If there was a culinary Olympics featuring events such as ambition, work ethic, invention and focus, Nico Simeone would be a multiple gold medal winner.
Every month or two seem to herald some new opening from the Glaswegian chef-cum-entrepreneur, with Lennox Edinburgh in the city’s West End his latest venture.
Simeone is known for his Six by Nico chain, which is about to mark its tenth anniversary, and which specialises in theatrical six-course conceptual tasting menus and immersive storytelling.
But if that is the core of Simeone’s empire, with a dozen Six by Nico restaurants around the UK, his latest venture is a small chain of more relaxed, pared-back dining restaurants called Lennox which the chef says is more like his early work.
The initial opening was Lennox Manchester, followed by the repurposing of his Six by Nico on the Byres Road in Glasgow in May as he returned to his home city.
And then, in late July, the third in the series opened in Edinburgh’s West End, just a few yards from Charlotte Square and western end of Princes Street.
Simeone knows what he’s doing in the kitchen, but he’s also developed a knack of turning out restaurants whose interiors hit the spot, and that’s certainly the case for Lennox Edinburgh. Chic and contemporary, with an open kitchen and low lighting, the environment was engineered for comfort and style, and suits the concept perfectly.
As for the food, the menu informed us that this was ‘unapologetic, indulgent cooking’ which despite the hyperbole turned out to be fair comment, but for all the chat about small plates this was a quasi-conventional menu that was basically built around snacks, starters, mains and desserts.
We started off with a smallish Scotch egg (£8) with black pudding, quails egg and brown sauce, which was decent, but comfortably eclipsed by the wonderfully simple flame-grilled padron peppers (£7.50) enlivened by lime and tajin (a spice of chilli peppers, lemon and sea salt) which made this a low-key fiery but perfectly conceived snack (in truth, it was more like a starter).
The second course was equally excellent, and also broken down by temperature. The buffalo squid with nori ranch sauce and pickled celery (£11.50) was excellent, and provided the heat, while the ridiculously plump mussels in a ‘nduja and tomato sauce (£12), under which there was a large slab of submerged sourdough, was also formidably moreish.
When it came to the mains, we skipped what looked like a quartet of amazing sharing dishes – dry-aged duck, BBQ monkfish tail, cote du boeuf, and porterhouse – and instead chose individually.
The lamb belly with satay sauce, cucumber and burnt orange (£17) was a solidly constructed dish that did more than merely pass muster, but it was overshadowed by the pork tomahawk with green peppercorn and sauce diane (£27), a beautiful cut which is too rarely offered and which, although relatively expensive, was actually big enough for the both of us.
We added sides of fried baby spuds (£6.50) and hash browns with truffle mayo (£8) which we absolutely didn’t need as we were already struggling with the quantity.
We rounded off with a gorgeously unctuous smoked banana and custard tart (£9.50) while the supporting cast was a rich, if mercifully small, finger of chocolate delice with evoo ice cream and orange compote (£9.50).
So, what to make of it all? As ever, Simeone has pitched this perfectly. The interior is sumptuous, the food excellent, and the drinks sensibly priced, with most cocktails £12 and wines starting from £29). The one thing I’d stress, is that when they say you should order from all four sections of the menu, ignore them – three is more than enough.
Lennox Edinburgh, 40 Queensferry Street, Edinburgh EH2 4RA.
Read more Reviews here.
Subscribe to read the latest issue of Scottish Field.
TAGS