One of Scotland's most innovative chefs, Nico Simeone, has launched the new trust dining experience at his original Glasgow eatery, 111 by Nico.
Guests dining at the west end restaurant will be encouraged to sit back, relax and trust the chef to provide them with a range of delicious seasonal favourites – without the option of choosing from a menu.
Each and every visit will see a different meal served as the TRUST menu begins with an amuse bouche, before diners tuck into individual courses such as pasta, lamb, asparagus or fish - the options are endless.
The five course tasting menu ends on a sweet note with a decadent dessert.
Picture: a starter of smoked Ricotta and heritage tomatoes is a must-try in the July TRUST menu
Nico Simeone said: "The first and most important element of this new dining experience is the expression of trust.
"It’s not simply saying, 'I don’t care what you give me,' instead, it tells our chefs that the customer trusts their judgment about the current seasonal produce available to them and what the best courses could be at that particular moment."
The TRUST tasting menu is an immersive experience where guests choose from a list of 12 ingredients.
From today (July 6th) at 111 by Nico, the team of chefs decide the courses that are served to a customer rather than the customer ordering off an a la carte menu.
Picture: the TRUST menu of ingredients for July
The concept is a popular method in dining in Japan where patrons at sushi restaurants leave the selection to the chef, as opposed to ordering à la carte.
The Japanese call "omakase" which means you trust in the chef. The chef will generally present a series of plates, beginning with the lightest fare and proceeding to the heaviest dishes.
TRUST at 111 by Nico emulates this idea with seasonally available ingredients.
Nico says: "Our team of Chefs are always finding creative, interesting ways to work with ingredients that will not only excite them but our guests too. In recent years the food scene has seen the rise of multiple cuisines and with TRUST we can explore these food trends and present them as part of a tasting menu to our customers."
TRUST is priced at £25 per person and the 12 ingredients listed on each menu card will change on the 1st of every month.
Picture: Tarbet crab served with strawberries and radish
This month sees dishes such as an amuse bouche of AJO gazpacho; smoked ricotta with heritage tomatoes and tomato crisps; Tarbet crab served with strawberries; Hebridean skate and an interesting take on a traditional cheeseboard in the Picos De Europa. A sweet alternative can be found in the intriguing textures of Lambrusco dish.
Picture: Picos De Europa at TRUST by Nico
When it comes to drinks, 111 by Nico also offer guests the same attention to detail to the selection as they do the food options.
Picture: textures of Lambrusco
The team have sourced fine wines from around the world to local craft breweries to independent whisky and gin distilleries.
The aperitif drinks include a sweet prosecco cocktail with hibiscus and rose and a refreshing Edinburgh gin with ginger, rhubarb and thyme.
Wine pairings, priced at £22, are excellently matched, with the light and fruity Pinot Noir (which is paired with the rabbit dish) being one of our favourites.
