Six by Nico Leeds: I tried the Sunday roast at a Yorkshire restaurant with a festive twist and I was surprised by how I felt at the end of the meal
I prepared myself for what I assumed would be a heavy meal at Six by Nico in Leeds - a festive take on a traditional Sunday roast - here’s what I thought.
I was invited on behalf of The Yorkshire Post to try out the new Festive Sunday Roast tasting menu at Six by Nico located on East Parade, Leeds, last Sunday with a plus one and I was excited.
I had prepared myself for a rich and filling meal beforehand by having a light lunch that day, so I was very hungry by the time we sat at our table.
We were given a menu and as I perused it, I was very curious about the Pigs in Blankets, Brussel Sprouts and the Chocolate Profiteroles courses. It all looked very appetising.
I tried the festive Sunday roast at Six by Nico in Leeds - here is what I thought
I know it’s not Dry January yet, but for the past four months, I’ve been on an alcohol detox. Luckily, Six by Nico do produce and serve mocktails and non-alcoholic options too, so I asked for a mocktail with a cinnamon base and I loved the drink they concocted for me.
The staff were very understanding when I explained my confusing intolerance to cream and managed to accommodate my needs.
Course 1 - Pigs in Blankets
Description: Pork presse, sauerkraut, burnt onion and grain mustard
I expect any dish served with meat to be too filling for me as a starting point to a meal, but not this one. I enjoyed every morsel and the pork tasted surprisingly light, a great way to start off the six-course meal. I really enjoyed the mix of the burnt onion with the pork, they complemented each other perfectly and I have to say, this course set the bar pretty high for the rest of the courses.
Course 2 - Smoked Salmon
Description: Cured and smoked salmon, Granny Smith apple, fennel and dill
Usually if I were to indulge in a salmon dish, it would be grilled salmon. I’m not normally a fan of smoked salmon, however, this course converted me. What I enjoyed most about it was the fact that it tasted light and mild and when paired with the refreshing apple slices - it was delicious. The sweetness of the apples helped to balance out the flavour of the fish and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this course.
Course 3 - Brussel Sprouts
Description: Barbecue Hispi cabbage, aged ewe’s cheese, pickled mushroom and black garlic emulsion
Now, this is my kind of dish. I’m a massive cheese fan so I had high expectations for this course and I was not disappointed. The ewe’s cheese was a little richer than the usual variety I go for but when consumed with the pickled mushroom and cabbage, the flavours blended nicely together. Surprisingly though, I preferred the previous course.
Course 4 - Three Bird Roast
Description: Duck, chicken and turkey ballotine, liver parfait, honey glazed carrot and madeira sauce
Add The Finishing Touch for £6: Ultimate Yorkshire Pudding, pork and sage stuffing and sauce charcuterie
It would be criminal of me, as a Yorkshire lass, to choose this course without the added Yorkshire Pudding - and thank goodness I didn’t. I was fully expecting the three bird roast to fill me up completely and that I wouldn’t enjoy the rest of the courses, but the Yorkshire pudding and carrot helped to balance out the flavours. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and the honey glazed carrot was delicious.
Course 5 - Baked Brie De Meaux
Description: Homemade mince pie, walnut and Peckhams pea
I have to be honest - and this might be a controversial opinion - but I don’t like mince pies. I’ve always been more of a savoury eater rather than sweet, however, when sweet flavours are paired with savoury, then I can just about enjoy them. I had to eat slices of the mince pie with the brie and do you know what? I really enjoyed it. Throughout this menu, I have constantly been surprised.
Course 6 - Chocolate Profiteroles
Description: Tahitian vanilla choux au craquelin, chocolate cremeux, buttermilk sorbet and dulce de leche
I was most looking forward to this dessert, of course. Who doesn’t love a chocolate profiterole? Again, I was not disappointed. Though this did feel like the most filling out of all the six courses. By this point, I didn’t care. I enjoyed every spoonful and I ordered a hot chocolate to go with it. Perfection.
The entire feast felt very festive as it should and it was nice to feel mentally prepared for Christmas. What surprised me throughout the meal was how light I felt after each course. I think I discovered the secret, each course had a balance of flavours. I walked out of the restaurant feeling as light as a balloon and I loved it.