When Six by Nico in Oxford invited the Oxfordshire Guardian to experience their new immersive dining event, Murder on the Midnight Express, we knew this would be far from an ordinary restaurant review.
As soon as we entered the restaurant on the Westgate Roof Terrace, the experience began. We were greeted by the Train Conductor who warned us to “mind the gap” as we stepped aboard a make-believe adventure to Paris, France, as detectives trying to find out who killed Chef Gustave.
We began the evening with an aperitif, the Red Herring (a refreshing drink of Pampelle Ruby, Prosecco, Grapefruit, and Soda), and enjoyed a vegetarian snack of blue cheese parfait with pickled walnut and pear, served with warm sourdough and whipped butter.
At this point we were also given more information about how the evening would unfold. We were given a case file which included details of four suspects; tools to support the investigation and a newspaper. We had to read the brief up to file one and then as each course was served by the waiting team, they also unveiled a new clue to help us build a fuller picture of Gustave and the circumstances leading up to his untimely death.
How It Works
For those unfamiliar with Six by Nico, the restaurant offers a six-course tasting menu which changes every six weeks. The latest theme, Murder on the Midnight Express, combines fine dining with interactive storytelling for a unique murder mystery dining experience.
Diners can choose between a meat or vegetarian menu, and we chose the meat option with an extra course to include the oysters. The plates may appear small, but this is an extremely tasty and filling way to enjoy a range of different foods that have been carefully curated to tantalise your tastebuds.
The Menu
| Course | Meat Menu | Vegetarian Menu | Wine Pairing | |
| 1 | Crime Scene | Goat’s Cheese Mousseline, Salted & Pickled Raspberry, Heirloom Beetroot | Goat’s Cheese Mousseline, Salted & Pickled Raspberry, Heirloom Beetroot | – |
| 2 | Room 36 | Smoked Ham Hough Terrine, Pork Blanquette, Tarragon Oil, Vegetables À La Grecque | Baby Artichoke Barigoule, Blanquette, Tarragon Oil, Vegetables À La Grecque | Cerasuolo D’Abruzzo La Volpe, Diversitas – Abruzzo, Italy |
| 3 | The Restaurant | ‘Tartiflette’, Pommes Anna, Smoked Bacon Jam, Comté Royale | ‘Tartiflette’, Pommes Anna, Cep Mushroom Jam, Fromage De Chèvre | Perdu Merlot-Marselan, Domaine Morin-Langaran – Languedoc, France |
| 4 | Oyster Bar | Poached Sole, Burnt Apple, Cauliflower Purée, ‘Tartare Sauce’ | Caramelised Cauliflower, Burnt Apple, Cauliflower Couscous, ‘Tartare Sauce’ | Grillo, Baglio Sicano – Sicily, Italy |
| Add-On | Finishing Touch | 2 X Crisp Oyster & Roast Garlic Emulsion | (£9pp) | |
| 5 | Engine Room | Chicken Ballotine, Jerusalem Artichoke, Charcoal Emulsion, Truffle Café Au Lait | Pithivier, Jerusalem Artichoke, Charcoal Emulsion, Truffle Café Au Lait | Cabernet Sauvignon, Viile Metamorfosis – Dealu Mare, Romania |
| Add-On | Chef Gustave’s Special | Brie De Meaux, Spiced Date Cake, Hot Truffle Honey | (£8pp) | |
| 6 | Coffee Lounge | Tiramisu, Chocolate Cremeux, Warm Vanilla Espuma, Coffee Sponge | Tiramisu, Chocolate Cremeux, Warm Vanilla Espuma, Coffee Sponge | Grains De Plaisir, Les Marmandais! – Côtes Du Gascogne IGP, France |
An Evening of Mystery and Fine Dining
We loved this dining experience. It was a fun way to spend the evening, with the added bonus that you get the chance to put your amateur detective skills to the test and enjoy some really delicious food.
The staff were just as invested in the story as we were; they stayed in character throughout and the attention to detail was spot on. We found them all attentive, often checking where we were with our investigation and importantly that we were having a good time.
Reflecting on our performance, we always thought we would make good detectives, but when I came to proving it, it turned out we were pretty useless. We finally guessed the correct murderer on the third attempt! So certainly no new career for us.
What is great about this immersive experience, is that all the restaurant’s operations teams from cities across the UK (there are 12 restaurants in total including Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester), meet at its headquarters in Glasgow and try it themselves first. They learn first-hand the essence of this new dining theme and how to deliver it ensuring customers across all the Six by Nico sites get the same experience.
We would thoroughly recommend this immersive murder mystery dining experience as an excellent choice for any group size, offering both exceptional food and an engaging storyline.
Are you ready to solve the mystery? For bookings and further details, visit sixbynico.co.uk
Pricing and How to Book
- Six-course tasting menu: £50
- Optional drinks pairing: Cocktails: £45 | Wine: £35
- Dates running: 27 January to 09 March
Address:
- Six By Nico Oxford
- RU3, 309 Westgate Roof Terrace, Oxford OX1 1TR
- Tuesday: closed
- Wednesday-Monday: 12 pm – 11.45 pm
Menus for ‘Murder on the Midnight Express’
Classic Meat Menu
Course 1: Crime Scene
Goat’s Cheese Mousseline, Salted & Pickled Raspberry, Heirloom Beetroot
Course 2: Room 36
Smoked Ham Hough Terrine, Pork Blanquette, Tarragon Oil, Vegetables À La Grecque
Wine Pairing: Cerasuolo D’Abruzzo La Volpe, Diversitas – Abruzzo, Italy
Course 3: The Restaurant
‘Tartiflette’, Pommes Anna, Smoked Bacon Jam, Comté Royale
Wine Pairing: Perdu Merlot-Marselan, Domaine Morin-Langaran – Languedoc, France
Course 4: Oyster Bar
Poached Sole, Burnt Apple, Cauliflower Purée, ‘Tartare Sauce’
Wine Pairing: Grillo, Baglio Sicano – Sicily, Italy
Add-On: Finishing Touch
2 X Crisp Oyster & Roast Garlic Emulsion (£9pp)
Course 5: Engine Room
Chicken Ballotine, Jerusalem Artichoke, Charcoal Emulsion, Truffle Café Au Lait
Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon, Viile Metamorfosis – Dealu Mare, Romania
Add-On: Chef Gustave’s Special
Brie De Meaux, Spiced Date Cake, Hot Truffle Honey (£8pp)
Course 6: Coffee Lounge
Tiramisu, Chocolate Cremeux, Warm Vanilla Espuma, Coffee Sponge
Wine Pairing: Grains De Plaisir, Les Marmandais! – Côtes Du Gascogne IGP, France
Vegetarian Menu
Course 1: Crime Scene
Goat’s Cheese Mousseline, Salted & Pickled Raspberry, Heirloom Beetroot
Course 2: Room 36
Baby Artichoke Barigoule, Blanquette, Tarragon Oil, Vegetables À La Grecque
Wine Pairing: Cerasuolo D’Abruzzo La Volpe, Diversitas – Abruzzo, Italy
Course 3: The Restaurant
‘Tartiflette’, Pommes Anna, Cep Mushroom Jam, Fromage De Chèvre
Wine Pairing: Perdu Merlot-Marselan, Domaine Morin-Langaran – Languedoc, France
Course 4: Oyster Bar
Caramelised Cauliflower, Burnt Apple, Cauliflower Couscous, ‘Tartare Sauce’
Wine Pairing: Grillo, Baglio Sicano – Sicily, Italy
Course 5: Engine Room
Pithivier, Jerusalem Artichoke, Charcoal Emulsion, Truffle Café Au Lait
Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon, Viile Metamorfosis – Dealu Mare, Romania
Course 6: Coffee Lounge
Tiramisu, Chocolate Cremeux, Warm Vanilla Espuma, Coffee Sponge
Wine Pairing: Grains De Plaisir, Les Marmandais! – Côtes Du Gascogne IGP, France
About Six by Nico: A Unique Culinary Experience
Six by Nico is a revolutionary dining concept founded by Scottish-Italian chef Nico Simeone. Known for its ever-changing six-course tasting menu, the restaurant offers a new themed menu every six weeks, taking diners on an immersive culinary journey inspired by locations, stories, and nostalgia.
First launched in Glasgow in 2017, Six by Nico quickly expanded to major cities across the UK and Ireland, including London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Belfast. Each menu is carefully curated, featuring inventive dishes that align with the chosen theme. Previous menus have ranged from “The Chippie”, inspired by classic British fish and chips, to “New York”, paying homage to the city’s iconic food scene.
With a focus on accessibility, creativity, and storytelling through food, Six by Nico has become one of the most exciting and innovative restaurant concepts in the UK, offering diners a fresh and engaging experience with each visit.
