pudding—an utter letdown.

Desserts sealed our disappointment. The “baked Brie” was cold and underwhelming, while the final course, a profiterole, was more of a dense biscuit with a hard filling—devoid of cream and misrepresented entirely.

Service was impersonal—brief explanations of dishes, no offer to take our coats, and no acknowledgment of our anniversary despite this being noted at booking. For a £150 bill (including a 12.5% service charge), the experience felt more like a subpar sampling than a tasting menu. Michelin-style portions with gastropub quality made for a frustrating combination.

Having anticipated this meal for our third anniversary, the experience left us disheartened. Why ask for special occasion details if they’re ignored? In a city brimming with exceptional dining options, Six by Nico fell devastatingly short. Avoid it—by at least 10...