July 9th 2024.
The culinary world is buzzing with excitement as Chef Nico Simeone continues to make waves with his latest ventures. As part of my job, I've been keeping up with his journey towards world domination in the food industry.
Recently, he invested £2 million into his newest project, Six By Nico Edinburgh West. Along with this, he also opened a chic cocktail venue called Somewhere by Nico, right next door on Queensferry Street. The location was previously occupied by Foundry 39.
On July 1st, the West End restaurant opened its doors to the public, debuting its highly anticipated six-course tasting menu, "The Chippie." My colleague Rosie and I were lucky enough to be invited on a rainy summer day to experience the new restaurant. As we stepped inside, we were greeted by the subtle elegance and fresh scent of a brand new establishment.
The menu, as expected, was a six-course tasting extravaganza with a vegetarian option as well. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that we could mix and match dishes from both menus. Naturally, we started off with some cocktails – Rosie ordered the Seaside Spritz, which reminded her of a day at the beach, and I opted for a classic Aperol Spritz to get me in the mood for the upcoming Edinburgh Festival.
Our pre-meal snacks stayed true to the sea theme, with a brioche bread and rich, salty seaweed butter. Next, we indulged in a black pudding scotch egg with piccalilli and homemade brown sauce. The flavors were bold and delicious, bringing us back to land and ready for the main dishes.
First up was the "Chips and Cheese" dish, a sophisticated take on the classic pub favorite. The crispy potato terrine was topped with a light and savory parmesan espuma, creating a fluffy cloud of grated cheese. It was the perfect start to our culinary adventure.
We then tried the scampi, although we were both tempted by the veggie option of cauliflower beignets. But the real star of the show was my dish of the day – the 24-hour beef shin in a Steak Pie. The flavors were intense, with tangy burnt onion ketchup and earthy mushroom duxelle.
As we moved on to the next course, I savored the Fish Supper, made with tender Scrabster coley and a crispy crumb similar to chippie batter scraps. Rosie opted for the halloumi, served with confit fennel, samphire, and irresistible beer batter scraps.
The smoked sausage trio was a hit for both of us, with a touch of crackling and a side of salt-baked celeriac. And finally, the deep-fried Mars bar made its appearance. Although I had previously avoided this delicacy, I couldn't resist trying it. But to my surprise, it wasn't the highlight of the dessert – the rich chocolate pave and zesty Irn Bru sorbet stole the show.
As we left the restaurant, we were already looking forward to our visit to Somewhere by Nico. We were curious to see what this innovative chef would come up with for his six-stage cocktail experience. "The Chippie" will be available until August 11th, and the following menu will be "Amalfi Coast" at the Edinburgh Hanover location.
For more information on Chef Nico Simeone's new venture, visit www.sixbynico.co.uk/edinburgh-west or follow @sixbynicoedinburgh. The address for Six by Nico Edinburgh West is 39A-40A Queensferry Street, Edinburgh EH2 4RA. Don't miss out on this culinary experience unlike any other.
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