A Japanese chef offering Italian cuisine in a Chinese coastal city? And it works! Nico is like no other Italian place you've been to. The staff set the bar high, and they're still trying to reach the standards they mark out for themselves: as they set the table or bring the food, they're sometimes hesitant, and even give each other advice and encouragement in an undertone, half forgetting about you, the customer! The effect is actually charming and quite impressive. Set menu or a la carte? Go a la carte, because one of the mains on the set menu is less successful than the rest of the excellent offerings - I refer to the beef patty with egg. This is a formula the Japanese love, but it doesn't work for me: it's just a hamburger with a fried egg. The halibut carpaccio starter is simply superb, however: the chef's Japanese skills with raw fish marry perfectly with the Italian carpaccio concept, and the result is really memorable. The wine prices are sky-high, to the point of absurdity, but fortunately the house wine is very palatable and only RMB 180 a bottle. Overall, a terrific little place that will surprise and delight you.
beckytesdall
jim
