Six by Nico "Childhood"

Six by Nico’s “Childhood” menu starts from a generous idea: take the chef’s fondest early memories and turn them into a six-course tasting experience. It is a format that depends on recognition, because the pleasure comes from seeing something familiar placed in a more polished setting. On Charlotte Street, the restaurant gives that premise a clean, contemporary frame and lets the menu carry the emotional weight.

Granny’s classic dinners, fish fingers and eggy soldiers all belong to the language of the menu. The point is not to reproduce childhood literally, but to use those memories as a prompt for play, texture and conversation. Each course asks what a remembered comfort might become when the kitchen has time, technique and a little theatrical instinct at its disposal. The best moments make the diner feel in on the joke rather than talked down to by it.

At 34, “Childhood” is more successful as a shared mood than as a serious culinary argument, and that is not a criticism of its intention. The tasting format gives the table a sequence of small surprises, while the theme supplies an easy route into conversation. There is fun in every bite, but also a clear understanding that nostalgia works best when it stays light on its feet. Six by Nico delivers a polished, playful evening for diners happy to let memory do some of the seasoning. It is particularly well suited to guests who enjoy a menu with an obvious narrative and a little theatrical framing around the plate. The experience is less about culinary shock than the pleasure of recognition, dressed for a special evening.