Tucked away just off King street, Six By Nico seems to be just as busy as it was when it first opened in Manchester two years ago.
Hardly short on hype, the restaurant – known for its themed tasting menus that change every six weeks – is more than half full when we nip in at 4pm on a Monday night, not exactly peak time for dining out in the city.
Filled with young couples on dates, girlfriends catching up, and a handful of older couples on double dates (we wonder if perhaps they’ve lost patience with their own partner), Six By Nico has clearly got no trouble drawing in a crowd.
One key reason, surely, has to be that it is cheap here. Six-courses-for-£32 cheap.
Tasting menus, typically, do not come cheap – packing a dish with flavour, imagination, and quality ingredients generally tends to cost a bit of money. But chef Nico Simeone seems to have worked out a way around it.
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The menu we’re here to try is called ‘Thai Fusion’ and offers – as you might expect – a selection of Thai-inspired fusion dishes, served with paired wines for the ultimate degustation experience.
We begin with an aperitif – a Mai Tai cocktail, minus its characteristic almond syrup. Technically Polynesian in origin, it’s given a fusion ‘twist’ with added lemongrass and mango.
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Things kick off properly with a taster of beef massaman. Already a fusion of Thai and Indian-style curries in its own right, it’s made extra ‘fusiony’ here with the help of every chef’s favourite trick: culinary deconstruction.
Melt in the mouth aged beef tartare comes together with massaman emulsion, fermented chilli and crispy potato matchsticks to offer a tiny but delicious morsel that sets the tone for things to come (spoiler, I end up making myself a second dinner when I get home).
Next up is a twist on the spicy and sour Thai soup Tom Yum served with pork cheek that’s falling apart in a good way, and a glass of Hungarian red that tastes more like white wine in a red jacket.
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It’s not the best Tom Yum I’ve ever had, coming a bit low on the spice factor, but the pork is cooked beautifully.
The pumpkin spring roll ends up being a stand-out favourite – proving big on flavour, albeit small on the plate.
The pumpkin spring roll ends up being a stand-out favourite – proving big on flavour, albeit small on the plate.
The whole thing’s then finished off with a palm sugar delice – combining milk sponge cake with macadamia nuts, lychee and calamansi gel, yoghurt and mango sorbet.
It’s all accompanied by more wine, which ultimately piles up on the side of our table as I discover drinking one glass takes much longer than finishing its accompanying plate.
Selfless as always, my dining partner offers to help me out with some whilst our wonderfully-attentive server quietly whisks the rest away. She’s a good egg.
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When Six By Nico first opened, there was some well-founded speculation as to how well a restaurant offering taster menus exclusively would fare. In a tricky part of town, where many restaurants (including Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Italian group) have failed before it, it seemed like a bit of a gamble.
Given that you can go around the corner to Rudy’s and stuff yourself silly for under a tenner, I have to wonder – is this good value for money? The answer, I think, is yes – provided you’re going for the experience or perhaps for a special occasion.
Just don’t be surprised if you end up leaving a little bit hungry.
Food & Drink
Beloved Stockport bar Bask is rebranding as Greater Manchester’s latest Irish bar
Danny Jones
Yes, one of the names synonymous with Stockport’s resurgent hospitality scene, Bask, is set to rebrand into yet another Irish bar following a flurry of openings across Greater Manchester.
The lively bar, breakfast and pub grub spot, also known for live music nights, matchday pints for Stockport County and various other events, has had a bit of a turbulent period over the past few months or so, but remains a much-loved local venue.
Bask were forced to issue a statement following an arrest back in February, and one of the founding members behind the venture also stepped away in August 2024.
Looking to close that door firmly behind them, the team – now headed up by native DJ and producer Jon Fitz – are set to launch the all-new Fitzpatricks “very soon.”
Fitz (a Stopfordian by birth) announced the latest iteration of the unit located just next to Stockport train station on social media late last month, writing: “It’s been a long time coming, and we’ve poured our hearts into this one — we’re aiming to open very very soon…”
Detailing a distinct Irish-American theme, influenced by the “friendly bars of Boston to the lively streets of New York City, Fizpatricks brings that gritty charm and warm hospitality across the pond, fusing Irish roots with American spirit.
Fans of Bask’s roots in entertainment will also be glad to hear that lineups of live music will remain “every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday — with the best of Irish, American and Country music.”
With co-creator Benji Taylor, who ultimately stepped away last year, having brought his music industry background to the business model, live entertainment has also been a big selling point of the bar.
Bask Makes Way for a New Look
After 3 unforgettable years of cocktails, creativity, and community, it’s time for a bold new chapter. Bask, the bar that brought Stockport a unique blend of nightlife and culture, is evolving.
In terms of food, Fitzpatricks will be delivering everything from classic American comfort food to “healthy gym options” as part of their new bar and grill approach, along with a proper Sunday roast menu.
Perhaps most notably, much like Taylor’s influence over the course of his tenure, the new-look venue is set to further immerse itself in the local sports experience, promising plenty of cold pints for the punters heading to the match at Edgeley Park, as well as a brand new ‘360 multi-screen experience’ and more.
Fitzpatricks even looks set to embark on an official partnership with Stockport County ahead of the 2025/26 League One season – a big coup, indeed.
Bask may be over, but there’ll always be the memories. In fact, we wagered it was the best night in Stockport, so here’s hoping Fitzpatricks can follow in its footsteps.
There’s a new summer terrace in town with a weekend spritz happy hour
Daisy Jackson
There’s a new summer terrace in Greater Manchester that’s the ideal spot to soak in some rays – and enjoy a few discounted spritzes while you’re there.
Over on Chapel Street – just across the river from Manchester Cathedral – you’ll find Embankment Kitchen, which has opened up its terrace for the season.
This stylish spot is part of the CitySuites aparthotel, and has a menu rooted in the warm spirit of Northern hospitality.
It’s worth a visit all year round for their seasonally-focused, local-as-possible menus, but the summer terrace at Embankment Kitchen is a real added bonus in spring and summer.
And following that spell of absolutely glorious weather, they’re opening up two hours earlier every day too for maximum sun-soaking from 2pm.
At Embankment Kitchen you can tuck into a drinks and nibbles menu from 2pm until 5pm, and Happy Hour drinks deals from 4pm until 7pm.
That means two-for-one cocktails, plus discounted wines, prosecco and beers – an ideal post-work haunt.
Cocktails at Embankment Kitchen in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupSmall plates on the Embankment Kitchen terrace. Credit: The Manc Group
It’s usually almost impossible to find a happy hour in Manchester at weekends, but these guys are doing two-for-£12 spritzes every Saturday and Sunday between 12pm and 4pm, with flavours including Aperol, Hugo, and limoncello.
Drinks on the menu include signature cocktails that are inspired by the city’s industrial roots, like The Emmeline, Manchester Exchange (a take on an old fashioned), and the Atomic Zombie, as well as classic cocktails such as an espresso martini, limoncello negroni, amaretto sour, and strawberry daiquiri.
As for nibbles, tuck into treats like garlic bread, edamame beans with smoked salt, garlic and parmesan fries, salt and pepper tater tots, and halloumi fries.
Surrounded by lush plants and gigantic parasols, it’s hard to believe you’re just across the river in Salford when you’re soaking up the sun at Embankment Kitchen. To find out more, head HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
18th November 2021 
