bababouttownx posted: " Six weeks have passed, and Six by Nico once again invites guests to try out their new dining experience and 'tumble down the rabbit hole' into Wonderland for their latest theme – the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. As I embarked on this culinary journey, I met a" BAB ABOUT TOWNRead on blog or reader
Six weeks have passed, and Six by Nico once again invites guests to try out their new dining experience and 'tumble down the rabbit hole' into Wonderland for their latest theme – the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. As I embarked on this culinary journey, I met a few familiar faces such as the white rabbit to the Queen of Hearts, but that wasn't enough to satisfy my curiosity, and by the end of the experience, I found myself filled with disappointment, wishing I had chosen a different rabbit hole.
Six by Nico, known for its affordable changing menus every six weeks, sets a price of £39 per person. With the option to indulge in a wine pairing for an additional £30, it promises a unique dining experience. On my last visit, I couldn't sing its praises enough, as I really enjoyed the chippy menu. So, I was overly excited to see what Six by Nico had in store for us next!
On a Thursday at 5pm, the restaurant was less than half full, and as we scanned the menus (which we later discovered were edible), we ordered the "keyhole" mocktail, a refreshing concoction resembling a summer drink which was lovely and refreshing. The Mad Hatter's Tea Party began with a Mushroom Tea, Smoked Bacon Jam, Truffle Parmesan Royale, Pickled Walnut & Keens Cheddar Scone. A pleasant introduction, though it failed to scream "Mad Hatter's Tea Party," the cheddar scone emerged as a standout element, one bite revealed a gooey, molten core of cheese that melted luxuriously in my mouth. The mushroom tea was okay, but it resembled more of the swamp scene out of The Neverending Story than wonderland.
The second course called "The White Rabbit" consisted of rabbit, chicken & date ballotine accompanied by Beef Fat Roasted Carrot, Tarragon Pesto, Rabbit Bolognese, and Carrot Ketchup. While the ballotine was enjoyable to eat, however, an overpowering amount of Tarragon pesto really ruined the whole dish for me. The third course, titled "Paint The Roses Red," showcased goat cheese Mousseline, Baby Beetroot, Garden Radish, Kalamata Olive Soil, and Red Apple Caramel. Creatively presented but disappointingly bland, the dish lacked the expected burst of flavour. The goat's cheese was nonexistent, and it felt almost like a palette cleanser; there was no substance to it at all, and it was just an overall confusing dish.
When it came to the fourth dish, the waits were longer around 15 minutes where as before they came within five minutes. The fourth course, "Eat Me, Drink Me," featured Roasted Black Pollock, Miso Glaze, Bonito Emulsion, White Turnip Puree, Pickled Tokyo Turnip, and Dashi Broth. As the dish was finally presented, the gleaming white fish, Pollock, cooked to perfection, caught my eye. Lovely and tender with a flaky texture covered in a miso Glaze, however it lay in a dashi broth that lacked flavour.
"Off With Its Head," More like off with my head. I was getting a bit restless with the lack of theme however the fifth course, brought a glimmer of hope with Pork Belly, Choucroute, Apple Gel, Pig Head Croquette, Cauliflower & Sauce Charcuterie. Delicious and glazed to perfection, it offered a moment of redemption.
Finally, for the dessert, "The Queen of Hearts," A dish that was very much on the theme, a White Chocolate Mousse, Red Velvet Cake, Raspberries, and Pecan Brittle, marked the climax of the meal. Creamy, sweet, and crunchy, it was a stunning combination that silenced the table. Regrettably, it was the last dish, leaving me wishing the journey had started with such brilliance. of course, you can't really start with a pudding, but then again, this is a Mad Hatter's tea party after all…
The Mad Hatter's Tea Party sadly failed to fully embrace the Alice in Wonderland theme, it felt more Coroline than Alice with its moody tones and swamp-like broths. With missing characters like the Caterpillar and that googley-eyed cat, where was the bloody Cheshire Cat?! Teacups, flowers, drink me bottles, etc. Inconsistencies in service and explanations about the dishes further detracted from the experience. We were served by three different people, one who explained the story behind the dish and how it kept with the theme (this was explained once) one who wasn't too sure what was in the dishes and the third was very friendly and just explained what was in the dishes and not the story behind them – it was incredibly inconsistent but one thing was consistent that they were all very pleasant and polite. Perhaps the theme wasn't a match for my taste or maybe the theme was too big for Six by Nico, but leaving the rabbit hole, I felt more confused and tired than enchanted. While acknowledging it's the first week of the new menu and with new staff in training, honesty compels me to admit that this Six by Nico experience fell short of expectations.
I fI find myself in a state of internal conflict when contemplating the price of a six-course tasting menu priced at £39. On one hand, it's hard to argue with the affordability and the number of dishes, it is a bloody bargain However, I left feeling disappointed and that overshadows this consideration. I believe there was immense potential for creativity and innovation with the theme, and it's disheartening to see that potential unrealised. The promotional material led me to expect a really cool and "out there" Mad Hatter's theme, yet the execution sadly left much to be desired. I liked some dishes but the majority of them just didn't do it for me, a totally different experience from my last visit where it was winner after winner. Despite my previous love for Six by Nico's "The Chippy" theme, the Mad Hatter's Tea Party left me eager to scramble back out of the rabbit hole. As they say, curiosity killed the cat, and in this case, I would have preferred to skip this theme altogether.
Despite the disappointment with this particular theme, I'm inclined to believe that one subpar experience doesn't entirely diminish the appeal of the restaurant. My first encounter with their innovative concept left me thoroughly impressed, and I'm willing to chalk this instance up to a one-off letdown. To be fair, one or two on our table enjoyed the experience so it's one not to strike off, it just wasn't for me bab. The unique approach to changing themes every six weeks is a fantastic aspect of Six by Nico that has kept me intrigued and I applaud them for this. While the Mad Hatter's theme may not have lived up to my expectations, I'm optimistic about what the future holds. Another six weeks will reveal whether this was just a hiccup or a pattern, and I'm eager to see what culinary adventure Six by Nico has in store next.
No comments:
Post a Comment