Six by Nico in Oxford at Westgate rooftop - our thoughts

Opening this week on the rooftop of the Westgate, Six by Nico, known for its rotating six-course tasting menus, started with its nostalgic chip-inspired menu.

The menu, the original and first tasting menu run by the Six by Nico brand, offers a creative twist on this classic British meal and will be running until June 30.

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Since its inception in 2017, the Six by Nico team has continued to develop the menu which takes inspiration from chef Nico Simeone’s family fish shop in Glasgow.

Forget what you think you know about chip shop dinners because this was totally unique and on a whole different level.

The menu features re-imagined dishes like Chips & Cheese with parmesan espuma and curry oil and emulsion with crisp potato terrine, Scampi served with brandade, dill emulsion, gribiche, peas and beurre blanc, a traditional Steak Pie, of 24-hour Beef Shin and Burnt Onion Ketchup, and mushroom duxelles.

My favourite out of the first three was the Chips & Cheese, the curry oil & emulsion was a fantastic dip for the potato terrine which was cooked to perfection.

Two or three more potatoes would have improved things even more but I was more than happy to scoop up the emulsion.

Courses four and five are more substantial with a modern take on the traditional Fish Supper with scrabster coley, pickled mussels, confit fennel, samphire and beer emulsion and Smoked Sausage with a trio of pork, apple, crispy crackling, salt-baked celeriac and choucroute. 

These were definitely the two ‘main courses’, if you like, the fish was cooked flawlessly and the dish combined a mixture of flavours incredibly well.

The final course was served in a smoky glass cover, an innovative way to serve the dish and it certainly lived up to its presentation.

For dessert, indulge in a whimsical Deep Fried Mars Bar, complemented by chocolate pave and Irn Bru sorbet, ensuring to satisfy your sweet tooth.

This was a perfect way to end the night, with the only negative being there wasn’t more of the Mars bar itself.

The six-course tasting menu is set at £50 per person, with the option to add the wine pairing experience for an additional £39 per person, consisting of carefully selected wines to enhance the dining experience.

There is also a vegetarian menu which can be opted for instead, or simply swap one or two or the courses if you prefer the sound of them.

Nico Simeone, founder and chef of Six by Nico, said: "The Chippie was created having been inspired by my family traditions, growing up around my grandparents' chip shop.

“The ultimate aim of the menu is to bring a sense of fun to the culinary world and a sense of Nostalgia.

“We are thrilled to showcase a six-course menu that has been refined and developed over the past seven years, to showcase the best of our creativity.

“After announcing, we have felt such a warm welcome here in Oxford and cannot wait to finally open our doors at Westgate." 

Co-founder, Zoe Wheatley said: "The core materials of the space draw from a narrative centered around Oxford, highlighting its architectural style, particularly the Palladian design of the Radcliffe Library, influencing hidden design concepts tied to some of Oxford's famous novels.

"Central to the design is the theatre kitchen, which we designed as the main focal point of the space.”