Popular Manchester restaurant Six by Nico has revealed its newest menu theme and it is one of the group’s most indulgent yet.
Inspired by the notion of ‘guilty pleasures’, Chef Nico Simeone has devised a new six-course tasting menu that celebrates some of our all-time favourite comfort foods and invites us to, in his own words, “take a trip down a delicious, greasy memory lane.”
New dishes span the likes of spaghetti bolognese, fried chicken, Nutella waffles and kebabs – albeit probably not served up quite as you might enjoy them at home.
Further dishes feature fun names like ‘Straight from the Can’ and ‘Fish Supper 2.0’, with Chef Nico putting a clever spin on things as always.
From a spaghetti bolognese made with pork and octopus, fregula sarda (a type of pea-sized pasta from Sardinia) and a pecorino foam, to lamb kebabs comprised of spiced suckling belly, pickled white cabbage, rose harissa emulsion and a cucumber chutney, expect to see your home favourites elevated to a whole new level.
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Chef Nico’s Fried Chicken and Waffles combines chicken with his own ‘NFC’ crumb, leg roulade, barbecued corn, Hen Of The Woods and a black garlic emulsion / Image: Six By Nico
Case and point: the whimsically named ‘Straight from the Can’ will actually be anything but, coming out as a delicately composed plate of tuna ceviche, pickled watermelon, Tokyo turnip, bonito flakes, dashi jelly and avocado puree.
Elsewhere on the menu, a traditional fish supper is given a fine dining lift with capers, raisins and caramelised cauliflower joining Scrabster cod and curry sauce; whilst Nico’s take on KFC (NFC) combines chicken with his own ‘NFC’ crumb, leg roulade, barbecued corn, Hen Of The Woods and a black garlic emulsion.
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Finishing on a sweet note, household favourite Nutella seems set to make an appearance in the final plate which combines chocolate and praline cremeux with sour cherry stroopwafel and creme fraiche.
The final plate combines chocolate and praline cremeux with sour cherry stroopwafel and creme fraiche / Image: Six By Nico
Speaking on the new menu, chef Nico said: “One of life’s greatest pleasures is eating wonderful food, and with Guilty Pleasures, we invite our customers to take a trip down a delicious, greasy memory lane.
“Our new six-course menu is packed with food that we all secretly love, from ‘junk food’ favourites and hangover cures that we can’t live without to comforting foods that we feel ashamed to eat.
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“Its pure indulgence at its best one mouthful after the other”.
Available from Monday 20th September – Sunday 31st October 2021, there is also a vegetarian version of the Guilty Pleasure menu available on request.
Priced at £32 per person, with a paired wine flight costing an additional £26, reservations are open now for the new menu Monday through Sunday from midday.
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Manchester palaeontologist unearths bones of what may be the largest known marine reptile
Emily Sergeant
A Manchester-based palaeontologist has unearthed the bones of what may be the largest known marine reptile.
This new identification is a crucial part of a fascinating eight-year long discovery journey.
It all started when a seasoned fossil collector named Paul de la Salle found a giant jawbone on Lilstock Beach, near Bridgewater in Somerset, back in May 2016, and then father and daughter, Justin and Ruby Reynolds from Devon, found the first pieces of a second jawbone and another giant bone while searching for fossils on the beach at Blue Anchor, also in Somerset, in May 2020.
And now, a palaeontologist at the University of Manchester (UoM) Dr Dean Lomax, has identified the fossilised remains of the second gigantic jawbone that measures more than two metres long.
Experts have identified these bones as belonging to the jaws of a new species of enormous ichthyosaur – which is a type of prehistoric marine reptile – and astonishing estimations suggest the oceanic titan would have been more than 25-metres long.
Dr Lomax has been working together with Justin and Ruby Reynolds, along with Paul de la Salle and several family members, since the father-daughter duo first contacted them about their groundbreaking discovery in 2020.
A Manchester palaeontologist has unearthed bones of what may be the largest known marine reptile / Credit: UoM
“I was amazed by Justin and Ruby’s find,” Dr Lomax commented.
“In 2018, my team and Paul de la Salle studied and described Paul’s giant jawbone, and we had hoped that one day another would come to light.”
He explained that Justin and Ruby’s new specimen was “more complete and better preserved” than the first find, and that he “became very excited” at the chance to learn more following their discovery.
As mentioned, the Manchester-based research team, led by Dr Lomax, revealed that the jaw bones belong to a new species of giant ichthyosaur that would’ve been about the size of a blue whale, and they have called the new genus and species Ichthyotitan severnensis – which means ‘giant fish lizard of the Severn’.
The bones – which represent the very last of their kind – are around 202 million years old, and date back to the end of the Triassic Period in a time known as the Rhaetian.
During this time, the gigantic ichthyosaurs swam the seas while the dinosaurs walked on land.
The University of Manchester, where Dr Dean Lomax works as a palaeontologist / Credit: UoM
Ichthyotitan is not the world’s first giant ichthyosaur, but the discoveries by Paul, and Justin and Ruby, are said to be “unique among those known to science”, as they appear roughly 13 million years after their latest geologic relatives – including Shonisaurus sikanniensis from British Columbia in Canada, and Himalayasaurus tibetensis from Tibet in China.
Speaking on the confirmation of the bones’ identification this week, Dr Lomax said: “This research has been ongoing for almost eight years.
“It is quite remarkable to think that gigantic, blue whale-sized ichthyosaurs were swimming in the oceans around what was the UK during the Triassic Period.
“These jawbones provide tantalising evidence that perhaps one day a complete skull or skeleton of one of these giants might be found.”
Featured Image – UoM
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Northern Quarter favourite Pie and Ale has sadly closed down
Danny Jones
Beloved Northern Quarter eatery and pub Pie and Ale has sadly and quietly closed its doors this week in yet another gutting bit of news for the Manc hospitality sector.
Known for its legendary homemade pies, great selections of ales, craft beers and lagers, not to mention a great little pub when it comes to watching live sport, it’s long been considered an NQ institution.
Unfortunately, however, as confirmed by a sign posted in the window, Pie and Ale has now closed for business after more than a decade.
Safe to say, we’re absolutely gutted, as we’re sure everyone else is.
Credit: The Manc Eats
While no official announcement has been made on their social media as yet, which will no doubt receive love and sadness from its loyal following, the sign in the window simply reads: “Pie and Ale has unfortunately ceased trading. Apologies for any inconvenience.”
The local favourite which was always hailed for being great value for money – celebrated especially for its popular pie and a pint for under a tenner deal – also served up great nibbles and light bites as well as dessert specials.
Although the Lever Street spot previously shut down for a short spell back in 2018 due to what they labelled as “unforeseen circumstances” before reopening just two months later, this latest update looks pretty definitive.
Sister-site Bakerie also ceased trading back in April 2019, with husband and wife founders, Alyson Doocey and David Cook, admitting that all independents had been “feeling the squeeze”.
While we have few other details at this stage, it does look like Pie and Ale has indeed closed down for the foreseeable future.
A mainstay on our list of the best pies in Manchester since day dot and just the latest in the list of losses in 2024 so far, they will be sorely missed.
We sincerely hope this is like last time and will keep our fingers crossed that we see the pie pros and expert pourers back in business at some point.
Georgina Pellant -
7th September 2021 
